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]

Name	Occupation	Birth	Death	Known 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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