The Killers
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Donald Siegel
Lee Marvin
Angie Dickinson
John Cassavetes
Ronald Reagan
Clu Gulager
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Charlie and Lee, two hired killers, go to an institution for the blind where they shoot Johnny North, a teacher there. Curious to know why they were paid so highly to kill a man who made no resistance and suspecting that North had been involved in a million-dollar robbery some years earlier, the killers piece together his past and begin following his former associates in hopes of finding the money. They learn that North had been an ace racing driver until he had become involved with Sheila Farr, a girl kept by a middle-aged gangster named Browning, who is now masquerading as a respectable businessman. (Disillusioned when he learned of Sheila's involvement, and injured in a crash, North worked as a mechanic until Sheila found him and persuaded him to drive the car in a robbery planned by Browning. She and North had supposedly doublecrossed Browning and absconded with the money.) Charlie and Lee find Sheila and learn that she had actually doublecrossed North by leading him direct to Browning, whom she had married, and that North was shattered by her betrayal. The killers confront Browning with Sheila. Browning kills Lee and wounds Charlie, but Charlie hunts Browning down and kills both him and Sheila before dying himself as he attempts to escape with the money.
Director
Donald Siegel
Cast
Lee Marvin
Angie Dickinson
John Cassavetes
Ronald Reagan
Clu Gulager
Claude Akins
Norman Fell
Virginia Christine
Don Haggerty
Robert Phillips
Kathleen O'malley
Ted Jacques
Irvin Mosley
Jimmy Joyce
Davis Roberts
Hal Brock
Burt Mustin
Peter Hobbs
John Copage
Tyler Mcvey
Seymour Cassel
Scott Hale
Crew
Frank Arrigo
Richard Belding
Hal Brock
George Chan
Helen Colvig
Gene L. Coon
Milton Feldman
Larry Germain
Scott Hale
Henry Mancini
John Mccarthy Jr.
David H. Moriarty
David J. O'connell
Richard L. Rawlings
Don Raye
James S. Redd
Donald Siegel
Bud Westmore
Johnny Williams
Stanley Wilson
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
There's only one guy who's not afraid to die; that's a guy who's already dead.- Charlie Strom
Lady, I haven't got the time.- Charlie Strom
I approve of larceny; homicide is against my principles.- Jack Browning
Trivia
a cook at a diner
'Reagan, Ronald' 's last acting role before entering politics.
Virginia Christine was in this version and also the 1946 version of the same movie , Killers, The (1946).
Originally a made-for-TV movie (it would have been the very first), but because of the intensity of the violence, it was released theatrically instead.
Only movie in which 'Ronald Reagan' plays a bad guy
Notes
The working title of this film is Johnny North, and the film was also known as Also Ernest Hemingway's The Killers. The Killers marked the last feature film appearance of Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), who made his debut in the 1937 Warner Bros. film Love Is on the Air (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-50). Following two terms as governor of California (1967-1975) Reagan served two terms as President of the United States (1981-1990). Hemingway's story was previously filmed by Universal Pictures in 1946 (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1941-50).
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1964
Released in United States March 1980
Re-released in United States on Video February 28, 1995
Based on the short story "The Killers" written by Ernest Hemingway and published by Scribner's Magazine in 1927.
Originally made for television, but released theatrically because of its violence.
Ronald Reagan's last film.
Released in United States 1964
tvm (USA)
Re-released in United States on Video February 28, 1995
Released in United States March 1980 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (John Cassavetes American Filmmaker) March 4-21, 1980.)
