IMDb RATING
7.9/10
100K
YOUR RATING
Crook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.Crook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.Crook Johnny Clay assembles a five-man team to plan and execute a daring racetrack robbery.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 1 nomination total
Ted de Corsia
- Patrolman Randy Kennan
- (as Ted DeCorsia)
Elisha Cook Jr.
- George Peatty
- (as Elisha Cook)
Joe Turkel
- Tiny
- (as Joseph Turkel)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaInitial test screenings were poor, citing the non-linear structure as the main problem. Stanley Kubrick was forced to go back and edit the film in a linear fashion, making the film even more confusing. In the end, it was released in its original form, and is often cited as being a huge influence on other non-linear films like Reservoir Dogs (1992) and Pulp Fiction (1994).
- GoofsDuring the robbery, it's clear that a significant amount of the money is in neatly banded bundles of crisp brand-new bills, yet when it's transferred from the duffel bag to the suitcase, all the bills are loose, unstacked, and appear well-used.
- Quotes
Johnny Clay: You'd be killing a horse - that's not first degree murder, in fact it's not murder at all, in fact I don't know what it is.
- ConnectionsEdited into Hai-Kubrick (1999)
Featured review
The non-linear storytelling, overused nowadays even when it does not make any sense, is key to this taught thriller, narrated almost as a documentary.
Besides, despite the non-linear structure, the plot is very easy to follow, thanks to the narrator who tells the audience everything from the time of the day to the details about the gang involved in the audacious heist at the races.
It does't hurt that main character Johnny Clay is played by one of my favourite actors, Sterling Hayden, in a role that reminds me of his doomed character in The Asphalt Jungle. Clay is a coincise, world-wary character who planned the heist to the last detail, unfortunately missing the "human factor".
As it's customary in stories about failed heists, there's always one detail that is either unknown or unpredictable, but important enough to wreak havoc even in the most perfect plan.
Perhaps my favourite Kubrick's movie, with a tight script, excellent cast and no-nonsense approach.
Besides, despite the non-linear structure, the plot is very easy to follow, thanks to the narrator who tells the audience everything from the time of the day to the details about the gang involved in the audacious heist at the races.
It does't hurt that main character Johnny Clay is played by one of my favourite actors, Sterling Hayden, in a role that reminds me of his doomed character in The Asphalt Jungle. Clay is a coincise, world-wary character who planned the heist to the last detail, unfortunately missing the "human factor".
As it's customary in stories about failed heists, there's always one detail that is either unknown or unpredictable, but important enough to wreak havoc even in the most perfect plan.
Perhaps my favourite Kubrick's movie, with a tight script, excellent cast and no-nonsense approach.
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $320,000 (estimated)
- Gross worldwide
- $203
- Runtime1 hour 24 minutes
- Color
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