Cold, ruthless Claude (Vince Edwards) has no prospects in his young life, so he decides to stake his place in the world as a hired killer. But when he's sent to sunny California to kill a gangland witness, his sudden discovery of "ethics" could prove fatal. This ultra-low-budget gem from director Irving Lerner was shot in only seven days, with a strangely hypnotic pace and a spare, haunting musical theme by guitarist Perry Botkin. It is a personal favorite of director Martin Scorsese, who's admitted this film's stylistic influence on TAXI DRIVER - particularly the Travis-in-training sequences. (Note courtesy of Noir City.) DIR Irving Lerner; SCR Ben Simcoe, Ben Maddow; PROD Leon Chooluck. U.S., 1958, b&w, 81 min. NOT RATED