Born to Kill (1947 film)
| Born To Kill | |
 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | Robert Wise |
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| Produced by | Herman Schlom |
| Written by | Story: James Gunn Screenplay: Eve Greene Richard Macaulay |
| Starring | Claire Trevor Lawrence Tierney Walter Slezak Phillip Terry Audrey Long Elisha Cook Jr. |
| Music by | Paul Sawtell |
| Cinematography | Robert De Grasse |
| Editing by | Les Millbrook |
| Distributed by | RKO Radio Pictures |
| Release date(s) | May 3, 1947 (U.S.A.) |
| Running time | 92 minutes |
| Language | English |
- For the 1974 film alternatively released as "Born to Kill", see Cockfighter.
Born to Kill is a 1947 film noir starring Lawrence Tierney and directed by Robert Wise. It was the first film noir to be directed by Wise, who later directed The Set-Up (1949), The Captive City (1952), and Odds Against Tomorrow (1959). The film also features Claire Trevor, Walter Slezak, and Elisha Cook Jr.[1]
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Plot
Helen Brent (Claire Trevor) has just received a Reno divorce. That night, she discovers one of her neighbors, Laury Palmer, and a gentleman caller murdered in Palmer's home. The killer is her neighbor's other boyfriend, Sam Wilde (Lawrence Tierney), an insanely jealous man who won't abide anyone "cutting in" on him. Helen discovers the bodies, but says nothing to the police; she's leaving town and doesn't want to be impeded. She meets Sam on the train, and she is instantly attracted to his self-confidence and brutality, but she is engaged to marry a wealthy boyfriend, Fred (Phillip Terry). Helen's foster sister (Audrey Long) is also rich, and Sam soon shifts his attentions to her, marrying her for her money after a whirlwind romance. Neither Helen's engagement nor Sam's marriage is an impediment to their beginning an affair.
Meanwhile, back in Reno, the owner of the boarding house where Helen lived has hired a mercenary, verse-quoting detective, played by Walter Slezak, to find out who killed Laury. The detective follows Sam's friend, Marty (Elisha Cook Jr.), to San Francisco, and soon begins to make blackmailing overtures to Helen. Marty finds out who hired the detective and attempts to kill her, but Sam thinks he's trying to cut in on his action and kills Marty. Fred is troubled by the resulting police investigation and breaks it off. Sam and Helen face off in a fatal confrontation as their schemes begin unraveling, with Sam killing Helen before he is slain by police.
Cast
- Claire Trevor as Helen Brent
- Lawrence Tierney as Sam Wilde
- Walter Slezak as Albert Arnett
- Phillip Terry as Fred Grover
- Audrey Long as Georgia Staples
- Elisha Cook, Jr. as Marty Waterman
- Isabel Jewell as Laury Palmer
- Esther Howard as Mrs. Kraft
- Kathryn Card as Grace
- Tony Barrett as Danny
- Grandon Rhodes as Inspector Wilson
Critical reception
Critic Fernando F. Croce wrote of the film, "The usually meek Robert Wise trades his chameleonic tastefulness for full-on, jazzy misanthropy in this nasty melodrama...Wise swims in the genre's amorality, scoring a kitchen brawl to big-band radio tunes, terrorizing a soused matron at a nocturnal beach skirmish, and leaving the last word to Walter Slezak's jovially corrupt detective."[2]
At the time it was released, the film was condemned by New York Times critic Bosley Crowther. He called it "a smeary tabloid fable" and "an hour and a half of ostentatious vice." His review concluded: "Surely, discriminating people are not likely to be attracted to this film. But it is precisely because it is designed to pander to the lower levels of taste that it is reprehensible."[3]
Production notes
In the U.K . the title of this film was Lady Of Deceit.
Notable quotes
- Albert Arnett: "As you grow older, you'll discover that life is very much like coffee - the aroma is always better than the actuality."
- Marty Waterman: "You can't just go around killing people when the notion strikes you. It's just not feasible."
See also
References
- ^ Born to Kill at the Internet Movie Database.
- ^ Croce, Fernando F. Slant magazine, film review, 2006. Last accessed: January 27, 2008.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (May 1, 1947). "Review of Born to Kill". The New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9502EEDA123EE13BBC4953DFB366838C659EDE&scp=1&sq=born%20to%20kill&st=cse. Retrieved on 2009-01-19.
External links
- Born to Kill at the Internet Movie Database.
- Born to Kill at Allmovie.
- Born to Kill at the TCM Movie Database.
- Born to Kill at Film Monthly by Robert Weston.
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