Gorgeous film noir which begins with a tense opening scene leading toward the titular killing. There follows the piecing together of the reason for the the killing by a determined insurance investigator, who must work against the wishes of his boss in trying to solve the crime. Much of the film is told in flashbacks as crimes and betrayals are revealed and the death toll mounts in attempts to keep the truth hidden. Lots of great performances including the powerful debut of Burt Lancaster.