The Killing is a film noir, directed by Stanley Kubrick. It's a story about a race track heist, committed by a man who, after spending five years in prison, decides not to aim low anymore and steal $2,000,000. He seems to have a good plan, the people he can rely on, and everything else he needs in order to achieve the goal, however, the more people involved in the scheme, the higher the chances of things going wrong.
What I like most of all about this film is how Kubrick takes each character and shows us his involvement in the scheme, then goes back and shows us what somebody else was doing at the same period of time. The narration, with the time of every step being announced helps build the tension, and to me sounds like somebody reading out a police report. By the way, the narration was added at the studio's insistence. Stanley Kubrick hated the idea and thus makes much of the information that the narrator provides false or mistaken.
I don't agree with the people who say that they liked the movie, but hated the ending. They say that with two million bucks he could have bought a better suitcase, but who knows, may be back then they didn't have too much of an assortment of suitcases, and it wasn't easy to find a good one, especially when you're running out of time. Besides, it was fun to watch all that money flying around.
Now I won't say that The Killing is brilliant because Stanley Kubrick is not my favorite director, but he was definitely very talented, whether I like what he was doing or not. He made this movie at a very young age, and it's not as weird as some of his later works, but still shows that he was already very skillful when he was working on it.
Interesting fact: "Day of Violence" and "Bed of Fear" were both working titles for the film. Oh, and if anyone can explain the title to me, please comment.
Favorite quote: Johnny Clay: A friend of mine will be stopping by tomorrow to drop something off for me. He's a cop.
Joe: A cop? That's a funny kind of a friend.
Johnny Clay: Well, he's a funny kind of a cop.
nice review. if i were planning a heist, i wouldn't have elisha cook jr. on my team, that's one thing. he doesn't exactly have "winner" written all over him...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. I wouldn't either =)
ReplyDelete"Interesting fact: "Day of Violence" and "Bed of Fear" were both working titles for the film. Oh, and if anyone can explain the title to me, please comment."
ReplyDeleteHello!
This is my first-comment on your blog...I think
if you, purchase the DVD...on the back it kind of explain why the film is entitled "The Killing"
For instance, When Johnny Clay (Sterling Haydn)(Sp) says he has a plan to make a "killing" figure of speech not an actual killing...The Killing: Stealing 2 million dollars in a racetrack heist.
By the way, a very well-written review and I like Elisha Cook Jr. (character) in the film..Because his carelessness is what set the "ball" in motion for the heist to fail...(Crime doesn't pay...According to Kubrick, at least...)
I also liked the back and forth banter between (Cook Jr.,) George Peatty, and his wife Sherry Peatty, (The double-crossing dame portrayed by Marie Windsor.)
My favorite quote from the film:
Sherry Peatty:You don't understand me Johnny, you don't know me very well.
Haydn: I know you like a book, you're a no good little tramp you'd sell out your own mother for a piece of fudge.
Thanks, for sharing!
DeeDee ;-D
@DeeDee, thanks for the information, I never thought about that. I appreciate you sharing your thoughts. I agree that the conversations between George and Sherry Peatty are one of the most enjoyable parts of the movie.
ReplyDeleteThe ending I thought was the most memorable part. The fast-paced dialogue I didn't like that much. I prefer Kubrick's later work
ReplyDeleteI faintly remember this movie. I think I liked it, but thought it was kind of odd. I don't remember the ending at all.
ReplyDelete