The Killing Movie Review (1956)
A short and well-paced crime noir about a racetrack heist, The Killing is a Stanley Kubrick film you may never have known existed. I sure didn’t.
I have watched a handful of Stanley Kubrick films, but when I added this movie to my watchlist, I had no idea that he had directed it. The Shining, A Clockwork Orange, Eyes Wide Shut, Full Metal Jacket – these are all movies that are stylized and leave an essence of, “Oh, this is Kubrick,” but nothing I had seen (granted, it was very little) implied that this film would have the same signature.
The Killing is about Johnny Clay, a criminal who has recently been released from prison, who organizes a racetrack heist. One by one, he approaches different men that might be willing to help with the job and play very specific roles. If everything plays out the way they plan, they will get away with about 2 million dollars.
A few things went through my mind as I watched this noir drama – 1. “Oh, it’s kind of like Ocean’s Eleven” (It is not really) 2. “They were less concerned about body hair on men in 1956” (In one scene, one man is shirtless and he is covered in natural body hair, back and front. Perhaps this was a choice to make him seem slightly more animalistic, which fits the scenario.) 3. “This clearly influenced the narrative of several other films” (It was very well-respected in the “heist” genre and did influence a good many films like Reservoir Dogs and The Town).
In this movie, you meet each man as Johnny approaches him, and each has their own reason for participating. While one is nearing retirement, another is trying to get his disinterested wife to stay with him. In the end, it is worth it to each one of them to say yes.
While I’m not sure that I would say “This is clearly a Kubrick movie,” there are some really nice choices utilized in the construction of the film. Just like a news story, there is a narration that provides you the time and dates of what you see playing out. It is generally structured in a linear fashion, but there are various scenes where you will see what different people are doing at the same time as something you just watched – you’re just getting a new perspective. The narration helps you with both the timeline and the feeling that someone already sees the full spectrum of the caper and is now telling it to you.
This is filmed in a very crisp black and white and is lovely to look at along with some interesting shadow choices and specific camera shots. You don’t get to know any single character very well, but that doesn’t matter. They have a purpose and that is what the film is.
With a very short runtime of only 80 minutes, The Killing moves a long at a good pace and keeps you interested. With one goal in mind and a fantastic ending, I’m surprised that we don’t hear more about it. This movie is definitely worth a watch, and if you’re a film buff, a good opportunity to see something that inspired many of the films you’ve seen produced today.
Runtime: 80 minutes
Motion Picture Rating: Not Rated (I’d say between PG and PG-13 due to shootings)
Languages Spoken In The Film: English
Should You Watch It? Yes
Did I Cry? Nope
My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Available: To rent on Prime Video or may be available for free on other streaming platforms
