Murder by Contract (1958)

Murder by Contract (1958) (DVD) (*)

Out of Stock

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Spain ( PAL/Region 0 )

Running Time:
81 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.85:1)

Special Features:
Interactive Menu
Scene Access

Movie filmed in 1958 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
Irving Lerner

Written By:
Ben Simcoe

Actors:
Vince Edwards ..... Claude
Phillip Pine ..... Marc
Herschel Bernardi ..... George
Caprice Toriel ..... Billie Williams
Michael Granger ..... Mr. Moon
Kathie Browne ..... Mary - Secretary and Party Girl
Joseph Mell ..... Harry - Hotel Room Waiter
Frances Osborne ..... Miss Wiley - Ex-maid
Steven Ritch ..... Detective Shooting Tear Gas
Janet Brandt ..... Hall of Records Clerk
Davis Roberts ..... James William Mayflower - Plainclothesman
Don Garrett ..... Miss Wexley - Bunco Squad
Gloria Victor

Synopsis:

Vince Edwards plays Claude, a disaffected man who, in search of money, decides to become a contract killer. After successfully killing targets in a barber shop and a hospital, as well as his own boss, Claude is given a contract to kill the witness in a high-profile trial in Los Angeles. At first calm about the assignment, Claude becomes more nervous when he discovers the witness in question is a woman (Caprice Toriel). Claude scrambles to find a way to kill the witness, who never leaves her closely guarded house. After several complicated attempts (which involve high voltage and flaming arrows), Claude is convinced he has killed the witness, but discovers that the police have faked her death. Convinced he will be unable to fulfill the contract, Claude quits, only to find the two men who have been assisting him have now been instructed to kill him. After killing the men, Claude finally succeeds in sneaking into the witness's house, but hesitates when he's about to strangle her. The relief police arrive; Claude attempts to escape but is killed during a shoot-out.

Claude is a young man with a regular job, no history of trouble with the law and no chance of making any real money. He also has the brains and emotional detachment to make the big bucks as a hit man, and that becomes his new job title. A string of successful hits gets him sent to Los Angeles for his latest job. There he is accompanied by two goons: one who is perpetually nervous and the other who quickly worships the young man as a hero. The cold, ruthless hit man finally becomes unglued when he finds out that his latest target is a woman. She's a witness, set to testify against his boss, and guarded day and night by the police. It's her femininity that worries Claude: women are unpredictable, they don't do what you expect. Claude eventually proves that he is the unpredictable one and his own worst enemy.

Professional killer is hired to liquidate a woman, but does not relish the job because of his intended victim's sex and brings about circumstances which result in his own, violent death.

This product was added to our catalog on Thursday 19 December, 2019.