The Killer Inside Me

Plot synopsis:
In 1952, Deputy Sheriff Lou Ford (Casey Affleck) is a pillar of the community in his small west Texas town — patient, dependable, and well-liked. However, he is a sociopath with violent sexual tastes. As a teenager, Lou was caught raping a five-year-old girl by his adopted brother Mike, who pleaded guilty to the crime and served prison time to protect Lou. After being released, Mike was hired by the construction firm of Chester Conway (Ned Beatty). Mike died on the job after slipping and falling off a beam. Lou believes that Conway planned the accident.
At the request of Sheriff Bob Maples (Tom Bower), Lou visits Joyce Lakeland (Jessica Alba), a prostitute who is having an affair with Conway's son, Elmer (Jay R. Ferguson). When Joyce objects to Lou's treatment of her, he violently beats her until her buttocks are bruised. Joyce enjoys pain, and she and Lou begin a passionate love affair. Joyce suggests that Lou would never leave town with her, but they devise a plot to extort $10,000 from the Conways. Sheriff Maples and Chester Conway ask Lou to oversee the pay-off. Lou has another plan: he brutally beats Joyce until he thinks that she is dead (she is not), and when Elmer arrives, Lou shoots and kills him. He then plants the gun on Joyce, hoping to make the scene look like the two have killed each other. Joyce survives the ordeal. Then Conway announces his intention to see her executed for killing Elmer.
Lou's reputation begins to falter: his girlfriend and fiancee Amy (Kate Hudson) doubts him as infidel, and the county district attorney Howard Hendricks (Simon Baker), who has arrived in town to investigate the murders, suspects that Lou could be the killer. Lou accompanies Sheriff Maples and Conway in taking Joyce to the hospital in Fort Worth; Conway wants her alive so he can interrogate her. Lou waits in a hotel room while the surgery takes place. Maples tells him that Joyce died on the operating table. Lou and Maples return to west Texas.
Back at his home, Lou discovers explicit photographs of a woman inside a Bible. The woman was Helene, a housekeeper and babysitter of his youth who bears a resemblance to Joyce. Lou recalls that Helene introduced him to sadomasochism, urging him to strike her. Lou burns the photos.
Hendricks arrests Johnnie Pappas (Liam Aiken), a local youth whom Lou had previously befriended as a suspect in the murders of Elmer and Joyce. He was found with one of the $20 bills that Elmer was supposed to give to Joyce in the pay-off; Conway had the bills marked in order to blackmail Joyce if she didn't leave town. Because Lou is close to Johnnie, Hendricks asks Lou to persuade him to confess, but it was Lou himself who had given Johnnie the marked $20 bill as a tip. In the prison cell Lou confesses to Johnnie that he was the one responsible. When they are out of sight, Lou hangs Johnnie and makes it appear as a suicide.
Johnnie's death only makes the town more suspicious of Lou. Journalist and union organizer Joe Rothman (Elias Koteas), who had previously suggested that Conway had Lou's foster brother Mike killed, implies that he knows that Lou killed Elmer and Joyce. Lou coaxes Amy to elope with him as he proposes to her. Due to Lou's violent nature, she acquiesces to his desire to spank her. An alcoholic bum (Brent Briscoe) whom Lou had previously burnt with a cigar has been trailing Lou, and knows that he was responsible for the murders of Elmer and Joyce. He expects $5,000 to keep quiet with Lou agreeing. Upon the day, on which Lou and Amy had planned to elope; Lou beats Amy to death, and when the bum witnesses her body, he runs for help. Lou chases the bum, shouting that he has murdered Amy. Another deputy, Jeff Plummer (Matthew Maher) opens fire on the bum, and shoots him dead.
The next morning, Plummer informs Lou of Maples suicide, convinced of Lou's guilt and heartbroken over his crimes. Hendricks and Plummer try to get a confession from Lou, who cockily refuses. They have a letter that Amy intended to give to him before they eloped, in which Amy begs him to come clean. Lou is arrested, and after a week in prison is sent to an insane asylum. While he is there, he suffers hallucinations of Amy and Helene. After a few weeks, a slick lawyer named Billy Boy Walker (Bill Pullman) has him released and drives him home. Walker has been hired by Joe Rothman to protect the union man. Lou tells Walker his whole story and concludes that he doesn't want anyone else to die.
Lost in his violent fantasies, Lou douses his home in gasoline and alcohol, arms himself with a knife, and sits waiting in his study for a retribution to arrive. As police vehicles and armed policemen arrive, Lou sees a car pull up with Hendricks, Conway, Plummer and the still-alive Joyce. As Joyce tells Lou that she refused to cooperate with the authorities, Lou tells her he loves her, and stabs her. Plummer opens fire, hitting both Joyce and Lou and igniting the gasoline in the house. Outside, the approaching policemen see the house explode in a huge fireball, which it appears Lou has ignited to kill himself.

Tags: violence, neo noir, murder, melodrama

Review:
Keach excellent in interesting psychological drama.
