I Hired a Contract Killer (1990)

Director:

Aki Kaurismäki

Writers:

Aki Kaurismäki (story)
Aki Kaurismäki (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

13 September 1990 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy

Tagline:

Lej aldrig yrkesmoerdare i rivningskaakar!

Plot:

After fifteen years' service, Henri Boulanger is made redundant from his job. Shocked, he attempts suicide...

Plot Keywords:

Assassination | Hitman | Suicide By Hitman | Suicide Attempt | Layoff

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jean-Pierre Léaud	...	Henri Boulanger
Margi Clarke	...	Margaret
Kenneth Colley	...	The Killer
T.R. Bowen	...	Department Head (as Trevor Bowen)
Imogen Claire	...	Secretary (as Immogen Clare)
Angela Walsh	...	Landlady
Cyril Epstein	...	Taxi Driver
Nicky Tesco	...	Pete
Charles Cork	...	Al
Michael O'Hagan	...	The Killer's Boss
Tex Axile	...	Barkeeper
Walter Sparrow	...	Hotel Porter
Tony Rohr	...	Frank
Joe Strummer	...	Guitar Player / Singer
Peter Graves	...	Jeweller

Also Known As:

J'ai engagé un tueur (France)
Vertrag mit meinem Killer (Germany)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

Finland | UK | Germany | Sweden | France

Language:

English | Finnish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-10 | Germany:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

The film is dedicated to the memory of Michael Powell.

Quotes:

The Killer: [the killer finds Henri, but starts to cough blood] Cancer. I'll be gone in a few weeks time.
Henri Boulanger: I'm sorry.
The Killer: Why? It'll take me out of here.
Henri Boulanger: Don't you like it here?
The Killer: No. I'm a loser.
Henri Boulanger: But this time you win.
The Killer: That's what you think. Life is a disappointment.
[the killer shoots himself]

Movie Connections:

Remake of On demande un assassin (1949)

Soundtrack:

I'm Sticking With You Baby

Kaurismäki inspired me

With Aki Kaurismäki's movies there is always the question: What are they made for? What is the point? Ordinary people suffer ordinary fates and deal with them in ordinary ways. It's not interesting. Of course, Kaurismäki is consequent: His films are never longer than 70 minutes so one can still bring himself to watching them because it's not a waste of too much time.

„I Hired a Contract Killer` also presents, like the others, that melancholic mood. But apart from that, there is a fine idea behind the movie which – unfortunately – is poorly carried out: A man wants to kill himself but is afraid to and so hires a contract killer to do it for him. Well, a good idea, dark as it may be, is not enough. But after all, this movie inspired me to write a short story. That's at least one plus, from my personal point of view.