The Killers
“She's a match for any mobster!”
Synopsis
Two hit men walk into a diner asking for a man called "the Swede". When the killers find the Swede, he's expecting them and doesn't put up a fight. Since the Swede had a life insurance policy, an investigator, on a hunch, decides to look into the murder. As the Swede's past is laid bare, it comes to light that he was in love with a beautiful woman who may have lured him into pulling off a bank robbery overseen by another man.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Original TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2020-02-24
Top Cast
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Edmond O'Brien
Jim Reardon
Burt Lancaster
'Swede' Andersen
Ava Gardner
Kitty Collins
Albert Dekker
Big Jim Colfax
Sam Levene
Lt. Sam Lubinsky
Vince Barnett
Charleston
Virginia Christine
Lilly Harmon Lubinsky
Jack Lambert
'Dum-Dum' Clarke
Charles D. Brown
Packy Robinson - Ole's Manager
Donald MacBride
R.S. Kenyon
Charles McGraw
Al
William Conrad
Max
Jeff Corey
Blinky Franklin (uncredited)
Gino Corrado
Restaurant Chef (uncredited)
Frank McLure
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Howard Freeman
Brentwood Police Chief (uncredited)
Charles Middleton
Farmer (uncredited)
Queenie Smith
Mary Ellen 'Queenie' Daugherty (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
New York City, New York
Festival / Special Debut
August 30, 1946
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 4, 2015
Physical Home Media
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Robert Siodmak
- Screenplay & Story
- Anthony Veiller
- Original Score
- Miklós Rózsa
- Original Title
- The Killers
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 43m
- Production Studios
- Universal International Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Robert Siodmak
Anthony Veiller, Ernest Hemingway, John Huston, Richard Brooks
Miklós Rózsa
Elwood Bredell
Arthur Hilton
Mark Hellinger
Department Leadership Roster
Robert Siodmak
Director
Arthur Hilton
Editor
Mark Hellinger
Producer
Miklós Rózsa
Original Music Composer
Elwood Bredell
Director of Photography
Anthony Veiller
Screenplay
John Huston
Writer
Richard Brooks
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Killers.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Killers.
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (All editions 2003-2024). A cumulative list including films subsequently removed in later editions. Totaling 1,260 films as of Nov 2024. 《1001部死前必看的电影》（2003-2024 全版本累积版）： 包含自2003年首版至2024年11月德语版修订的所有影片。即使在后期版本中被剔除的电影也予以保留。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#019] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#418] Dekalog (1989) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:37:48 UTC+8)*
***Retro***
Criterion Collection
The Complete Criterion Collection. The Criterion Collection is a video distribution company that sells 'important classic and contemporary films' in editions that offer the highest technical quality. This list contains only the featured films released on DVD, BluRay and 4K Criterion releases — no supplements are included. Organized by spine number with the newest releases first. CC标准收藏完整收录版： 收录标准收藏（Criterion Collection）发行的重要经典及当代电影。仅包含正片（涵盖 DVD、蓝光及 4K 版本），已排除花絮补充内容。按 CC 发行编号倒序排列（最新发行在前）。 *注：榜单源数据中包含部分剧集/迷你剧，由于本片单只收录纯电影，故不再收录以下非电影条目：* • [#214] Mangrove (2020) • [#215] Lovers Rock (2020) • [#216] Red, White and Blue (2020) • [#217] Alex Wheatle (2020) • [#486] Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day (1972) • [#647] Dekalog (1989) • [#944] World on a Wire (1973) • [#1187] Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) • [#1338] Fanny and Alexander (1984) • [#1341] Tanner '88 (1988) • [#1371] Scenes from a Marriage (1973) *注：以下影片因 TMDB 尚未收录，暂不在此片单中展示：* • [#531] First (2012) • [#1699] Ulysse (1983) *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-11 07:39:08 UTC+8)*
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Killers
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Killers about?
Two hit men walk into a diner asking for a man called "the Swede". When the killers find the Swede, he's expecting them and doesn't put up a fight. Since the Swede had a life insurance policy, an investigator, on a hunch, decides to look into the murder. As the Swede's past is laid bare, it comes to light that he was in love with a beautiful woman who may have lured him into pulling off a bank robbery overseen by another man.
Who directed The Killers?
The Killers was directed by Robert Siodmak.
Who stars in The Killers?
The principal cast of The Killers includes Edmond O'Brien, Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Albert Dekker, Sam Levene.
When was The Killers released and how long is it?
The Killers was released in 1946 with a total runtime of 1h 43m.
Who composed the musical score for The Killers?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Killers was composed by Miklós Rózsa.
Is The Killers based on a book or true story?
The Killers is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Ernest Hemingway".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Killers?
The Killers holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.).