Main Cast: Lawrence Tierney, Claire Trevor, Walter Slezak, Phillip Terry, Audrey Long
Release Year: 1947
Country: US
Run Time: 92 minutes
Plot
Somehow the titles of the films of hardcase actor Lawrence Tierney seemed to be extensions of the man's personality, as witness such films as The Devil Thumbs a Ride and Born to Kill. In the latter picture, Tierney starts the ball rolling by committing a double murder in a jealous pique. Claire Trevor discovers the bodies, but says nothing to the police; she's leaving town and doesn't want to be impeded. Trevor and Tierney meet and fall in love on the train to San Francisco. Unfortunately, Trevor is married, so Tierney shifts his affections to her sister, Audrey Long (later the wife of director Billy Wilder). He marries Long, though he keeps up his illicit affair with Trevor. When detectives investigating the murders come snooping, they are bought off by Tierney's pal Elisha Cook Jr.--who is then murdered by Tierney, who suspects that Cook is carrying on with Trevor (Cook seldom survived to the end of any of his films). When Tierney finally does face arrest, it's at the instigation of the jealous Trevor, who is shot full of holes for her trouble. Born to Kill was based on James Gunn's novel Deadlier Than the Male. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
L.A. gangster Mickey Cohen once said of actor Lawrence Tierney, "A lot of them actor guys, like the guy that played Dillinger, Lawrence Tierney, started to think they was Dillinger. I guess when actors are given a certain part to portray, and they portray it year in and year out, they begin to play it somewhat for real." This may be the reason Tierney is so convincing as a scumball crook in Born to Kill. He spent much of his life in and out of jail. As Sam Wild, Tierney is at his most menacing, ready to tear into anybody for any reason, and in Born to Kill he leaves a sizable body count. Helen Trent (Claire Trevor) is a bad girl, but has some conscience, which makes her actually look down upon Sam, even though she's in love with him. Elisha Cook Jr. is great here playing a low-rent crook and pal of Sam's, who also has something in the way of a conscience. But Sam is pure violence incarnate, with absolutely no control over his murderous tendencies. This is one mean B-movie with some great action and a gripping ending. ~ Adam Bregman, All Movie Guide
Elisha Cook, Jr. - Marty Waterman; Isabel Jewell - Laury Palmer; Esther Howard - Mrs. Kraft; Kathryn Card - Grace; Tony Barrett - Danny; Grandon Rhodes - Inspector Wilson; Demetrius Alexis - Maitre d'Hotel; Ellen Corby - 2nd Maid; Sayre Dearing - Crap Dealer; Jean Fenwick - Margaret Macy; Lee Frederick - Desk Clerk; Ben Frommer - Delivery Boy; Martha Hyer - Maid; Perc Launders - Detective Bryson; Sam Lufkin - Crap Dealer; Beatrice Maude - Cook; Al Murphy - Cab Driver; Netta Packer - Mrs Perth; Jason Robards, Sr. - Conductor; Philip Warren - Chauffeur; Napoleon Whiting - Porter; Tommy Noonan - Bellboy; Sammy Shack - Crap Dealer; Ruth Brennan - Sally
Credit
Albert S. D'Agostino - Art Director, Walter E. Keller - Art Director, Edward Stevenson - Costume Designer, Robert Wise - Director, Les Millbrook - Editor, Sid Rogell - Executive Producer, Paul Sawtell - Composer (Music Score), Constantin Bakaleinikoff - Musical Direction/Supervision, Robert de Grasse - Cinematographer, Herman Schlom - Producer, Darrell Silvera - Set Designer, John Sturtevant - Set Designer, Russell A. Cully - Special Effects, Eve Greene - Screenwriter, Richard Macaulay - Screenwriter, James Gunn - Book Author
