Top 50 Actresses, #42 - Ava Gardner: "The Killers" (1946)

Movie Stats:
Released 1946 (USA)
American, in English
Director - Richard Siodmak
Stars - Edmond O’Brien, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner

Plot Summary:
After small town gas station attendant Ole “Swede” Anderson (Lancaster) is murdered by a pair of hired killers, insurance investigator Jim Reardon (O’Brien) is hired to determine if his policy should be paid out. In the process, he discovers that Anderson’s history is inextricably entwined with that of femme fatale Kitty Collins (Gardner).

Warnings:
Violence.

Bad Stuff:
I didn’t much care for the format, telling the key part of the story through flashbacks.

Do insurance investigators really get all up in people’s business like that? Basically acting like police officers? I doubt they do now or ever did. It was a bit of poetic license for which I couldn’t suspend my disbelief.

I hated the characters of “the killers.” They were so weirdly aggressive and condescending, especially for a pair of hired thugs. Fortunately, their time in the film is brief.

Good Stuff:
I’m typically not impressed with the acting in film noir (I feel that good acting isn’t the focus of this genre; it’s more about the story) but I thought a lot of it was very good here, especially from secondary characters.

I liked the story. It’s a good mystery, intricate without being confusing and with a satisfying amount of twists & turns. Of course, the original author is Hemingway, so no surprise about that really.

I liked the score. It’s quintessential film noir.

About the Performance:
I don’t think I picked the right film for Gardner. She wasn’t in this a whole lot. I largely felt lukewarm about her, mostly because I didn’t see enough of her. It wasn’t until the final scene that I felt like I got a good look at her acting chops, and then I really liked what I saw. If I ever forget the intricacies of this film, what I’ll remember are her final words and the way she said them. So I think that says something about her abilities. I’d like to see more of her work.

Other performances of Gardner’s I’ve reviewed: On the Beach.

The Verdict:
I’m not always big on film noir. Oftentimes, I feel that these films try too hard to be mysterious or that they have too many plot twists, so it turns into an endless parade of “dun dun DUN!!!” moments, to the detriment of the story. But this is a pretty good entry to the genre. It’s a satisfying mystery. There are a reasonable amount of plot twists. I never felt confused. Plus, it has a lot of interesting characters, most of whom are secondary. Maybe it wasn’t the best film for showcasing Gardner’s talents, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I give it 4 stars.