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Born to Kill

  • 1947
  • Approved
  • 1h 32m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
6.8K
YOUR RATING
Walter Slezak, Lawrence Tierney, and Claire Trevor in Born to Kill (1947)
A calculating divorcée risks her chances at wealth and security with a man she doesn't love by getting involved with the hotheaded murderer romancing her foster sister.
Play trailer4:47
1 Video
65 Photos
Film NoirCrimeDramaThriller

A calculating divorcée risks her chances at wealth and security with a man she doesn't love by getting involved with the hotheaded murderer romancing her foster sister.A calculating divorcée risks her chances at wealth and security with a man she doesn't love by getting involved with the hotheaded murderer romancing her foster sister.A calculating divorcée risks her chances at wealth and security with a man she doesn't love by getting involved with the hotheaded murderer romancing her foster sister.

  • Director
    • Robert Wise
  • Writers
    • Eve Greene
    • Richard Macaulay
    • James Gunn
  • Stars
    • Claire Trevor
    • Lawrence Tierney
    • Walter Slezak
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    6.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Robert Wise
    • Writers
      • Eve Greene
      • Richard Macaulay
      • James Gunn
    • Stars
      • Claire Trevor
      • Lawrence Tierney
      • Walter Slezak
    • 129User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro

    • Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 4:47
    Official Trailer

    Photos65

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    + 59
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    Top Cast42

    Claire Trevor
    Claire Trevor
    • Helen Brent
    Lawrence Tierney
    Lawrence Tierney
    • Sam Wild
    Walter Slezak
    Walter Slezak
    • Albert Arnett
    Phillip Terry
    Phillip Terry
    • Fred Grover
    Audrey Long
    Audrey Long
    • Georgia
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    Elisha Cook Jr.
    • Marty Waterman
    Isabel Jewell
    Isabel Jewell
    • Laury Palmer
    Esther Howard
    Esther Howard
    • Mrs. Kraft
    Kathryn Card
    Kathryn Card
    • Grace
    Tony Barrett
    Tony Barrett
    • Danny
    Grandon Rhodes
    Grandon Rhodes
    • Police Inspector Wilson
    Demetrius Alexis
    • Maitre d'Hotel
    • (uncredited)
    Symona Boniface
    Symona Boniface
    • Gambler at Roulette Table
    • (uncredited)
    Ruth Brennan
    • Sally
    • (uncredited)
    George Bruggeman
    George Bruggeman
    • Club Patron
    • (uncredited)
    James Carlisle
    • Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Ellen Corby
    Ellen Corby
    • Second Maid
    • (uncredited)
    Sayre Dearing
    Sayre Dearing
    • Gambler
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Robert Wise
    • Writers
      • Eve Greene
      • Richard Macaulay
      • James Gunn
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews129

    7.26.7K
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    Summary

    Reviewers say 'Born to Kill' Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Curabitur pretium tincidunt lacus.

    Nulla facilisi etiam dignissim diam quis enim lobortis scelerisque
    Lorem ipsum dolorSit amet consecteturAdipiscing elitSed do eiusmodTempor incididuntUt labore et doloreMagna aliquaUt enim ad minimVeniam quisNostrud exercitation
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    Related interests

    Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (1946)
    Film Noir
    James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Sharon Angela, Max Casella, Dan Grimaldi, Joe Perrino, Donna Pescow, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Tony Sirico, and Michael Drayer in The Sopranos (1999)
    Crime
    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      This film did poorly at the box office, resulting in a loss of $243,000 (over $3.45M in 2024) for RKO according to studio records.
    • Goofs
      They took a train from Reno, Nevada to San Francisco, California, but the shot of the train coming at the camera head-on is a Pennsylvania Railroad streamlined K4 locomotive on their four-track mainline in Pennsylvania.
    • Quotes
      • Delivery Boy: My, that coffee smells good. Ain't it funny how coffee never tastes as good as it smells?
      • Albert Arnett: As you grow older, you'll discover that life is very much like coffee: the aroma is always better than the actuality. May that be your thought for the day.
    • Alternate versions
      There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA Srl: "MARLOWE: MURDER, MY SWEET (L'ombra del passato, 1944) + PERFIDO INGANNO (1947)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Green Fog (2017)
    • Soundtracks
      I Haven't a Thing to Wear
      (uncredited)
      Music by Harry Revel
      Tune on the radio when Helen discovers the bodies

    Top picks

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    Details

    • Release date
      • May 3, 1947 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Latin
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Deadlier Than the Male
    • Filming locations
      • Washoe County Courthouse - 117 South Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada, USA(Helen says "goodbye" to her divorce lawyer on courthouse steps at start of film)
    • Production company
      • RKO Radio Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 32m(92 min)
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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