What happens when two psychopaths marry, and one of them is …. earnest?
The noir of The Killing (1956) lies not in the detailed plans to rob a horse track of its cash, but in the character of the men & women involved in the crime. Director Kubrick makes it clear that the ultimate fate of each man and woman of note in this film comes from the defects which also direct them to seek riches outside of the strictures of law, and those fates are sobering, especially in one spate of mad gunfire which ruins the lives of so many.
I am not a particular Kubrick fan. I couldn’t tell you what I’ve seen of his output. But this movie does leave me wondering, quite soberly, as to his religious leanings. Why? Because as we neared the conclusion of this movie, the plan itself still seemed to be nearing a successful, if deeply flawed termination. And then Kubrick, in the great tradition of Greek theater, introduces a messenger of the Gods, a messenger who wreaks final vengeance upon the very Planner himself, who threatened to profit grossly from the efforts and failures of his partners in crime.
And that messenger delivers the final blow, stripping the Planner of his riches, his dreams, and, finally, his spirit. Drooping, he stops and waits for the cops to move in. And so does Kubrick’s fine story end.
This is a quietly good movie. A fine, if not spectacular, story; acting quietly excellent (especially by character actor Elisha Cook, Jr., who turns in his finest performance that I’ve seen); casting top-notch (I particularly appreciated Kola Kwariani as a wrestler and chess shark); excellent cinematography and good audio.
This movie grabbed us and we didn’t even discuss stopping halfway through, as we often do.
Strongly Recommended.
