The death of a killer

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Movie
German title The death of a killer
Original title The killers
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1964
length 93 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Don Siegel
script Gene L. Coon
production Don Siegel
music John Williams
Henry Mancini
camera Richard L. Rawlings
cut Richard Belding
occupation

The Death of a Killer is a 1964 thriller directed by Don Siegel, based on the short story The Killers by Ernest Hemingway . The film was released in the US on July 7, 1964, distributed by Universal Pictures; in Germany, the film was released on August 7.

action

Two professional killers, Charlie and Lee, are hired by an unknown source to kill ex-racing driver Johnny North, who now works as a teacher in a school for the blind. They carry out the assignment without any problems, but are puzzled that the latter - although forewarned by a telephone call shortly before his murder in the classroom - had not tried to escape. Both now hope for bigger prey and search for the acquaintance of North, his former mechanic Sylvester and his ex-girlfriend Sheila Farr, the femme fatale of history. Lee, who takes on the role of the unpredictable "bad cop" during interrogation, is the younger and kind of apprentice of the experienced Charlie. Eventually they find out that North (after an accident at the end of his racing career) was used as a getaway driver in a robbery organized by Jack Browning, which is told in long flashbacks. He betrayed Browning with his girlfriend Farr, whereupon he was kicked out by this. Farr makes it more than clear to him whose side she is really on - she even calls on Browning to shoot North after the attack. North is then a broken man who passively endures his death from the two killers.

After the killers squeezed out the information from Sheila Farr that Browning was their client by holding her by the feet out of the hotel window, Lee is killed by the sniper Browning when leaving the hotel, and Charlie seriously wounded. With the last of his strength, he follows the couple to their suburban house and kills them - Browning knows when he has lost and reacts calmly, Sheila Farr is still trying to negotiate what the dying Charlie can do with "Lady, I don't have the time “Interrupts.

Reviews

“A gripping thriller that is based on Ernest Hemingway's short story 'Die Killer', but has nothing in common with it in terms of style or substance. Rather, the result was a hard, fast and extremely exciting, dark gangster story. Above all in the constellation of the people and their motto, according to which the end justifies all means, the impressively played film is more differentiated than the first glance suggests. "

- Lexicon of international film

“The Hemingway model was only marginally used, but enough optical effects are offered that represent a hard, unsentimental reality in the sense of Hemingway, but otherwise have no appreciable effect. Obviously intended as entertainment for 'tough men'. "

- Protestant film observer

Others

The film was originally planned as a television film for NBC, but was then deemed too violent to be televised.

This was Ronald Reagan's last screen appearance and also his only role as a villain (in one scene he beats Angie Dickinson). Reagan then went into politics and was first governor of California in 1967, but was previously politically active, for example as president of the actors' union. In retrospect, Reagan saw it as a mistake to have taken on the role (according to Kirk Douglas in his autobiography).

Lee Marvin received the BAFTA Best Actor Award in 1965 for his role (and that in Cat Ballou ) .

The racing scenes were filmed in Riverside , California.

In 2009 the film was first released in the original German dubbing on DVD.

Nancy Wilson sings Too little time (by Henry Mancini) on the soundtrack .

Don Siegel was supposed to direct the first film adaptation of the material in 1946, but was then replaced by the more experienced Robert Siodmak , who directed the film with Burt Lancaster in the lead role.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Death of a Killer. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  2. ↑ Review No. 401/1964
  3. ^ Mark Frankel The Killers (1946) , Turner Classic Movies