Taglines: Good friend, brave sheriff, savage killer.
The Killer Inside Me movie storyline. On a rainy night in Central City, Montana, deputy sheriff Lou Ford reflects on his life and the series of incidents that led up to this moment. Lou’s story begins when mining magnate and mayoral candidate Chester Conway requests his presence at the copper mine. Conway is concerned that labor leader Charlie Adams, an advocate for fellow candidate Howard Hendricks, may incite the miners, and Lou is asked to maintain order.
As Charlie Adams decries the unjust firing of co-worker Johnny Lopez, he is interrupted by Conway’s son, Elmer, and the two men exchange threats before Lou arrives and ends the altercation. Late in the afternoon, Lou meets his lifelong sweetheart, Amy Stanton, outside the elementary school where she teaches. That evening, Johnny Lopez is arrested for vandalizing Conway’s campaign office, and Elmer is arrested for instigating a bar fight with Charlie. As the men are being processed, Elmer’s taunts and racial epithets drive Johnny to hysteria, and Lou is called away from his dinner by Sheriff Bob Maples to calm Johnny down.
Afterward, the sheriff comments, “Sometimes I think you and the prisoners are on the same side.” Conway posts his son’s bail and withdraws the charges against Johnny as a concession to potential Hispanic voters. Later, Lou drives to the home of a prostitute named Joyce Lakeland with orders to run her out of town. As Lou enters, she assumes he is a client and invites him to kiss her toes.
He obliges, but then reveals the true purpose of his visit, and tells her to be out of town in twenty-four hours or face arrest. Joyce slaps Lou, and he remembers a similar slap from his mother; he proceeds to beat Joyce until the image of his father causes him to stop. Lou apologizes, but Joyce admits to being a masochist, and the two make love. Afterward, Joyce suggests that she and Lou leave town together, but Lou declines. She tries to entice him with the prospect of extorting money from the wealthy father of one of her young clients.
When Lou advises that her plan is illegal, she reminds him that it is also illegal to beat women. Lou returns home, where he is haunted by sounds and images from the past, particularly those of his mother in bed with another man. He is startled by Amy, who has been waiting for him in the bedroom. She knows from the smell of perfume that Lou has been with a woman, but he assures her that he was merely running a prostitute out of town.
Regardless, Amy can no longer tolerate their stagnant relationship and wants Lou to marry her, but Lou is unable to make the commitment and she leaves. Amy’s departure now joins the other sounds and images that torment Lou. The next day, Elmer Conway is angered by the sight of Joyce’s bruised body and declares his love for her.
Later, Joyce shows her bruises to Chester Conway, and claims that his son, Elmer, is responsible. Conway is skeptical, but Joyce advises him that a scandal could cost him the election and demands $50,000. The following morning, Lou meets Amy outside of her house as she leaves for work and he promises to marry her. Later, Chester Conway asks Lou to deliver the $50,000 to Joyce and make sure she leaves town. Lou only agrees to make Joyce leave town if Conway delivers the money.
Going back to the station, Lou encounters Elmer, who feels betrayed by Joyce. Lou assures him that this is a misunderstanding, advising Elmer to marry Joyce and move to another town. Lou then offers to talk to Joyce on Elmer’s behalf. That evening, Joyce greets Lou enthusiastically, anticipating their new life together. However, when Lou explains that she would be better off with Elmer, she offers him the choice of “Joyce or jail.” Lou chooses jail, and Joyce slaps him. He punches her in face and she falls to the floor. Elmer arrives seconds later with the money and shows his appreciation for Lou by giving him five hundred dollars.
When Elmer enters the bedroom and sees Joyce’s body, Lou fires six shots into him, then alerts Chester Conway to the tragedy, explaining that both victims were dead when he arrived. After examining the scene, Conway tells Lou that Joyce is still alive and calls an ambulance. Later that night, the sheriff informs Lou that Joyce’s neck is broken and she has only hours to live. Lou has a vivid recollection of finding his mother in bed with another man, then being beaten by his father, who suspected him of incest.
The Killer Inside Me is a 1976 American neo-noir crime drama film directed by Burt Kennedy and based on Jim Thompson’s novel of the same name. In this adaption, the action was shifted from the west Texas oilfields to a Montana mining town, and several other changes made. It stars Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrrell, and Tisha Sterling. A 2010 remake was directed by Michael Winterbottom.
The Killer Inside Me (1976)
Directed by: Burt Kennedy
Starring: Stacy Keach, Susan Tyrrell, Tisha Sterling, Keenan Wynn, Don Stroud, Charles McGraw, John Dehner, Pepe Serna, Julie Adams, John Carradine, William Mahiger, Jack Moore, Dewey Burns
Screenplay by: Edward Mann, Robert Chamblee
Production Design by: Tom Shaw
Cinematography by: William A. Fraker
Film Editing by: Danford B. Greene, Aaron Stell
Makeup Department: Lynn Del. Greg LaCava
Music by: Tim McIntire, John Rubinstein
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: October 18, 1976
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