Review of The Killing (1956) by Doctor S — 17 Feb 2012

Lean and mean caper flick with some arresting use of light & shadow by Master Kubrick. Uses a cut & paste shifting timeline which was unique for the era, in fact a technique about 40 years ahead of its time before every other director seemed to employ it, although I'm not sure it was wholly necessary. As the events unfold and cracks in the plan begin to show, I found it interesting that I was hoping these crooks would pull it off! We get shown pieces of the lives of the participants, and not all are as criminally inclined as ex-con Sterling Hayden the ringleader.

Two factors work against The Killing: an inane, melodramatic voiceover that should have been replaced by simple text on the screen, when needed at all. Second, Elisha Cook in a key role as a racetrack cashier accomplice is just terrible, giving awkward line readings (plus twice flubbing during lengthy takes) and showing fear and doubt like he's in a silent movie from the 1920s.

Does not reach Kubrick's exclusive top tier but still an excellent, influential movie with a memorable conclusion.