MovieChat Forums > The Killers (1946) Discussion > Reactions of Swede and some doubts

Reactions of Swede and some doubts


Spoilers ahead

1. Why did Swede not try to go after Kitty and at least get the money? I mean, he suddenly realised that in fact he had never had her love ... but didn't he immediately realize that it was all set up between Kitty and Colfax when she disappeared with the money? Was he thinking that Kitty was acting on her own? Or that there was nothing he could do, all alone, having the rest of the band who thought he had double crossed them all?

2. Why didn't he try to escape to his sure death when he was warned by his pal in the gas station? No money, no girl = no reason to live?

And one last thing, about Kitty:
3. Why was she trying to make his husband, about to die, swear that she didn't have anything to do in the killing of Swede? She didn't have, or did she and I missed that point? She certainly would be accused of complicity in the robbery, but not of the murder of Swede.

Thanks for your insights.

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I think Swede was afraid to show his face anywhere near any of the old gang, as he was the one who Kitty duped into ripping off the gang at the farm. He knew even looking for Kitty after she split would be trouble, as his old cellmate Charleston had warned him about her deceiving and self-serving ways. Swede even mentioned Charleston's name during his last breath as an acknowledgment of the old guy's warning. As for why he chose not to run, he was tired of running and hiding and had had enough of the lot of it!

What I question about the film is why none of the gang smelled a rat when Swede showed up at the farmhouse? Even Colfax said: "you're here, ain't you?" when Swede accused the lot of them of double crossing him. Therefore, someone on the inside had to tell Swede about the farmhouse, and why not suspect the "dame"? They all knew Swede was totally under her spell, and would roll over for her in a hot minute! They all also knew she was under Colfax's control so why not suspect Colfax and her of collusion in the duping of Swede and the rest of the gang?

Lastly, Kitty was so self-serving and rotten, she tried to coax her dying husband into lying about her complicity in the robbery, a fact best illustrated by Lubinsky's comment of "Don't let the man tell death-bed lies that would damn his soul!" or something close to those words.

Anyway, that's my take...hope this helps!

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Thanks for your interesting remarks

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What I question about the film is why none of the gang smelled a rat when Swede showed up at the farmhouse? Even Colfax said: "you're here, ain't you?" when Swede accused the lot of them of double crossing him. Therefore, someone on the inside had to tell Swede about the farmhouse, and why not suspect the "dame"? They all knew Swede was totally under her spell, and would roll over for her in a hot minute! They all also knew she was under Colfax's control so why not suspect Colfax and her of collusion in the duping of Swede and the rest of the gang?


They figured he meant to cheat them all along and was just saying that as a pretext.

Where's your crew?
On the 3rd planet.
There IS no 3rd planet!
Don't you think I know that?

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