The Killers (1946) February 10, 2009

Spooky post-war fatalism hangs over Robert Siodmak's elaboration of Ernest Hemmingway's short story. It's a tough-minded post-mortem noir framed by insurance adjustor Edmund O'Brien's investigation of the contract killing of a murdered boxer. Burt Lancaster makes his silver screen debut as "The Swede." Ava Gardner is the double crossing femme fatale. Music by Miklos Rozsa.