film Some film critics have come to find Born to Kill something of a harmless guilty pleasure. In his 2003 reference work Film Noir Guide: 745 Films of the Classic Era, 1940-1959, Michael Keaney describes Born to Kill as compelling despite its "hard-to-swallow plot". "This one is all Tierney", Keaney states. "He's outstanding as one of the most violently disturbed psychos in all of film noir, giving even Robert Ryan in Crossfire a run for his money." Reviewing the film in 2006 for Slant Magazine, critic Fernando F. Croce focuses on the production's director rather than on Tierney: In 2009, writing for Film Monthly, Robert Weston also focused his attention on Wise's directorial work: Director Guillermo del Toro has credited Born to Kill as a primary influence on his 2021 film Nightmare Alley, noting that, "a couple of the murders in the movie are shocking, even in 2022." References External links 1947 films 1947 crime drama films American black-and-white films American crime drama films 1940s English-language films Film noir Films based on American novels Films directed by Robert Wise Films scored by Paul Sawtell Films set in Reno, Nevada Films set in San Francisco Films shot in Nevada Films shot in San Francisco RKO Pictures films 1940s American films