Stanley Kubrick co-wrote and directed this adaptation of Lionel White's book "Clean Break" (a better title!) about a racetrack robbery gone horribly wrong. Film-noir is alternately exciting and heavy-hearted, with scenes that tend to plod and performances which aren't terribly magnetic. Sterling Hayden excels as always, and Elisha Cook and Vince Edwards do well in character parts, but the other roles are disappointingly filled and the production is on the cheap side. Although Kubrick's film garnered sterling notices in its time, it hasn't aged well and is worth-seeing today only as a curio. **1/2 from ****
Review of The Killing
