The Killing

Name: The Killing
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime, Film-Noir
Released: June 6, 1956
Duration: 84 min
Rating: 91
Cast: Coleen Gray, Elisha Cook Jr., James Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Joe Sawyer

1956

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

See All

7.6

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.6	Your Score
7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 25 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

The Killing (Trailer 1)

Now Playing: The Killing (Trailer 1)

Movie Details & Credits

United Artists | Release Date: June 6, 1956 | TV-PG

Starring: Coleen Gray, Elisha Cook Jr., James Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Joe Sawyer, Marie Windsor, Sterling Hayden, Ted de Corsia, Timothy Carey, Vince Edwards

Summary: Crook Johnny Clay assembles a five man team to plan and execute a daring race-track robbery.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime, Film-Noir

Rating: TV-PG

Runtime: 84 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Orson Welles was so taken with this film that after seeing it he declared Kubrick could do no wrong; not to be missed. Read full review

100

Mike Emery

As good as the story and direction are, though, the true strength of The Killing lies in the characters and characterizations. Read full review

100

Chris Nashawaty

The kind of Swiss-watch precision and attention to detail that would eventually get Kubrick labeled Hollywood's most notorious perfectionist. Read full review

Michael Wilmington

Forty years later, The Killing has lost little of its punch. It's both vintage '50s noir and a stunning introduction to a killer director. [22 Jul 1998, p.L]

Glenn Heath Jr.

One of the great devils of 1950s American cinema. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Characteristically Kubrick in both its mechanistic coldness and its vision of human endeavour undone by greed and deceit, this noir-ish heist movie is nevertheless far more satisfying than most of his later work, due both to a lack of bombastic pretensions and to the style fitting the subject matter. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

This story of a $2 million race track holdup and steps leading up to the robbery, occasionally told in a documentary style which at first tends to be somewhat confusing, soon settles into a tense and suspenseful vein which carries through to an unexpected and ironic windup. Read full review

SEE ALL 15 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

gracjanski

Sep 5, 2021

I enjoyed this movie every minute. It is a classic heist story with some good characters with their own backgrounds, but also some weak characters that you can foresee how they will end. Anyway it was a good idea not to reveal everything of the heist plan until the end, so there is stillI enjoyed this movie every minute. It is a classic heist story with some good characters with their own backgrounds, but also some weak characters that you can foresee how they will end. Anyway it was a good idea not to reveal everything of the heist plan until the end, so there is still something to learn until then. Sterling Hayden as Johnny was perfect.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Onlyclassicvg1

Feb 8, 2021

Starring: Coleen Gray, Elisha Cook Jr., James Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Joe Sawyer, Marie Windsor, Sterling Hayden, Ted de Corsia, Timothy Carey, Vince Edwards
Summary: Crook Johnny Clay assembles a five man team to plan and execute a daring race-track robbery.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

royalguy07

Jun 9, 2023

This was expertly and smartly executed, a tight and good blueprint for heist movies to come.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Broyax

Jun 27, 2023

Un polar minutieusement détaillé et bien construit qui m’a fait penser à ‘Ocean 11’ mais avec quelques participants en moins… Le démarrage reste lent cependant et quelques bavardages particulièrement inutiles et rasoirs viennent alourdir cette belle mécanique, par ailleurs filméeUn polar minutieusement détaillé et bien construit qui m’a fait penser à ‘Ocean 11’ mais avec quelques participants en moins… Le démarrage reste lent cependant et quelques bavardages particulièrement inutiles et rasoirs viennent alourdir cette belle mécanique, par ailleurs filmée consciencieusement par Kubrick mais sans génie : ne pas s’attendre à sa maestria des films suivants. A ce sujet, quel contraste avec ‘Les Sentiers de la Gloire’ sorti l’année d’après !

On note la présence dans le rôle-titre de Sterling Hayden très convaincant ici et qui le sera encore plus (dans un petit rôle certes mais très percutant) dans l’inénarrable ‘Docteur Folamour’ des années plus tard…

Assurément très sérieux, ce polar n’a donc rien de bien extraordinaire si ce n’est… sa fin d’une ironie inattendue ! on retrouve là le Kubrick narquois et sardonique à souhait. Quelle fin, mes aïeux, elle sauve le film ! (ou presque).… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 4 REVIEWS