*The Killers*, a 1946 film noir, masterfully employs a non-linear narrative structure to unravel the mysterious death of Pete Lund, known as "The Swede." The film begins with a stark, brutal act: two professional hitmen, Al and Max, arrive in Brentwood, New Jersey, and execute Lund, a gas pump attendant who makes no effort to resist his fate. This shocking opening immediately sets a tone of fatalism and intrigue. The core of the story then shifts
to Jim Riordan, a diligent life insurance investigator, whose task is to find and pay the beneficiary of the Swede's modest $2,500 policy. This seemingly routine assignment quickly transforms into a deep dive into the Swede's complex and dangerous past, pieced together through a series of revealing flashbacks.
The Investigation Begins
Riordan's investigation is the driving force of the narrative. He meticulously tracks down and interviews the dead man's friends and associates, gradually collecting fragments of information that paint a picture of the Swede's life. Working closely with Philadelphia police Lieutenant Sam Lubinsky, who knew the Swede since childhood, Riordan begins to connect the dots. The film uses these interviews as a device to trigger flashbacks, transporting the audience back in time to witness key moments in the Swede's life. This technique not only builds suspense but also allows for a deeper character study of the enigmatic victim, revealing him to be far more than just a gas pump attendant.
Through these flashbacks, the audience learns that Pete Lund was once Ole Anderson, a former boxer and a man drawn into the criminal underworld. A career-ending hand injury derailed his boxing aspirations, and he rejected Lubinsky's suggestion to join the police force. Instead, he became entangled with crime boss "Big Jim" Colfax. His personal life also took a turn when he fell for the glamorous Kitty Collins, abandoning his loyal girlfriend, Lilly Harmon. A pivotal moment occurs when Lubinsky, now married to Lilly, catches Kitty wearing stolen jewelry. The Swede, in a misguided act of loyalty or desperation, confesses to the crime, assaults Lubinsky, and flees, leading to a three-year prison sentence.
A Web of Betrayal and Double-Crosses
After serving his time, the Swede finds himself drawn back into Colfax's orbit. He, along with "Dum-Dum" Clarke and "Blinky" Franklin, is recruited for a payroll robbery in Hackensack, New Jersey. However, tensions arise due to Colfax's relationship with Kitty, further complicating the Swede's already troubled life. The robbery itself is successful, netting the gang a substantial $254,912. But the aftermath is fraught with betrayal. When their safe house mysteriously burns down, everyone but the Swede is notified of a new rendezvous. Kitty then manipulates the Swede, telling him the gang plans to double-cross him, inciting him to take all the money at gunpoint and flee.
Kitty later meets the Swede in Atlantic City, only to disappear with the entire haul herself, leaving him heartbroken and destitute. This act of betrayal is a crucial turning point, explaining the Swede's later despondency and resignation to his fate. In the present, Riordan's investigation continues to uncover these layers of deceit. He stakes out the Swede's old room in Brentwood, where Dum-Dum sneaks in searching for the loot. Riordan confronts him, but Dum-Dum escapes. Riordan then discovers that the safe house fire occurred hours after it was initially reported, a detail that begins to unravel the entire conspiracy.
The Final Confrontation
Riordan's relentless pursuit leads him to Colfax, now a successful building contractor in Pittsburgh, who feigns ignorance of Kitty's whereabouts. However, Kitty herself sets up a meeting with Riordan, claiming she convinced the Swede to steal the money to rescue her from Colfax. She admits to swiping the money in Atlantic City and, believing Riordan has enough evidence, offers Colfax as a scapegoat. Yet, she slips away through a bathroom window as Al and Max arrive to kill Riordan. Anticipating this, Riordan and Lubinsky manage to kill the hitmen.
The climax sees Riordan and Lubinsky, with a police escort, heading to Colfax's mansion. They arrive to find Dum-Dum and Colfax mortally wounding each other in a shootout. In his dying moments, Colfax confesses that he had the Swede killed because he feared the Swede, or the other gang members, would eventually realize that he and Kitty, now married, had planned the robbery with the intent to double-cross everyone. A desperate Kitty begs Colfax to exonerate her, but he is too far gone, leaving her fate uncertain and the intricate web of deceit fully exposed.
