Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

Cleveronix A different way of telling a story

Verity Robins Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

Maleeha Vincent It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

Lechuguilla A brainy, philosophical hit man named Claude (Vince Edwards) does things his way. He's careful, patient, and plans meticulously. To him, killing is just a sideline, a way to pick up a few extra bucks. There's nothing personal about it; emotions are not needed.I guess you could call this film a character study of a criminal, in the crime drama genre. But the film's main problem is a character that doesn't make sense. Given that Claude has a regular paying job, his motivation for wanting the extra money is dubious at best. Further, he tells us over and over that emotions don't pay. But when it comes time for the main contract his own feelings interfere. And he keeps making little speeches to others in an angry tone of voice. Maybe he just doesn't know himself very well.In addition, I didn't care for his two criminal sidekicks: Marc and George. Their presence explains a lot of the plot; but a real hit man would not need them.This is a low budget b-movie. The B&W cinematography is acceptable but bland. Some outdoor scenes are made using rear screen projection. Production values are sparse, especially indoor sets. But that spare, simple guitar score by Perry Botkin is terrific. It may be a spin-off of the score from "The Third Man"; but it's still great, and works quite well with the story. Vince Edwards gives a fine performance as Claude. Other performances range from mediocre to poor.The script is the main problem here, and in particular the central character. "Murder By Contract" is a quiet film with little heavy-duty action or noise. Which makes that guitar score so effective and the best element of the film, along with the presence of Vince Edwards.

dougdoepke This seven day wonder holds up pretty well considering how much tougher crime films have become since the demise of Hollywood's Production Code. Claude (Edwards) is one self- assured tough cookie, a killer with a philosophical bent. All in all, he's a rare bird, a Zen artist practicing the rare art of assassination. He does things his way or not at all, a stylish loner among a crowd of inferiors. Plus, with a name like "Claude" he better be good. But now he's got to take out a nervous woman in a hillside house surrounded by cops, and that presents him with a real challenge. Worse, his two local contacts, Marc and George, aren't much help. In fact all Marc (Pine) can do is whine since he's never been exposed to a Zen master like Claude. So, it's quite a contest, the ultimate in contract killers versus the LAPD, 1950's style. My one gripe is with the unimaginative ending. Given Claude's unique character, something more ironical than a commonplace shootout is needed, drainpipe or not.Edwards is excellent as the assassin, an icy exterior on top of an icy interior. Too bad Pine overdoes his loudmouth skeptic bit; you just know he'll get his, and it can't be too soon. On the other hand, is Bernardi as George, just then coming off the Hollywood blacklist, and fine as Marc's quiet counterpart. But my money's on kittenish Kathie Browne—what a dish. Note how the Code makes her Claude's dinner companion, and God forbid, not his bed companion, even when she's clearly a part-time call girl.But there's one scene that has stayed with me over the years. The fastidious Claude gets served a dirty cup on his breakfast tray at a hotel. Being the perfectionist he is, he berates the luckless waiter who's served it. Now, catch Joe Mell as the Bassett-faced waiter. He stands there with a single, dullish expression unlike any other I've seen. It's a perfect contrast in intelligence that each plays to the hilt. Note too, how even Claude is finally moved by the waiter's dull wits, giving him a five-dollar tip!Anyway, the film's a B-movie sleeper if there ever was one. Lerner directs writer Simcoe's tight little screenplay with flair and efficiency. I love obscure little triumphs like this, especially when contrasted with Hollywood's many overblown epics that are too often a waste of film. But certainly not this little gem.

MartinHafer "Murder By Contract" is a very frustrating film, as with a slight polishing up of the script and it would have been great. But, unfortunately, some inconsistencies really took a hit on the film. Now it still is very enjoyable and economically made, so I certainly can't just dismiss it--and it still is worth seeing.Vince Edwards does a terrific job playing a cold-blooded contract killer. The film begins with him getting his first mob job and then after showing him work through his first few contracts he gets a big break--a big hit across the country with a big price. When Edwards arrived in California, however, he show no sense of urgency and this drives his mob handlers crazy. But he's slow and methodical...and very scary.Unfortunately for Edwards' character, this killing turns out to be a lot tougher than he thought. The target is a woman (and he hates killing women) and she's very closely guarded by the police. The job seems impossible. However, he has not choice--either make the hit or the mob will make sure he doesn't survive.The film gets high marks for showing the manner in which the killing is planned and executed. It also generally gets high marks for the hit-man character. However, and this is what bothered me, he was NOT consistently written or acted. While he was a smart guy who made all the right moves, in the film I saw several times where he had brain lapses--such as leaving finger prints and too many witnesses. In light of his coldness and amoral nature, none of this made sense--nor did the rather half-hearted ending where, inexplicably, his character behaved VERY inconsistently. Again, as I said above, with a bit of polishing to the script they could have ironed out these problems and had a great film. As it was, it was very good but no more.

antcol8 Murder by Contract is a unique little film. It operates within its own little hermetic (back- projected) world, and it is no accident that one of its main scenes is set on an abandoned film studio. Vince Edwards plays a disaffected antihero, and, with its brilliant minimalistic guitar score (by Perry Botkin) it could be possible to read this film as Jarmushian WAY avant la lettre! The ending is quite disappointing - the film just kind of peters out, but there are so many beautifully observed details along the way. Not for nothing is the great Lucien Ballard the cinematographer. But who is Irving Lerner and what happened to him? Hershel Bernardi plays such a perfect kind of Second Avenue Theater role as one of the two "boys" who are the hit-man's handlers, and the over-sensitive call-girl scene is hilarious. Highly recommended - see it in a theater if you can! A film like this makes me angry at films like the way - over-hyped Reservoir Dogs. That film is SO overdetermined - the antithesis of a modest work like this one, which only reveals itself to the patient viewer.