COMPANY OF KILLERS

US, 1970, 84 minutes, Colour.
Van Johnson, Ray Milland, Brian Kelly, Fritz Weaver, Clu Gulager, Susan Oliver, Diana Lynn, John Saxon, Robert Middleton.
Directed by Jerry Thorpe.

Company of Killers was originally a television movie called The Protectors but was released in cinemas. It is a standard thriller, a group of hired and trained assassins. What is of interest is that the staff consists of many of the film stars of previous decades who are beginning to find their home in television movies like this. Director Jerry Thorpe (son of celebrated MGM director Richard Thorpe) directed television series and telemovies from the mid-50s to the mid-90s.

1. An entertaining thriller? Critique of big business? Police film?

2. The overtones of the police investigation drama. conventional? Newspaper story? The presentation of big business and the hired killers?

3. Denver location photography? Authentic atmosphere? Music?

4. How credible was the plot? The police work and its ordinariness, methods of detection? The newspaperman? Big business people, home life, penthouses etc.? Means for gaining control? The credibility of such a company of killers, with such contacts, methods? The personalities of those who are hired killers and the hold of the company on them? Relentless dedication to killing?

5. The film’s opening with Dave and his asthma: the character of the killer, hospital experience, delirium and revelation of the truth, his wandering the city, relationship with Thelma, meeting of the bosses, taking on an assignment, failure. following through in order to murder? The build-up to the final encounter with Owen Brady? A credible kind of killer?

6. The portrayal of Sam Cahill as the typical policeman, his methods, home life? A pleasant character? His assistants?

7. The contrast with Lasalle and the business meeting, his money difficulties, relationship with his wife, decision to hire the killers, the hold of the investigators over him, the carrying out of the conspiracy?

8. The importance of the characters of the newspaper reporter and his ever presence, the doctor at the hospital? Thelma and her devotion to Dave, the hold over her, her revelation of the truth? Johnny Shanks and the piety of his presence in the church and yet his ruthlessness, his assistants, the interrogators of Lasalle? Lasalle's wife and her loneliness?

9. The build-up to investigation, crises? memorable sequences? The build-up to the final confrontation? Owen Brady as victim and his immorality and deserving to be killed?

10. Conventional themes of good and evil, right and wrong?