THE KILLING TIME
US, 1987, 88 minutes, Colour.
Beau Bridges, Keifer Sutherland, Wayne Rogers, Joe Don Baker, Michael Madsen.
Directed by Rick King.
The Killing Time is a familiar kind of murder story, efficiently done. It has a Californian setting, Beau Bridges as a sheriff, Wayne Rogers as a wealthy man with an unfaithful and hostile wife. However, things are complicated by the opening credits with Kiefer Sutherland murdering his companion and assuming his identity, going into the town as an assistant to the sheriff, becoming involved in their murder plan. Joe Don Baker has a pleasant role as Carl, the retiring policeman. Familiar material, but sufficiently entertainingly done.
1. Entertaining thriller? Romance and vengeance plot? The intervention of the mad young man? The strands coming together for an effective thriller?
2. Desert locations, the coastal town and fishing, the small American town? Musical score?
3. The title, the focus on Brian and on Sam and Laura?
4. The pre-credits sequence, the young man killing his companion in the desert, burying him? Indications of madness?- Driving into the town, his superficial charm, his taking the dead man's job, assisting the sheriff? Meeting the sheriff and his assistant? Getting to know the town? The question of guns? His trailer and being at home? On the job. observing the murder plan, knowing that he was to be blamed? His gun practice and his own gun? Sam's attitude towards him? His decision to intervene, the mad confrontation with Jake, his brutal killing of him? The nightmares about his father's hanging - and his associating this with Jake? The confrontation with Sam? Being killed by Carl?
5. Sam as the sheriff, in the town, helping the women at the store, generally respected, friendship with Carl, going fishing? At socials - and Jake's attitude towards him? Former love for Laura.. infatuation, falling in love again? Stopping her murdering her husband, putting his body back in the house? His infatuation and joining her plan? Blaming Brian? Tense with Carl? The evening social, his changing his mind, the death of Jake? Suspicions of Laura? The discovery of the truth, the confrontation with Brian, the shoot-out? Offering his resignation?
6. Carl and his work in the town, representing the law. friendship with Sam and' supporting him, ambitions for retiring and fishing, enjoying the fishing, encounters with Brian, the discovery of the truth? His tension with Sam as regards the murder? The investigation? Killing Brian?
7. Jake and Laura, the brittle marriage, the child? The car without the brakes and the effect on Laura? Her decision to kill her husband? His hopes for development in the area? Socialising and money support? Giving his wife things? His warning Sam off? His threatening Laura, her getting him drunk, trying to kill him in the garage? Sam's intervention? Their affair, the plan to kill him? Involving Brian? Jake's death and the brutality of Brian? Their each thinking the other did-it? The truth?
8. The background of the small town? The setting for this kind of story, the sheriff's story, the brittle marriage, hopes for development? The mad outsider coming in?
9. Satisfying melodrama? Character study? Madness, passion? Sanity and violence? Law and order?
