Films like Murder by Contract.

Murder by Contract (1958) reads as Sombre, kinetic, measured noir / hitman, grounded in texture. Nihilistic, intimate, cold. Every film below is ranked by distance across the same twelve hand-scored axes — with what it keeps, and where it walks away. Not a genre dump.

Crazed Fruit (1956) poster
1. Crazed Fruit1956

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Brute (1953) poster
2. The Brute1953

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Sword (1964) poster
3. The Sword1964

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The Girls (1960) poster
4. The Girls1960

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Web of Passion (1959) poster
5. Web of Passion1959

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The Prowler (1951) poster
6. The Prowler1951

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Cruel Story of Youth (1960) poster
7. Cruel Story of Youth1960

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

The River and Death (1954) poster
8. The River and Death1954

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

Il Bidone (1955) poster
9. Il Bidone1955

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

Destiny's Son (1962) poster
10. Destiny's Son1962

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

I Will Buy You (1956) poster
11. I Will Buy You1956

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality; trades toward a patient, unhurried pace.

The Burglar (1957) poster
12. The Burglar1957

Keeps the cold, bleak undertow and the heightened unreality — one of the nearest reads in the catalogue.

These are Murder by Contract’s neighbours — where are yours?

Rate five posters and the same twelve axes read you — then tonight’s pick comes from your own centre of taste.

Find my film for tonight — 60 sec →