Jeanskynebu the audience applauded

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Fatma Suarez The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

Turfseer When Born to Kill came out in 1947, it was hated by many critics of the day, including Bosley Crowther, the NY Times critic, who was put off by the stark depiction of the two amoral protagonists. But that's exactly why I find it has some merit-it pulls no punches in suggesting that there are psychopaths out there who look for innocent victims as their prey!Directed by Robert Wise (of "Sound of Music" fame), he was from the old school who emphasized the screenplay as the most important aspect of the filmaking process. The film isn't filled with a lot of visuals emphasizing all that film noir atmosphere which we typically see in films of that period and genre. Nonetheless, Wise has his nice touches (when Sam Wilde played by tough-guy Lawrence Tierney murders a couple in a Reno home, Wise cuts to the barking dog, cleverly preventing us from seeing the final murderous coup de grace and building further suspense).Lawrence Tierney indeed is perfectly cast as the psychopathic Sam Wilde who murders the aforementioned innocent couple in the first ten minutes of the film and then goes on to kill his best friend Marty (the wonderful ubiquitous Elisha J. Cook) as well as Helen Brent, the "femme fatale" most cooly played by Claire Trevor.Tierney was perfect because he was a hot-head in real life-it's believed he did serious harm to his career by getting arrested so many times for assaulting fellow thespians and regular people on the street (that includes shoving Quentin Tarantino later in life on a movie set!).Trevor as Helen is a perfect complement to Tierney's Sam, as they both portray street savvy, vicious operators, mowing down anyone in their paths. While Helen is a femme fatale, she's different than the usual one found in film noirs (as pointed out by noir expert Eddie Mueller who provides excellent commentary on the DVD extras). Most femme fatales end up ruining their man, but here, Sam is so deranged and too tough for her to bring him down.Sam is actually worse than Helen, unable to control his temper whenever he feels slighted. His philosophy is simple-he wants to attain power so he can "spit" in anyone's eye, if he feels like it. Helen on the other hand is conflicted-she realizes she has a dark side but that's tempered by her supposed love for her "foster" sister Georgia Staples (Audrey Long) as well as her connection to the wealthy man she plans to marry, Fred (Phillip Terry).Unfortunately, it's the characterization of both Georgia and Fred that drags the film down. Georgia, the daughter of a wealthy newspaper magnate, a goody two shoes, has all that money but isn't generous at all (for some reason) in helping resentful Helen (if she is so nice, why is she so stingy with her money?).Worse than that is her supposed animal attraction to Sam. Yes I get it that all the women are smitten by him, but most normal people would still be a little curious as to the background of the person they're going to marry. She never seems to make any serious inquiries as to what he does for a living or anything about his past, and the next thing you know, they're tying the knot! Georgia is a dull character, and the film scenarist obviously spent little time in fleshing her out.The same goes for Georgia's male counterpart, Fred, who also deserves the goody two shoes appellation. His wet fish personality is obviously created to contrast with the wicked Helen-and when all this "pure goodness" decides to break it off with Helen, we know then she's doomed.The sub-plot involves the alcoholic Mrs. Kraft (played by the more than colorful Esther Howard), owner of the boarding house back in Reno where her boarder and good friend Laury and her date was murdered by Sam. She pays portly detective Albert Arnett (Walter Slezak), to investigate who did the tragic couple in.In addition to the electric interchanges between Sam and Helen, the scene where Marty decides to bump off Mrs. Kraft in a deserted beach area of San Francisco, is a most welcome diversion from the main plot and adds to the growing suspense. It's a real twist and turn in the plot, when Sam shows up and bumps off Marty in a fit of jealousy, allowing Mrs. Kraft to escape.Helen goes over completely to the dark side when she threatens Mrs. Kraft, ordering her not to go to the police. Her attraction for Sam overwhelms any reason she has left and she now is willing to sacrifice her good relationship with Georgia, whom is still smitten with the brute. Helen shatters Georgia's illusion as she passionately kisses Sam, as Georgia sits hidden in a chair nearby and sees everything! Helen of course gets her comeuppance at film's end as she must as those femme fatales who have swayed-must pay!Born to Kill was ahead of its time in depicting two ruthless protagonists who in the end deserve each other. If only the characters who represent the morally good side of society were better drawn, then perhaps you could have called this a noir masterpiece.

Alex da Silva Claire Trevor (Helen) returns home after a night out celebrating her divorce. When she arrives at her boarding house, she discovers that her fellow lodger Isabel Jewell (Laury) has been murdered along with boyfriend Tony Barrett (Danny). There is another boyfriend on the scene – psychotic Lawrence Tierney (Sam) – and you had better not make a monkey of him. He WILL kill you. The whole beginning sequence is well acted by all and throws you straight into the story. On discovering the bodies, Claire goes to call the police, picks up the phone but then stalls, puts the receiver down and walks away from the scene. She thinks and then returns to pick up the phone again……..and she calls the train station! Ha ha – fooled us all. It's at the train station where she meets the killer Tierney and a relationship is formed. There are complications to this relationship alongside the added pressure of boozy floozy landlady Esther Howard (Mrs Kraft) hiring PI Walter Slezak (Arnett) to find out who killed her lodger.All the cast are excellent, especially Claire Trevor and Esther Howard. They all have screen presence. The relationship between Tierney and fellow criminal Elisha Cook Jr (Marty) is given a very obvious gay subtext. Cook Jr is his bitch – no doubt about it. Tierney is scary and each member of the cast is given at least one powerful, emotional scene and delivers it as required. At the end of the film I think it's a bottle of beer for Ms Howard please!

MaryLois40 This gem captures the dark side of the 1940s, with shoulder pads on its stars, male and female, a sociopathic hunk of a leading man--and people who cross his path dropping like flies. It has the awesome Laurence Tierney throwing women around, Claire Trevor going toe-to-toe with him, and the most delightful character actors of the day getting their two cents in to this most implausible tale, making us beg for more. The screen lights up when we meet Esther Howard, a blowzy old dame sharing a beer or two or six with her neighbor played by Isabel Jewell, who does a perfect turn as a party girl with a little dog. Howard never disappoints as the story unfolds, keeping her freewheeling, openhearted character totally in focus and stealing scene after scene. Elisha Cook Jr. is better here than I have ever seen him, and Walter Slezak too is at his best as the sleazy private eye. One of the best of its kind, BORN TO KILL certainly achieves an "A" for the whole "B" movie genre.

SnoopyStyle Mrs. Helen Brent (Claire Trevor) gets a Reno divorce. Her boarding house neighbor Laury Palmer and her boyfriend are killed by the jealous Sam Wilde (Lawrence Tierney). He has control issues and those may not be his first murders. Helen finds the bodies but leaves to avoid getting involved. She travels to San Francisco on the train and strikes up a flirtatious relationship with Sam. She is engaged to the wealthy Fred Grover. Georgia Staples is her sister. Sam is obsessed and Helen is conflicted. The boarding house madam hires private detective Albert Arnett to find the killer. He follows Sam's friend Marty to San Francisco.This is an amoral potboiler noir directed by Robert Wise. It's very pulpy. Helen is a gold-digger and Sam is a crazed killer. There are no saints in this story. The material is solid ugliness although the visual style is a little lacking. It probably irk a few people back during those days and serves as an interesting cinematic sign post.