THE KILLING
US, 1956, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Sterling Hayden, Colleen Gray, Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Elisha Cook Jr, Marie Windsor, Ted du Corsia, James Edwards, Timothy Carey, Joe Turkel.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.
The Killing was Stanley Kubrick’s second film, made when he was in his late twenties. Originally a photographer, he moved into short films and the brief film thriller, Killer’s Kiss. This film was co-written by Stanley Kubrick, with additional dialogue from novelist Jim Thompson.
It is a brief film about a heist, a group of men, with their different perspectives seen in the film, gathering a horse race. The film is interesting in its characterisations, the performances from actors who were generally in B budget films but who were talented in these genre pictures. They include Jay C. Flippen, Elisha Cook Jr (strong in The Maltese Falcon and other thriller films from Warner Bros in the 40s), Marie Windsor as a femme fatale, Timothy Carey. A number of them, like the strong star, Sterling Hayden, were to work for Kubrick in other films. Sterling Hayden was the general in Doctor Strangelove.
The film is photographed in crisp black and white, edited with pace, has witty dialogue, uses the conventions of the crime thriller particularly well.
Well received at the time, audiences would not have expected Stanley Kubrick to go on to have the successful career that he did. His next film was the anti-war classic, Paths of Glory. After being sacked from One- Eyed Jacks by Marlon Brando, he was employed by Kirk Douglas to direct Spartacus. He then went on to Lolita and Doctor Strangelove. His films became less frequent with his absolutely meticulous care for them. 2001: A Space Odyssey was released in 1968, A Clockwork Orange in 1971, Barry Lyndon in 1975, The Shining in 1980 and Full Metal Jacket in 1987. His last film, Eyes Wide Shut, was not released until 1999.
1. The tone and emphasis of the title? Indicative of theme and treatment?
2. The conventions of the fifties crime thriller? The use of commentary, the racecourse sets, the seedy apartments, criminal characters. the atmosphere and execution of crime? How well portrayed and communicated? Audience interest?
3. The quality of the black and white photography, heavy musical commentary, the use of light and darkness? The playing with time moving forwards and backwards?
4. The set-up: the racing sequences during the credits, the introduction of the characters in their jobs, their weaknesses, motivation and dependencies? The intricacies of the plan? The jigsaw puzzle fitting into place?
5. Johnny and his control? The background of prison, his ambitions, the bond between himself and the criminals, Pay? Ingenuity of his plan, yet the accidents and fallibility? What kind of hero? How free? The journey of his ambitions? Doomed to failure?
6. The themes of futility of deaths. lies. crime. greed for money?
7. The portraits of the men? As introduced in their work. at the racecourse, their dependencies, interaction together? Their plans and hopes for the meeting?
8. The strong characterization of George? His smallness and weakness?
9. His dependence on Sherry? His suspicions and love? Her dominance over him? Bullying the truth out of him?
10. Sherry and Val? Her strength over George, her dependency on Val? Her helping with the double-cross? The suspicions of Johnny? The futility of her death?
11. The execution of the crime? The following of each character in detail? The various pieces building to a cumulative climax? The details of the shooting of the horse, the masks at the robbery, the throwing out of the bag, the fight?
12. The excitement of the finale? The mutual shooting and its unexpectedness? George's rushing out? Johnny's suspicions? The details and suspense at the airport? The discussion about the case on the plane? The poodle? The futility of the ending,? The tableau of the criminal facing the police?
13. The insights into people right and wrong, law, relationships? A narrow world in which people want to be liberated even by crime and money?
14. What indications of Stanley Kubrick's future success were there in this film?
