I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)
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- Not Rated
- 1h 19min
- Comedy, Crime
- 12 Oct 1990 (Finland)
- Movie
Henri is depressed after losing his job, but finds himself too afraid to go through with suicide. He hires a contract killer to do the job for him instead - but what happens if he changes his mind?
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 1 win & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Jean-Pierre Léaud | ... |
Henri Boulanger
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| Margi Clarke | ... |
Margaret
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| Kenneth Colley | ... |
The Killer
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T.R. Bowen | ... |
Department Head
(as Trevor Bowen)
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Imogen Claire | ... |
Secretary
(as Imogen Clare)
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Angela Walsh | ... |
Landlady
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Cyril Epstein | ... |
Cab Driver
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| Nicky Tesco | ... |
Pete
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| Charles Cork | ... |
Al
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Michael O'Hagan | ... |
Killer's Boss
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Tex Axile | ... |
Bartender
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| Walter Sparrow | ... |
Receptionist
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| Tony Rohr | ... |
Frank
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| Joe Strummer | ... |
Guitarist
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| Peter Graves | ... |
Jeweller
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| Serge Reggiani | ... |
Vic
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Ette Elliot | ... |
Daughter
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Roberto Pla | ... |
Bongo Man
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Woolf Byrne | ... |
Rope Salesman (uncredited)
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| Aki Kaurismäki | ... |
Man Selling Dark Glasses (uncredited)
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Erkki Lahti | ... |
man at the Hotel Albania's window (uncredited)
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| Gavin Poolman | ... |
Man in Pub (uncredited)
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| Minna Virtanen | ... |
Flower seller (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Aki Kaurismäki | ||
Written by
| Aki Kaurismäki | ... | (story) |
| Aki Kaurismäki | ... | (screenplay) |
| Peter von Bagh | ... | (story idea) |
Produced by
| Martin Bruce-Clayton | ... | line producer |
| Aki Kaurismäki | ... | producer |
| David P. Kelly | ... | line producer (as David Kelly) |
Cinematography by
| Timo Salminen | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Aki Kaurismäki | ||
Editorial Department
| Danny Coulson | ... | negative cutter |
| Stan Lane | ... | assistant negative cutter |
Production Design by
| John Ebden | ||
Art Direction by
| Mark Lavis | ||
Costume Design by
| Simon Murray | ||
Makeup Department
| Simon Murray | ... | makeup artist (uncredited) |
Production Management
| Klaus Heydemann | ... | production manager |
| Jaakko Talaskivi | ... | assistant production manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Kari Laine | ... | second assistant director |
| Pauli Pentti | ... | first assistant director |
| Robert Fabbri | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Art Department
| Nigel Ashby | ... | carpenter |
| Sarah Horton | ... | property buyer |
| Philip Hunt | ... | props |
| Heikki Ukkonen | ... | property master |
| Richard F. Ward III | ... | carpenter (as Richard Ward) |
| Matthew Parsons | ... | scenic painter (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Ronald Bailey | ... | boom operator |
| Tom Forsström | ... | sound mixer |
| Timo Linnasalo | ... | sound |
| Danny Malone | ... | sound assistant |
| Beryl Mortimer | ... | sound effects editor |
| Jouko Lumme | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| James Aspinall | ... | additional assistant camera |
| Peter Bass | ... | additional electrician |
| Jacques Cheuiche | ... | first assistant camera |
| George Cowen | ... | generator operator |
| Isabella Fernandes | ... | second assistant camera |
| Peter A. Hoffman | ... | electrician (as Peter Hoffman) |
| Malla Hukkanen | ... | still photographer (as Marja-Leena Helin) |
| Wolfgang Kluge | ... | grip |
| Timo Salminen | ... | camera operator |
| Olli Varja | ... | electrician |
Location Management
| Andy Eliot | ... | assistant location manager |
| Andy Pavord | ... | location manager |
| Charlie Woodhouse | ... | assistant location manager |
Music Department
| Roberto Pla | ... | musician: bongo |
Script and Continuity Department
| Malla Hukkanen | ... | script supervisor (as Marja-Leena Helin) |
Transportation Department
| Mr. Boysie | ... | truck driver |
| Jamie Forder | ... | driver |
Additional Crew
| Haije Alanoja | ... | production secretary |
| Erkki Astala | ... | production coordinator |
| Irmeli Debarle | ... | dialog coach: Mr. Léaud |
| Jon Finn | ... | production assistant (as Jonathan Finn) |
| Tomy Houghton | ... | production assistant |
| Peter La Terriere | ... | production assistant |
| Erkki Lahti | ... | caterer |
| Stephen Long | ... | production auditor (as Steve Long) |
| Mikko Lyytikainen | ... | scenario translator |
| Giulia Maura | ... | production assistant |
| Pauli Pentti | ... | production controller |
| Robin Thistlewaite | ... | popular television |
| Sinikka Usvamaa | ... | production auditor (as Sinikka Telaranta) |
| Minna Virtanen | ... | assistant caterer |
| Jan-Eric Nyström | ... | title designer (uncredited) |
| Jaakko Talaskivi | ... | assistant to unit manager (uncredited) |
Thanks
| Michael Powell | ... | dedicated to the memory of |
Production Companies
- Villealfa Filmproductions (presents)
- Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI)
- Finnkino (in association with)
- Esselte Video (in association with)
- Megamania (in association with)
- Pandora Filmproduktion (in association with)
- Pyramide Productions (in association with)
- Channel Four Television (in association with)
Distributors
- Finnkino (1990) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Pyramide Distribution (1991) (France) (theatrical)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (tv)
- Suomen Kunnallispalvelu (1995) (Finland) (VHS)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2001) (Finland) (tv)
- Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2007) (Germany) (DVD) (Aki Kaurismäki Collection 3)
- Pandora Film Verleih (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
- Pandora Filmproduktion (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
- Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Avalon (2024) (Spain)
- France 2 (FR2) (1994) (France) (tv)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Bayly, Martin and Fay, Yrittajain Fennia, Finland (insurance)
- Finnish Film Foundation (sound mixing)
- First City I.P.S. (editing)
- First City I.P.S. (line producers)
- GBS Film Lighting (generators)
- Lumme (sound edition)
- Richmond Film Services (sound equipment)
- Villealfa Filmproduction (additional cameras)
- Warner Bros. De Lane Lea (auditorium)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide, but can't go through with it, so he hires a contract killer in a seedy bar to murder him at some unspecified time in the future. But almost immediately he meets and falls in love with Margaret, a flower-seller, which makes Henri realise that his life has some meaning after all. But when he goes back to the bar to cancel the contract, he finds it has been demolished - and there's no way he can get in touch with the killer...
Written by Michael Brooke |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Lej aldrig yrkesmördare i rivningskåkar! [Never hire a professional killer in a condemned building!] See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | (Director Cameo) Aki Kaurismäki: the man who sells the sunglasses to Henri. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Uuden aallon jäljillä (2009). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Time On My Hands See more » |
| Quotes |
Henri Boulanger:
Do you want to leave your home? Margaret: The working class has no fatherland. See more » |