The Killers (1946)
“The Citizen Kane of crime movies.” — Eddie Muller
Based on Ernest Hemingway’s gripping short story of the same name, The Killers stars Burt Lancaster “in his first and probably best performance” (Pauline Kael) as the Swede, a gas jockey / boxer awaiting the arrival of his assassins. Directed by Robert Siodmark and co-starring a stunning Ava Gardner, the film helped define noir style and remains a landmark of the genre.