The Killing

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The Killing

Released May 20, 1956

1h 23m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

92%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Career criminal Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) recruits a sharpshooter (Timothy Carey), a crooked police officer (Ted de Corsia), a bartender (Joe Sawyer) and a betting teller named George (Elisha Cook Jr.), among others, for one last job before he goes straight and marries his fiancee, Fay (Coleen Gray). But when George tells his restless wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.

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Critics Consensus

An expertly crafted noir with more on its mind than stylishly staged violence, The Killing establishes Stanley Kubrick as a filmmaker of uncommon vision and control.

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Wendy Ide

Times (UK)

This taut crime picture was one of the earliest films in the career of Stanley Kubrick, but something of the director's voice and characteristic preoccupations are already evident here.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 5, 2015

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Glenn Heath Jr.

Slant Magazine

Underneath The Killing's clockwork violence is a pungent layer of irony, something Kubrick would further explore many times later in his career.

Rated: 4/4

Sep 14, 2013

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David Thomson

The New Republic

Faultless and enjoyable.

Jun 24, 2013

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A crackling film noir.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 31, 2022

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

Stanley Kubrick is in full command of this tightly-paced, tense 84-minute crime thriller.

Rated: 4.5/5

Jul 25, 2022

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Arlene Croce

Film Culture

[Kubrick's] new film bears evidence of a fresh and maturing talent and completely belies the impression given by his earlier efforts -- that of a college boy who, in a semester's turning, had gone from comic books to Oedipus Rex.

Mar 28, 2022

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Ralph B

The Killing is a movie streamlined and lacks extraneous fluff. SK's genius is earmarked with smooth pacing, type-cast acting, and interesting chronology.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

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Farah R

Stanley Kubrick's noir is well-written and expertly acted. If only it weren't too slow to be enjoyable.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/12/25

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Insomniac X

An intricate and perfectly cast noir heist that inspired Tarantino and others. Slow and persistent buildup and a nonlinear story lead to a riveting second half. Kubrick knows how and when to deploy spectacle to heighten the film's emotional intensity, and his use of visual motif delivers some unforgettable images. Great performances by Sterling Hayden, Elisha Cook Jr., and Marie Windsor.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/03/25

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Alain E

Very biased movie, trying to tell us that crime doesn’t pay. The lesson is you should respect the regulations for carry on luggage. Actually the whole thing is very well set up and the voice over works. On Tubi.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/25

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William B

Great movie. Quite entertaining. One of the best Kubrick's movies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/24

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Audience Member

Slick Kubrick before he fully went into auteur mode, the movie works as a crime noir. The annoying newsreel type voiceover and cheap exposition in the dialogue are the only major faults with the otherwise great film. Great characters and stylish, giving Kubrick the chance to sharpen his greatness that would come later.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

11/23/24

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Stanley Kubrick

Director

Sterling Hayden

Johnny Clay

Coleen Gray

Fay

Vince Edwards

Val Cannon

Jay C. Flippen

Marvin Unger

Marie Windsor

Sherry Peatty

The Killing: Official Clip - Robbing the Robbers

2:35

The Killing: Official Clip - Dead at 4:24

2:12

The Killing: Official Clip - I Know You Like a Book

1:28

The Killing: Official Clip - Going Over the Plan

2:43

The Killing: Official Clip - Sherry Baby

2:06

The Killing: Official Clip - Worth the Risk

2:13

The Killing: Official Clip - I'm Sick, Sherry

1:39

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Synopsis

Career criminal Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) recruits a sharpshooter (Timothy Carey), a crooked police officer (Ted de Corsia), a bartender (Joe Sawyer) and a betting teller named George (Elisha Cook Jr.), among others, for one last job before he goes straight and marries his fiancee, Fay (Coleen Gray). But when George tells his restless wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.

Director: Stanley Kubrick
Producer: James B. Harris
Screenwriter: Stanley Kubrick, Jim Thompson, Lionel White
Distributor: United Artists, Criterion Collection
Production Co: Harris-Kubrick Productions
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 20, 1956, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2016
Runtime: 1h 23m

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