I haven't seen Robert Siodmark's 1946 original, but since it's generally accepted to be better than this version; I sure want to see it! Second best, this may be, but that's certainly not to say that this isn't an excellent flick. Lee Marvin steps into the role of a hit-man brilliantly, and his no-nonsense performance really makes the film. He is joined by Clu Gulager as his fellow hit-man and partner into an investigation that comes about through Marvin as he wonders why he was paid so much to kill a former race car driver, who also didn't run away when he had the chance. What follows is a tour de force of gangster pulp fiction as the two hit men pay little visits to the various players in the plot behind the assassination they were contracted to commit. The style of the movie is delicious, and watching these two men stroll around coolly in their expensive suits while interrogating their various victims is a treat indeed. Several modern films, Pulp Fiction most obviously, have taken a lot of influence from this flick and it's always good to know where that influence came from.

The central pairing of Lee Marvin and Clu Gulager is what made the film for me. The way that they populate their scenes is excellent, with one of them doing the talking and the other fiddling around in the background. The way that this is orchestrated gives away a very understated coolness, which the film is always keen to capitalise on. The pair's chemistry is more to do with the style and how they look together than how they interact with each other; and that is right on cue. The Killers also benefits from an excellent support cast, which includes the likes of Ronald Reagan, Angie Dickinson and John Cassavetes. This film can't be considered noir because it's in colour, but this is about as close as you can get to the style without actually being a part of it. The film that it was based on was film noir, and this remake has managed to retain the foundations, even if it has lost the dark picture. On the whole, The Killers is an excellent picture and while what some people say about it being second to the original may be withstanding; I say this is an excellent flick in it's own right.

Ernest Hemingway's short fatalistic story about a man meeting hid death most stoically gets another telling in this remake of the 1946 film that starred Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner. John Cassavetes is the luckless victim and the femme fatale is Angie Dickinson.

In the title roles are hit men Lee Marvin and Clu Gulagher who gun down Cassavetes. Marvin wonders why he and Gulagher were paid far more the going rate for this hit and why Cassavetes seemed so resigned to his fate. The two turn detective replacing Edmond O'Brien's role in the 1946 film and find out Cassavetes who is a racing car driver was the wheel man in a mail truck robbery. By the way even I could have planned the robbery better with less trouble that would have made Cassavetes role in it quite disposable. But that's just one weakness.

Masterminding the robbery in his last big screen role and only villain is the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan. This was a hard to see film for decades while Reagan embarked on a political career that took him to the top. I don't think that was an accident.

Don Siegel directed this film and well. But I think the main problem other than really a well planned caper is the lack of rooting interest in this cast of thoroughly bad people as leads. No rootin interest here for anyone, a good deal of fascination though.

As for Cassavetes if you saw the first film with Lancaster and Gardner, than you know how thoroughly Cassavetes will be destroyed here.

Destroyed body and soul.

Hit men Charlie Strom (Lee Marvin) and Lee (Clu Gulager) bullies a school for the blind to kill teacher Johnny North (John Cassavetes). Charlie is concerned that Johnny didn't run, the large $25k contract, and Johnny's $1 million heist with its missing loot. Johnny was a race car driver. The killers decide to track down Johnny's former mechanic Earl Sylvester (Claude Akins) who recounts the day he met the beautiful Sheila Farr (Angie Dickinson). Jack Browning (Ronald Reagan) and Mickey Farmer (Norman Fell) are shady characters from her past.

It's got terrific actors in tough roles. I like the simple brutality. Like 1946 version, I still have the same issue with the flashback structure but it's Lee Marvin's movie and it doesn't matter as much. The start remains the most compelling section. Marvin is the bigger star than Cassavetes and the movie is able to keep him as the lead. It does make the flashback less compelling narrative. Someday, somebody should try this without the flashback structure.