The Killers (1964)

Fine acting, a twisted plot, gorgeous cinematography and a tight script all combine to make as near-perfect a thriller as you could expect.

Ernest Hemingway's short fatalistic story about a man meeting hid death most stoically gets another telling in this remake of the 1946 film that starred Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. John Cassavetes is the luckless victim and the femme fatale is Angie Dickinson. In the title roles are hit men Lee Marvin and Clu Gulagher who gun down Cassavetes. Marvin wonders why he and Gulagher were paid far more the going rate for this hit and why Cassavetes seemed so resigned to his fate. The two turn detective replacing Edmond O'Brien's role in the 1946 film and find out Cassavetes who is a racing car driver was the wheel man in a mail truck robbery. By the way even I could have planned the robbery better with less trouble that would have made Cassavetes role in it quite disposable. But that's just one weakness.Masterminding the robbery in his last big screen role and only villain is the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. This was a hard to see film for decades while Reagan embarked on a political career that took him to the top. I don't think that was an accident. Don Siegel directed this film and well. But I think the main problem other than really a well planned caper is the lack of rooting interest in this cast of thoroughly bad people as leads. No rootin interest here for anyone, a good deal of fascination though.As for Cassavetes if you saw the first film with Lancaster and Gardner, than you know how thoroughly Cassavetes will be destroyed here.Destroyed body and soul.

Weary veteran assassin Charlie Strom (Lee Marvin, ice cold perfection) and his loopy health freak partner Lee (a delightfully colorful portrayal by Clu Gulager) bump off race car driver Johnny North (superbly played by John Cassavettes) with deceptive ease. Curious about why North didn't put up any kind of resistance, Strom and Lee decide to find out who hired them for this particular job.Director Don Siegel, working from a compact script by Gene L. Coon, relates the absorbing story at a snappy pace, does an expert job of crafting a tough gritty tone, and stages the exciting action set pieces with customary skill and aplomb. The fine acting from the top-drawer cast keeps this movie humming: Marvin and Gulager make for a fascinatingly contrasting pair as the super cool and brutally efficient contract killers, Ronald Reagan does surprisingly well as ruthless head villain Jack Browning, and Angie Dickinson positively oozes desirability as lovely, yet lethal two-timing femme fatale Sheila Farr, plus there's ace work from Norman Fell as sniveling toady Mickey Farmer and Claude Atkins as gruff mechanic Earl Sylvester. Popping up in nifty bits are Burt Mustin (in one of his trademark old duffer roles), an extremely young Seymour Cassel, and Siegel in a blink and you'll miss him cameo. The bright color cinematography by Richard L. Rawlings provides an attractive sparkling look that vividly captures the garish allure of various shiny 1960's urban locations. The swinging bebop score by John Williams hits the stirring spot. The moments of savage violence pack a startling punch, with the definite shocking highlight occurring when Browning slaps Sheila. Highly recommended.

This offering is both the 1946 version of Hemingway's story and the 1964 remake with our ex-president, Ronald Regan. So we get to compare Burt Lancaster and Edmond O'Brien verses the performance of Lee Marvin and Angie Dickenson. In my mind it is completely clear which version is better. The 46 version had a more believable plot. If one thinks of the reason of why one would go after the money from a robbery that happened years ago the 46 version explains that better. I thought the flashback to the Swede's life was handled better in the 46 version. Ultimately the comparison comes down to plot, that is after all what film noir movies are about. The plot in the 46 version was interesting, complex and believable. The plot in the 64 version reflected the 60's and was uninteresting, straight forward and not believable. The 64 version was a waste of Lee Marvin's and John Cassavetes's abilities. To think that two hit men who really had no connection would investigate this murder was ludicrous. This is only on example of where the 46 version of this movie was superior. If, like me, you get both disks, and you have limited time, watch the 46 version, skip the 64 version. It is like drinking MDG 64 vs. Guinness. I rank the 46 version 5 Guinness, the 64 version 1 MDG 64.