Review of The Killing (1956) by Tommy H — 02 Apr 2015

An electrifying heist movie from a director who would later become famous for making everyone afraid of classical music and for making the only good screen adaptation of a Stephen King novel. All the actors perform in exaggerated ways.

The husband and wife are the most interesting. Their story is funny and tragic. She's a sarcastic and manipulative gold digger who has no respect for her husband, a very timid man who comes off as so desperate for her approval you can't help but sympathize with him, even though he is kind of pathetic.

But nothing is played in a mean-spirited way. It's always fun. Even the would be depressing scenes are elevated by the brisk, witty dialogue and perfect timing. It's a movie you could play on the radio.

Consistent dialogue, a narrator, a fun soundtrack. The movie rarely stops to catch its breath. I also like how the story flows in a non-linear way. In that sense it's like chapters in a book, where each chapter begins from a different characters perspective.