Company of Killers **½ (1970, Van Johnson, Ray Milland, John Saxon, Clu Gulager, Brian Kelly, Fritz Weaver, Susan Oliver, Diana Lynn) – Classic Movie Review 10,960

‘Assassins for Hire! Satisfaction Guaranteed! Killing is Big Business In the Hands of This Murder Machine!’

Director Jerry Thorpe’s 1970 film Company of Killers is a reasonably involving, well-made multi-faceted crime thriller, with plenty of plot and a good cast of old-timers.

It stars Van Johnson, Ray Milland, John Saxon, Clu Gulager, Brian Kelly, Fritz Weaver, Susan Oliver, Diana Lynn and Robert Middleton.

The crime ring Murder Inc and the cops are both chasing the company’s hitman Dave Poohler (John Saxon), one of the killers sent out by Owen Brady (Robert Middleton) to save a rich man, after a cop is murdered.

Also in the cast are Terry Carter, Ahna Capri, Anthony James, Marian Collier, Nate Esformes, Mercer Harris, Joyce Jameson, Gerald Hiken, Vince Howard, Larry Thor, Donna Michelle and Jeanne Bal.

Company of Killers is directed by Jerry Thorpe, runs 84 minutes, is made by Universal Television, is released by Universal Pictures (1970) (US) and Rank Film Distributors (1971) (UK), is written by E Jack Neumann, is shot in Technicolor by Jack A Marta, is produced by Jerry Thorpe and E Jack Neumann, is scored by Richard Hazard, and is designed by Alexander Golitzen and Joseph Alves.

It was planned as a TV movie named The Protectors but released in cinemas as Company of Killers.

Filming location: Denver, Colorado.

It is Diana Lynn’s last film.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 10,960

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com