THE absolute best heist film ever. Short, sharp as a Bowie knife, gritty, accurate like a Swiss watch, it describes in 82mn the preparation and execution of a race track cashier office heist. Characters are deep presented, each of them with their own life and relatives, hopes, dreams but also problems. The suspense and tension are here all the time, pulled by a terrific music score. You are literally stuck to it, maybe more than in ASPHALT JUNGLE, though the Huston's film is also a masterpiece starring Sterling Hayden. Rather faithful to the Lionel White's book. The off voice helps much to present characters and timing of the operation. And I did not see it as a Kubrick's film at all. It could have been a Phil Karlson or Don Siegel's picture. And when I read Lionel White's novel, the Johnny Clay's character is so close to Streling Hayden, I thought about him, even I had not known he played in the film, and also so close to Dix character in ASPHALT JUNGLE. The link between the two characters in both novels is so obvious. Roles made for Sterling Hayden, but that could have fit to Robert Ryan too, same disillusioned characters. Remember ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW.
Review of The Killing
