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Kiss Me Deadly (18-May-1955)

Director: Robert Aldrich

Writer: A. I. Bezzerides

From novel: Kiss Me Deadly by Mickey Spillane

Music Composed and Conducted by: Frank De Vol

Producer: Robert Aldrich

Keywords: Crime, Film Noir, Cold War, Explosions

[watch trailer]

NameOccupationBirthDeathKnown for
Wesley Addy
Actor
4-Aug-1913 31-Dec-1996 What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Albert Dekker
Actor
20-Dec-1905 5-May-1968 The Wild Bunch
Jack Elam
Actor
13-Nov-1918 20-Oct-2003 The Sundowners
Percy Helton
Actor
31-Jan-1894 11-Sep-1971 Character actor
Jack Lambert
Actor
13-Apr-1920 18-Feb-2002 Riverboat
Cloris Leachman
Actor
30-Apr-1926   Phyllis and The Facts of Life
Strother Martin
Actor
26-Mar-1919 1-Aug-1980 Cool Hand Luke
Ralph Meeker
Actor
21-Nov-1920 5-Aug-1988 Kiss Me Deadly
Paul Stewart
Actor
13-Mar-1908 17-Feb-1986 Citizen Kane

CAST

Ralph Meeker   ...   Mike Hammer
with
Albert Dekker   ...   Dr. Soberin
Paul Stewart   ...   Carl Evello
Juano Hernandez   ...   Eddie Yaeger
Wesley Addy   ...   Capt. Pat Chambers
and
Marion Carr   ...   Friday Evello
Marjorie Bennett   ...   Hotel Manager
Mort Marshall   ...   Ray Diker
Fortunio Bonanova   ...   Carmen Trivaco
Strother Martin   ...   Harvey Wallace
Madi Comfort   ...   Singer
James McCallion   ...   Super
Robert Cornthwaite   ...   FBI Agent
Silvio Minciotti   ...   Mover
Nick Dennis   ...   Nick
Ben Morris   ...   Radio Announcer
Jack Elam   ...   Charlie Max
Paul Richards   ...   Gangster
Jesslyn Fax   ...   Mrs. Super
James Seay   ...   FBI Agent
Percy Helton   ...   Dr. Kennedy
Leigh Snowden   ...   Girl at Pool
Jack Lambert   ...   Sugar Smallhouse
Jerry Zinneman   ...   Sammy
and introducing
Maxine Cooper   ...   Velda
Cloris Leachman   ...   Christina
Gaby Rodgers   ...   Lily Carver

REVIEWS

Review by anonymous (posted on 5-Apr-2006)

Up and coming director, Robert Aldridge, joined many other talented crew and players of his time, who were given the opportunity to hone their skills and catch the eye with the dying "B" films of quality in the postwar decades, 40s and 50s. The budgets were of course smaller than main stream "A" cinema and the stars lesser names, but these films were still vastly superior to TV dramas that were forcing the end of full supporting programs in theatres, and with it the end of the "B" picture. The intelligence and skill of all involved often elevated these productions into films of first rank, to be appreciated by posterity and become "cult" films for archivists and dedicated movie fans alike. Aldridge's "Kiss Me Deadly" was one such film, along with others such as Don Seagal's "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" and Robert Wise's "The Set Up", all dark films with gloomy lighting and atmospheres that acquired the French genre name "film noire". "Kiss Me Deadly" is noticeable for several outstanding qualities - i)A very imaginative story adapted from Mickey Spillane's cold war thriller, ii) the best no-frills, no pretensions, interpretation of a tough private eye (Mike Hammer) ever to grace the silver screen with Ralph Meeker's performance outstanding, and iii) an truely thrillingly conceived and directed climax. Moreover the mastermind villain played by the elegant Albert Dekker only shows himself before the camera in the final climactic sequence, adding further spice to the mounting mystery. A bevy of actresses do a good job as sirens and scheming men manipulators, and the whole package holds seamlessly and suspensefully together. Although Aldridge went on to bigger things, sadly Meeker, an actor of merit was confined to smaller supporting roles in his subsequent career such as in "Paths of Glory" and "The Naked Spur". Dekker, a charactor actor of dependable quality ("Suddenly Last Summer") committed suicide in mid-career denying us further examples of his considerable talent. My Verdict - A collectors item that can be viewed repeatedly.


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