Review of The Killing (1956) by Clark B — 05 Apr 2010

In my mind Sterling Hayden was the perfect noir hero - equal parts tough and vulnerable - and this movie fires up all the nerve endings in my brain that make me partial to crime thrillers. Stanley Kubrick made more "accomplished" pictures later, some polished so shiny it's hard to look at them directly or even remain awake, but here he spins a grimey little yarn about a race track robbery with minimal '50s psychobabble and maximum excitement.

I like "Dr. Strangelove" and "Paths of Glory" more, but when I hear the name Stanley Kubrick this is the first picture that pops in my head.