Murder by Contract

1958
Approved
1h 21m

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

Claude is a ruthless and efficient contract killer - until he finds his next target is a woman.

Play trailer1:58

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72 Photos

Film Noir Crime Drama Thriller

Claude is a ruthless and efficient contract killer - until he finds his next target is a woman.Claude is a ruthless and efficient contract killer - until he finds his next target is a woman.Claude is a ruthless and efficient contract killer - until he finds his next target is a woman.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.2/10

4.6K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Videos1

Trailer 1:58

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Photos72

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Shot in seven days.

Goofs
Claude crawls through quite a length of drain pipe and the crawl space beneath Billie's house, but emerges into her living room with no dirt on his clothes or person.

Quotes
Mr. Moon: I'm a retired real estate broker. I don't do anything anymore but sit in my room, look at television, and smoke cigars.
Claude: I'd still like to work for you.
Mr. Moon: Doing what?
Claude: I want to be a contractor.
Mr. Moon: Have you done it before?
Claude: No, sir.
Mr. Moon: You can only make a mistake once in this job.
Claude: Well, I'm different.
Mr. Moon: What do you mean you're different?
Claude: I don't make mistakes.
Mr. Moon: Then how come you're out of a job?

Connections
Featured in Century of Cinema: A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)

User reviews64

Review

Featured review

8/10

Simple but highly effective

Entertaining, low budget crime thriller.

Vince Edwards was tailor made for the role of Claude, a cool and calculating hit-man who has to bump off a beautiful woman before she spills the beans to the authorities about a certain criminal King Pin.

Edwards starred in several of these well crafted bargain basement efforts just before he became an international TV star as Dr Ben Casey.

Stylish direction and some interesting camera work compliment a thoughtful script. Be watching for one particularly unsettling scene which unfolds in a barber shop. Masterfully underplayed but makes a lasting impact.

Just like a sling - shot, this excellent little film is simple but highly effective.