The Naked Kiss (1964)

Director:

Samuel Fuller

Writer:

Samuel Fuller (written by)

Release Date:

29 October 1964 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Candy's Place--where all kinds of men find all kinds of sweets!

Plot:

Kelly, a prostitute, finds redemption in the town of Grantville, where she arrives working as a medium-time seller...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Hospital | Prostitute | Children | Love

Cast

Constance Towers	...	Kelly
Anthony Eisley	...	Capt. Griff
Michael Dante	...	J.L. Grant
Virginia Grey	...	Candy
Patsy Kelly	...	Mac, Head Nurse
Marie Devereux	...	Buff
Karen Conrad	...	Dusty
Linda Francis	...	Rembrandt
Bill Sampson	...	Jerry
Sheila Mintz	...	Receptionist
Patricia Gayle	...	Nurse
Jean-Michel Michenaud	...	Kip (as Gerald Michenaud)
George Spell	...	Tim
Christopher Barry	...	Peanuts
Patty Robinson	...	Angel Face
Betty Robinson	...	Bunny
Brenda Howard	...	Redhead (as Breena Howard)
Sally Mills	...	Marshmallow
Edy Williams	...	Hatrack
Monte Mansfield	...	Farlunde
Barbara Perry	...	Edna
Walter Mathews	...	Mike
Neyle Morrow	...	Officer Sam
Gerald Milton	...	Zookie, Brothel Patron
Fletcher Fist	...	Barney
Michael Barrere	...	Teenager (as Michel Barrere)
Betty Bronson	...	Miss Josephine
Charlie	...	Himself

Directed by
Samuel Fuller

Writing credits
Samuel Fuller		(written by)

Produced by
Sam Firks	....	executive producer
Leon Fromkess	....	executive producer
Samuel Fuller	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Dunlap

Cinematography by
Stanley Cortez

Film Editing by
Jerome Thoms

Art Direction by
Eugène Lourié		(as Eugene Lourie)

Set Decoration by
Victor A. Gangelin		(as Victor Gangelin)

Costume Design by
Einar Bourman		(as Einar H. Bourman)

Makeup Department
Harry Thomas	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Herbert G. Luft	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nate Levinson	....	assistant director
John Gaudioso	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Tom Coleman	....	property master (as Tom C. Coleman)

Sound Department
Leonard Corso	....	sound effects editor
Al Overton	....	recording supervisor (as Alfred J. Overton)

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Dugas	....	camera operator

Music Department
Peter Zinner	....	music editor

Other crew
John Dutton	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Leon Fromkess-Sam Firks Productions (as F & F Productions)

Distributors

• Allied Artists Pictures (1964) (USA) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Punto Zero (2009) (Italy) (DVD) (as Enjoy Movies)
• Criterion Collection, The (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Home Vision Cinema (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Act III  miss towers' gowns
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Samuel Goldwyn Studios  sound recorded at

Also Known As:

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.75 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #20645) | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | USA:Not Rated | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Columbia/Warner Bros. Ranch - 411 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Leon Fromkess-Sam Firks Productions

Trivia:

'Nothing is more terrible than active ignorance' is a quote from Johann Wolfgang Goethe. It also sometimes given as 'Nothing is more terrible than to see ignorance in action.'

Goofs:

Continuity: When Kelly approaches the porch of the house with the room for rent, she picks up the newspaper and hands it to the landlady who has opened the door. The newspaper, as picked up by Kelly, is snugly rolled up and bound with a rubber band. But in the next frame, taken from inside as we see landlady and Kelly come through the door, the newspaper in the landlady's hand is not a rolled up paper, but one that is simply folded in half.

Quotes:

Kelly:I saw a broken down piece of machinery. Nothing but the buck, the bed and the bottle for the rest of my life. That's what I saw.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Santa Lucia

Ahead of its time

This noir film dealt openly with topics that generally weren't dealt with at all (e.g., pedophilia) or only peripherally (e.g., prostitution, procuring)in 1964. It is the only film noir I know of in which a woman is the lead. Rather than being an adjunct or adversary to the hero, Kelly carries the film from beginning to end, and the twists and turns of the plot will surprise throughout. What mars it somewhat is some bad acting in the smaller roles.