Agee with @
GulfportDoc and @
WHITBISSELL! on Thelma Ritter. She's was so heartbreakingly fine in her role as Moe, especially the scene with the gunman. As great as Richard Widmark and Jean Peters were, everytime I hear this film's title, I immediately think of Ritter before the others. It's one of my favorite noirs and I can't wait to watch it again. It came in at #5 for me..
The Killers is a film I've know about since childhood, my Dad being a big fan of the movie. He was always telling me how this was Burt Lancaster's first film and how good he was in it. I watched it for the first time for the Countdown and now I agree with him. Lancaster, watching him, didn't seem like a first-timer at all, more like a seasoned film pro. I thought William Conrad was especially spooky as one of the gunmen who come for the 'Swede,' nothing like his later
Cannon persona, which I mainly knew him in for decades. Edmond O'Brien was very good in a role that pretty much had him sharing equal leading man status in the film. And I just knew that Citzen was referring to Ava in his hints. She was a stunner here, and was also one of the very best femme fatales in any noir I've ever seen, especially what's revealed of her demeanor after O'Brien encounters her. And we have Sam Levene show up again, making what I think is his third appearance, with
Brute Force and
Crossfire being his others, and maybe one more making the Countdown.
And @
Thief, love your Pit Stop pic. Nice choice for a stop.
And now this is my
fourth two-fer in the Countdown! I'm getting nervous that my luck is now going to fizzle out shortly when we get into the Top 20. This Film Noir after all. Your luck never lasts in Film Noir.
#4
The Big Combo List Proper #52
#5
Pickup on South Street List Proper #23
#6
Kansas City Confidential List Proper #53
#12
The Postman Always Rings Twice List Proper #23
#13
Murder, My Sweet List Proper #28
#14
Kiss of Death List Proper #59
#15
He Walked By Night List Proper #88
#16
The Naked City List Proper #60
#17
The Killers List Proper #22
#18
Detour List Proper #24
#20
Gun Crazy List Proper #36
#22
This Gun For Hire List Proper #78
#23
The Narrow Margin List Proper #43
#25
Crossfire List Proper #51