The Killing

The Killing (1956)

  • 97% of critics liked it
    (32 reviews)

  • 90% of users liked it
    (19,192 ratings)

The Killing was director Stanley Kubrick's first major film effort -- though, like Kubrick's earlier films, it was economically produced with an inexpensive cast. In a variation of his Asphalt Jungle role, Sterling Hayden plays veteran criminal Johnny Clay, planning one last big heist before… More

Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By
Stanley Kubrick
Written By
Stanley Kubrick, Jim Thompson
Genres
Mystery & Suspense, Drama
In Theaters
Jan 1, 1956 Wide
On DVD
Aug 15, 2001
United Artists

Critic Reviews

  • , TIME Magazine

    At 27 Writer-Director Stanley Kubrick, in his third full-length picture, has shown more audacity with dialogue and camera than Hollywood has seen since the obstreperous Orson Welles went riding out of town on an exhibitors' poll.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    [The film] at first tends to be somewhat confusing, soon settles into a tense and suspenseful vein which carries through to an unexpected and ironic windup.

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    Arguably Stanley Kubrick's most perfectly conceived and executed film.

  • A.H. Weiler, New York Times

    An engrossing little adventure.

  • Eric Melin, Scene-Stealers.com

    A brisk, satisfying film noir that features all the details of a racetrack heist gone wrong - even if the timeline is all shuffled out of order. It's thick with atmosphere and razor-sharp dialogue.

Read all 16 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • Melvin W


    Johnny Clay: You'd be killing a horse - that's not first degree murder, in fact it's not murder at all, in fact I don't know what it is.  "In All It's Fury and Violence" Kubrick's third feature length film, The Killing, is really what jump… More

  • Tyler C


    Director Stanley Kubrick in his earliest days as a filmmaker, delivers an engrossing film noir tale of the "robbery gone wrong," featuring razor sharp dialogue, Kubrick's classic directing trademarks and a strong lead performance by Sterling Hayden. Most likely one of… More

  • Veronique K


    asphalt jungle is much better.

  • Michael G


    Not the best, but definitely my favorite Kubrick film. There is nothing wrong with this film whatsoever. I remember thinking Tarantino was a hack after originally seeing this but then again, the kind of genius contained within this film is going to escape eventually. Kubrick's… More

  • Steven C


    With his third ("Fear and Desire," and "Killer's Kiss" preceded) feature film, "The Killing," Stanley Kubrick had proved he was here to stay. "The Killing" is such a triumph because it did so many things at once, almost effortlessly.… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast