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Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

"The Killers" follows tow hit men who takes out a complacent victim (Burt Lancaster), after which a detective and insurance agent go down the rabbit hole into a web of mystery which entangles the magnetic Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner).Marked by what may be the best opening scene in film noir history, "The Killers" is in the ranks with Wilder's "Double Indemnity," though it doesn't so often get the same amount of talk. The fact that the film partially riffs on the Ernest Hemingway story gives "The Killers" a bit more of an edge in my opinion. It is rife with suspense that holds up even as the narrative breaks up into kaleidoscopic fragments, twisting and turning through time and space.As the hallmark of most all film noir, moody cinematography, shadows, and darkness play a major aesthetic role here. The film is photographed exceptionally, yet retains a grittier feel than its glossier Hollywood peers; in that respect, "The Killers" is a bit more hard-edged and reminiscent of the B-movie noir, yet thematically and otherwise, it is not a B film in the slightest. The film marks Burt Lancaster's first starring role, with Ava Gardner as the mysterious femme fatale who appears in the thick of things.Overall, "The Killers" is a historical game changer for noir, and a real convention-setter. It's a bit nervier than some film noir, and a bit grittier in tone, but I think that that fact alone sets the film apart to some extent. Gardner's appearance as the jet black-haired Kitty Collins is also one of the most memorable femme fatale performances in history. 9/10.

In the opening scene two threatening men enter a diner in Brentwood New Jersey and start inform the owner that they intend to kill 'The Swede' when he comes for his dinner. When it becomes apparent that he isn't coming they head off to where he is living. One of the diner customers runs ahead to warn him but he has no intention of running or fighting back and is gunned down in his bed minutes later! The local police aren't too interested but insurance man Jim Reardon is curious and starts asking questions that lead us to discover why The Swede was murdered and who sent the two killers.We learn that he was a boxer who had to quit when he broke his right hand. His life goes wrong when he meets femme fatale Kitty Collins; he immediately falls for her and even does time in prison to protect her. Once out he gets involved with a robbery and it looks as if he double crossed his associates and took the $250,000 stolen… a certain motive for murder; Reardon isn't so sure though and continues digging.This film gripped me from the start; the two killers' behaviour in the diner is genuinely threatening; there is a real sense of menace and when they kill The Swede it is a real shock… after all he is played by Burt Lancaster who gets top billing! Of course that isn't the last we see of him as much of the story is told in flashback. Lancaster does a solid enough job as The Swede but the real star of the show is Edmond O'Brien who plays Reardon; the character who's investigation drives the story. Ava Gardner is good as Kitty Collins although her role isn't as large as one might expect. The way the story unfolds keeps things interesting even if some of the links are a bit far-fetched… at one point Reardon listens to a delirious dying man who just happens to be talking about the robbery several years previously. Still that is a small quibble about what is otherwise a great film noir.

Hit men kill an unresisting victim (Burt Lancaster), and investigator Reardon (Edmond O'Brien) uncovers his past involvement with beautiful, deadly Kitty Collins (Ava Gardner).The Siodmak brothers never get enough respect. In this case, I would be referring to Robert Siodmak, who directed this picture for Universal. While it may not have been the first film noir, it is a good example of how the genre works. Anonymous killers, questionable situations, and the stark shadows of black and white. (Noir can be in color, but it rarely works as well.) For Burt Lancaster fans, this also happens to be his first role, one he hits out of the park. I am not that familiar with his work, I freely admit, but if this is an example, he has a lot of potential and I should seek out other hidden gems.

A superb crime-drama. Clever, original, complex (but not overly so) plot, based on an Ernest Hemingway short story. Well directed by Robert Siodmak.Performances are top-notch. Burt Lancaster, in his debut role, plays the easily-lead dumb boxer, Swede, to a T. Edmond O'Brien is solid as Reardon, the insurance investigator. The performance that stands out, however, is that of Ava Gardner. Surely one of the most beautiful women to ever grace the silver screen, she does not disappoint here. The fact that the movie is in black and white doesn't understate her beauty, and she plays the femme fatale perfectly. An absolute classic, and no doubt a movie that inspired people like Scorsese and Tarantino.