Based on one of Jim Thompson's best novels, this sleeper went largely unnoticed in the mid-70's despite an excellent lead performance by Stacy Keach as Lou Ford, mild-mannered Montana deputy-sheriff whom everybody in the small town of Central City likes.
An upcoming election, angry miners, and a hooker on the edge of town stir up trouble within the town and Keach.The relationship between Keach and Susan Tyrrell as the hooker is one of the more intriguing cinematic couplings, made even more so in light of their recent work as a pair of drunks in Huston's "Fat City".
Their actions are anything but predictable.
Western-vet Burt Kennedy handles the direction chores ably, though the film is obviously constricted by a low-budget.
Location work helps, and cinematographer William Fraker captures some nice "big sky" shots.
However, several other scenes are poorly lit, with one straining to find the principals in the darkness and shadows.
Considering the pro background of Kennedy and Fraker, I wonder if this was a comment on the characters' dark, shadowy personalities ...
Another minor complaint is the music score, which seems wrong and intrusive at times.The film has several veteran character actors, among them Royal Dano, John Carradine (in a nice scene with Keach toward the end), John Dehner, and Keenan Wynn.
Best of all though is Don Stroud as Elmer, perhaps his quintessential beer-swilling, hot-headed, good ol' boy role.
He balances his character's violent tendencies with a fair degree of bawdy humor (some would seem to be improvised), and would simply walk away with the picture if it were not for Keach being so strong and interesting in the lead.
Certainly worth a look for the performances and subject matter..
Keach goes mental in decent psychological thriller.
This obscure expose of insanity stars Stacy Keach as a small town sheriff with a penchant for murder.
Rather than being a film about an insane madman, The Killer Inside Me focuses more on the psychological elements of insanity, and thereby provides a murderous movie with a hint of some brains behind it.
The film is well written and the plot, while slow, remains interesting and engaging almost throughout.
However, the plot does become a bit too slow at times, and despite a well timed performance from Stacy Keach, The Killer Inside Me sometimes becomes a little too slow and the film ultimately suffers because of it.
The film is based on a book by Jim Thompson.
I've never read the book that the film is based on, but the plot follows a small time sheriff who discovers that he has a murderous urge inside of him after the arrival of a prostitute upsets the balance between him and his childhood sweetheart.
The sheriff then goes from all round nice law enforcement guy to brutal, cold-blooded killer as he murders his way through anyone that stands in his way.The problem with the plot is really highlighted by the fact that it takes so long to get to the first murder.
The film takes time to build the central character, thus making it more shocking once his schizophrenia does finally show through - but the build up to it is too slow, and that's not good when a film is claiming itself to be a 'thriller'.
The Killer Inside Me also has a 'made for TV' aura about it.
As far as I know, it wasn't made for TV; but the way that everything is very subdued and the support acting is nothing special gives it that sort of impression.
The film really is held together by Stacy Keach, who gives it his all in the lead role.
This actor really is underrated, as he often turns in memorable and assured performances, yet the cult star never gets the recognition he deserves.
John Carradine is the only stand-out name from the rest of the cast, and he makes an appearance that is little more than a cameo.
On the whole, as this film is rather obscure; I really can't see the point in purposely seeking it out.
The Killer Inside Me is worth a watch if you do happen to stumble across a copy, but it's not a tragedy to miss it..
An overlooked Jim Thompson adaptation that gets it right.
The low budget and the talent of Burt Kennedy (working in a rare venture outside the western genre) add to the striking atmosphere of this largely unseen, barely released Jim Thompson adaptation.
After the critically lauded Fat City, Stacy Keach had quite a few star turns in alternative fare during the 70s, of which this is among the best (though his decade-wrapper with The Ninth Configuration is awfully hard to beat.)Susan Tyrell rejoins him here after her acclaimed Fat City turn, with many terrific character actors throughout the cast.
Technical work is top-drawer with the William Fraker photography as good as ever.One of the first budget DVD's released, (naturally unletterboxed) the Panavision cries out for a redo.
Sadly, the small resurgence in Thompson adaptations in the early 90s ended rather quickly; still plenty of great material there for dedicated crime filmmakers..
Jim Thompson and Stacy Keach fans will be disappointed.
This isn't a waste of time, nor is it one to fervently hunt for.
It certainly could have done better for the brilliant author, Jim Thompson, and talented star Stacy Keach.One problem is the slow development.
It takes seemingly forever to get into the schizophrenic aspects of the character.
I have seen films where such slow development is well handled with skillful forewarning of what is to come.
Unfortunately, that's not the case here.Veteran actors, Keenan Wynn, Royal Dano, and John Carradine show up here and buffs might find it worth watching this just to see their appearances.All in all, it's an okay movie, but don't risk breaking your neck to see it...it's not worth it, pal..
Killer?
Nah, he can't be.
Lou Ford is the Deputy Sheriff of a small mining town of Central City Texas.
He's one friendly, well-respected man of the community, who doesn't believe carrying around a gun in a well-balanced town.
Though there's another side to Lou that no one else knows about.
He has a past-inflicted schizophrenic trait, which causes him to snap when pushed by a hooker Joyce Lakeland.After watching director Burt Kennedy's obscured potboiler "Wolf Lake" not too long ago, he surprised me again with this curiously hypnotic psycho-thriller.
