I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writers:

Aki Kaurismäki (story)
Aki Kaurismäki (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 September 1990 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Lej aldrig yrkesmoerdare i rivningskaakar!

Plot:

After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide...

Plot Keywords:

Assassination | Hitman | Suicide By Hitman | Suicide Attempt | Layoff

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Henri Boulanger
Margi Clarke	...	Margaret
Kenneth Colley	...	The Killer
T.R. Bowen	...	Department Head (as Trevor Bowen)
Imogen Claire	...	Secretary (as Immogen Clare)
Angela Walsh	...	Landlady
Cyril Epstein	...	Taxi Driver
Nicky Tesco	...	Pete
Charles Cork	...	Al
Michael O'Hagan	...	The Killer's Boss
Tex Axile	...	Barkeeper
Walter Sparrow	...	Hotel Porter
Tony Rohr	...	Frank
Joe Strummer	...	Guitar Player / Singer
Peter Graves	...	Jeweller
Serge Reggiani	...	Vic
Ette Elliot	...	The Killer's Daughter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roberto Pla	...	Bongo Man
Aki Kaurismäki	...	Man Selling Dark Glasses (uncredited)

Directed by
Aki Kaurismäki

Writing credits
Aki Kaurismäki		(story)
Aki Kaurismäki		(screenplay)
Peter von Bagh		story idea

Produced by
Martin Bruce-Clayton	....	line producer
Aki Kaurismäki	....	producer
David Kelly	....	line producer

Cinematography by
Timo Salminen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Aki Kaurismäki

Production Design by
John Ebden

Art Direction by
Mark Lavis

Costume Design by
Simon Murray

Makeup Department
Simon Murray	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Klaus Heydemann	....	production manager
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kari Laine	....	second assistant director
Pauli Pentti	....	first assistant director
Robert Fabbri	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Nigel Ashby	....	carpenter
Sarah Horton	....	property buyer
Philip Hunt	....	props
Heikki Ukkonen	....	property master
Richard F. Ward III	....	carpenter (as Richard Ward)

Sound Department
Ronald Bailey	....	boom operator
Tom Forsström	....	sound mixer
Timo Linnasalo	....	sound
Danny Malone	....	sound assistant
Beryl Mortimer	....	sound effects editor
Jouko Lumme	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Aspinall	....	additional assistant camera
Peter Bass	....	additional electrician
Jacques Cheuiche	....	first assistant camera
George Cowen	....	generator operator
Isabella Fernandes	....	second assistant camera
Marja-Leena Helin	....	still photographer
Peter Hoffman	....	electrician
Wolfgang Kluge	....	grip
Timo Salminen	....	camera operator
Olli Varja	....	electrician

Editorial Department
Danny Coulson	....	negative cutter
Stan Lane	....	assistant negative cutter

Music Department
Roberto Pla	....	musician: bongo

Transportation Department
Jamie Forder	....	driver

Other crew
Haije Alanoja	....	production secretary
Erkki Astala	....	production coordinator
Irmeli Debarle	....	dialog coach: Mr. Léaud
Andy Eliot	....	assistant location manager
Jonathan Finn	....	production assistant
Marja-Leena Helin	....	script supervisor
Tomy Houghton	....	production assistant
Erkki Lahti	....	caterer
Peter La Terriere	....	production assistant
Steve Long	....	production auditor
Mikko Lyytikainen	....	scenario translator
Giulia Maura	....	production assistant
Andy Pavord	....	location manager
Pauli Pentti	....	production controller
Robin Thistlewaite	....	popular television
Sinikka Usvamaa	....	production auditor (as Sinikka Telaranta)
Minna Virtanen	....	assistant caterer
Charlie Woodhouse	....	assistant location manager
Jan-Eric Nyström	....	title designer (uncredited)
Jaakko Talaskivi	....	assistant to unit manager (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Powell	....	dedicated to the memory of

Production Companies

• Channel Four Films
• Esselte Video
• Finnkino
• Megamania
• Pandora Filmproduktion
• Pyramide Films
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
• Villealfa Filmproduction Oy

Distributors

• Al!ve AG (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Aki Kaurismäki Collection 3)
• Pandora Filmproduktion (Germany)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2005) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Bayly, Martin and Fay, Yrittajain Fennia, Finland  insurance
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  auditorium
• Finnish Film Foundation  sound mixing
• First City I.P.S.  editing
• First City I.P.S.  line producers
• GBS Film Lighting  generators
• Lumme  sound edition
• Richmond Film Services  sound equipment
• Villealfa Filmproduction  additional cameras

Also Known As:

J'ai engagé un tueur (France)
Vertrag mit meinem Killer (Germany)
Contraté a un asesino (Argentina) [es]
Contraté un asesino a sueldo (Spain) [es]
Ho affittato un killer (Italy) [it]
J'ai engagé un tueur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Proselava enan epagelmatia dolofono (Greece) [el]
Wynajalem platnego morderce (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

Finland | UK | Germany | Sweden | France

Language:

English | Finnish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

In the card playing scene, the lyrics of the Finnish song sum up what has happened up till that point.

Quotes:

Margaret: [Henri has just spend a night with Margaret] What about now? You still want to die?
Henri Boulanger: No no, not anymore.
Margaret: Because you met me?
Henri Boulanger: Yes, that's made me change my mind.
Margaret: Only because of my blue eyes?
Henri Boulanger: Are they blue?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bulworth (1998)

Soundtrack:

Afro-Cuban Be-Bop

The suspension is perfectly 'Hitchcokic'& the use of music is great. Lay back, watch and enjoy.

Do you like classics? Do you have a thing for Hitchcock, or lets say, Jean Pierre Melville? Do you wanna see how does that translate into a more modern progressive movie? Well! here is what you do: You go straight to a club and you purchase 'I Hired a Contract Killer'! It sticks with you; the futility, the humor, and the suspense. This is a picture that no matter what, you gonna remember for ever. The futility is so rich, that itself becomes the core meaning to everything. And the situation gets so baffled that emptiness becomes a survival. The suspension is perfectly 'Hitchcokic'& the use of music is great. It is among the pictures that secures you; makes you sure that still cinema exists; A cinema that tells you a story, a breathtaking one - and damn, Kourismaki is a great story teller; a noble one. One of the few left from the true heritage of motion picture industry and art. Lay back, watch and enjoy. This is pure cinema. As you might have guessed, I fully recommend it!