The Killing is a classic film noir directed by Stanley Kubrick and released in 1956. The film follows the meticulous planning and execution of a race track heist by a group of criminals led by the charismatic Johnny Clay (played by Sterling Hayden).
The story starts with Clay assembling a team of thieves, including a corrupt police officer (Ted de Corsia), a sharpshooter (Timothy Carey), and a bartender (Joe Sawyer). The plan involves creating a diversion during a horse race, allowing the team to rob the cash office at the track. However, things start to go wrong when the bartender's wife (Marie Windsor) becomes suspicious of her husband's involvement and decides to con her way into getting a share of the loot.
The film is notable for its non-linear narrative structure, with different perspectives on the same events shown through flashbacks and multiple viewpoints. It also features innovative use of split-screen cinematography to enhance the tension and suspense of the heist scene.
The Killing was acclaimed for its realistic depiction of the criminal underworld and its characters, who are portrayed with both sympathy and cynicism. The film is now considered a classic of the film noir genre and a major influence on later heist films like Reservoir Dogs and Ocean's Eleven.