Adapted from the novel of Jim Thompson, this diluted psychological study focus on a fatigue mind cracking under the insanity of something that's just too troubling to conceal without simply leading to dangerous lash-outs.
The way Kennedy leisurely paces the opening half of the film is there to build upon that genuine feel created between Keach's character and the townsfolk.
That when the sudden change in character and appearance takes hold, it has manipulated us into like everyone else that his character couldn't do a thing like that.
The well-devised plot (which has a noir touch and a quietly disturbing streak within it) keeps an unpredictable rhythm about it and that also could be put down to Stacy Keach's blindingly full-rounded performance as the shadily relaxed and soft spoken town Sheriff Lou Ford.
He manages to demonstrate a moodily emotional attachment to this troubled soul that becomes horrifyingly more chilling as the film goes on.
This goes for how things seem to fall into place with a little help in making sure they do so.
The story falls more into the mould of a character builder, organising and analysing its true intentions and dark insight than an all-out thriller looking for a jolt every couple minutes.
For a small budget, Kennedy's direction is reliably accomplished along with William Fraker's vigorously grounded cinematography.
Cooked up was a misguidedly, piercing tuneful sounding music score by Tim McIntire and John Rubinstein.
Stacy Keach was terrific, but the supporting cast were just as good.
A vivid Susan Tyrell (who was with Keach in "Fat City (1972)") added a scorning touch to her hooker Joyce.
Don Stroud is fitting as the Mayor's loutish son Elmer.
Tisha Sterling is sweetly likable as Ford's lady Amy Stanton.
Keenan Wynn and John Carradine (in an entertaining small role) are solid in their parts.
An interestingly dark and well-written item with prominent performances (Keach and Tyrell), although its far from gob-smacking.
Actually it has made me more interested in reading the book..
Unsound mind, and another killer performance.
Yes, this was the original that sparked off the not so good and badly favored remake, that we didn't really need, though personally, I'm glad we got.
Is this one better?
What do you think.
Yes. Of course.
Like Affleck who was amazing in the remake, Keach gives another individualized performance of excellence like to Afleck's, which again is riveting and compelling, as a reason to watch.
But Keach also is matched by Susan Tyrell, looking her sexiest and is so darn cute here, in the role as the white trashy harlot (Alba's in the remake).
The plot is basically the same with unbalanced cop, but all psycho ness aside (my own word there) is forced to kill, backed into a corner when blackmailed, by you know who.
Don Stroud, one of the great 70's actors, is just well....
great and fun too, as rowdy and not too bright, love struck dummy, Elmore, who does has feelings, not so really, when getting smashed over the head with a bottle, by an offended party.
This movie is so beautifully and well shot, and made, with music to suit.
One too will judge the difference in the standard of violence and the rating system, to nowadays, where the MA remake was much bloodier than the limited gore in this R pic.
It's crazy.
There's some really confining moments of terror, we get off Keach, but there's not really any shocks or surprises, but the ending that ensued, sucked, a real, downfall of ordinary, and was Tyrell an apparition at the end?
You decide..
Poor version of an incredible novel.
A real let down, the novel is such a brilliant stomach churning journey into madness but this made for TV movie style nonsense is turgid and painfully slow.
Stick to Mike Hammer.
I find it hard to believe that no body has made a brilliant version of this book, Kubrick gushes over it on the cover, he should have taken over the reins on this one.
Stacey Keach is too soppy as Lou Ford, and the whole thing has the same production values as that seventies TV spin off, of Planet Of The Apes.
I thoroughly recommend that you go out and buy lots of Jim Thompson novels though, actually The Grifters isn't done too badly, thats one of his, starring Jon Cusak..
Susan Tyrell steals every scene .....................
Although Stacy Keach is quite good as the delusional sheriff of a small Montana mining town, it is Susan Tyrell as the local lady of the night, who is absolutely amazing in "The Killer Inside Me".
The film opens weakly with some totally unnecessary narration, but gradually builds momentum.
Don Stroud's performance, as the wild son of Mayoral candidate Keenan Wynn, is notable, and John Carradine also appears in a small role.
There are a couple of minor surprises, along with some nice character development.
If you are enamored with either Stacy Keach or Susan Tyrell, I say seek this one out, because you will not be disappointed.
- MERK.
Horrible, Horrible, Horrible.
We get to see who the good guys are.
We get to see who the good guys are.
The union.
And who the bad guys are, a rich man who steals elections and his spoiled son.
The filmmaker forces us to see good from evil.
All the characters hate the bad guys so that when watching the film, this can help us along on hating the bad guys.
This is the worst kind of film-making - manipulative and childish.
The plot centers on a cop who is in-between the good and the bad, and he's stuck in this ugly film.
It's boring and pointless.
The narration by star Keach is really bad.
And a good actor, Don Stroud, overacted to the hilt, playing the guy no one likes, and who we aren't supposed to like.
It takes a long time for this bore to take off, and for the title to assert itself; then when it does take off, it crashes a minute later.
Boring.
One of the worst films ever made.