The Killers (1946)
Kernel Score: 81% · 429 ratings
Genres: Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Released: 1946-08-30
Runtime: 103 minutes
Where to watch The Killers
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
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.
The Killers parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that The Killers is a 1946 film noir about hitmen tracking down a former boxer with a criminal past.
- Violence & scariness: Moderate — Central plot involves contract killers, a murder, a heist, and an attempted robbery; gunplay is implied throughout.
- Sex, romance & nudity: A little — A femme fatale love affair drives the plot, but content is tame by classic film noir standards with no explicit content.
- Drinking, drugs & smoking: A little — Set in bars and diners typical of 1940s noir, with incidental drinking likely present.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Killers
If you liked The Killers, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Out of the Past (1947) — 85%
- The Getaway (1972) — 79%
- The Last Stop in Yuma County (2024) — 77%
- Double Indemnity (1944) — 90%
- The Asphalt Jungle (1950) — 84%
- Pulp Fiction (1994) — 93%
- The Killing (1956) — 86%
- Sexy Beast (2001) — 78%
Director
Robert Siodmak
Cast
- Edmond O'Brien as Jim Reardon
- Burt Lancaster as 'Swede' Andersen
- Ava Gardner as Kitty Collins
- Albert Dekker as Big Jim Colfax
- Sam Levene as Lt. Sam Lubinsky
- Vince Barnett as Charleston
- Virginia Christine as Lilly Harmon Lubinsky
- Jack Lambert as 'Dum-Dum' Clarke
- Charles D. Brown as Packy Robinson - Ole's Manager
- Donald MacBride as R.S. Kenyon
The Killers FAQ
Is The Killers good?
The Killers has an 81% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 429 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Killers?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Killers OK for kids?
Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that The Killers is a 1946 film noir about hitmen tracking down a former boxer with a criminal past.
What movies are like The Killers?
If you liked The Killers, try Out of the Past, The Getaway, The Last Stop in Yuma County and Double Indemnity.