Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Death Kiss

  • 19321932
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 15m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
Bela Lugosi and Adrienne Ames in The Death Kiss (1932)
  • Comedy
  • Crime
  • Drama
Murder during film shoot sparks search for a killer.Murder during film shoot sparks search for a killer.Murder during film shoot sparks search for a killer.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
1.1K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Edwin L. Marin
  • Writers
    • Madelon St. Dennis(book)
    • Barry Barringer(screen play)
    • Gordon Kahn(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Bela Lugosi
    • David Manners
    • Adrienne Ames
Top credits
  • Director
    • Edwin L. Marin
  • Writers
    • Madelon St. Dennis(book)
    • Barry Barringer(screen play)
    • Gordon Kahn(screen play)
  • Stars
    • Bela Lugosi
    • David Manners
    • Adrienne Ames
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 59User reviews
    • 33Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos32

    Bela Lugosi, Adrienne Ames, and David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Bela Lugosi and Adrienne Ames in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Vince Barnett in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Bela Lugosi, Adrienne Ames, and David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Edward Van Sloan in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Bela Lugosi and John Wray in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Bela Lugosi in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Edward Van Sloan in The Death Kiss (1932)
    David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Adrienne Ames and David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)
    David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Vince Barnett and David Manners in The Death Kiss (1932)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bela Lugosi
    Bela Lugosi
    • Joseph Steiner
    David Manners
    David Manners
    • Franklyn Drew
    Adrienne Ames
    Adrienne Ames
    • Marcia Lane
    John Wray
    John Wray
    • Detective Lieut. Sheehan
    Vince Barnett
    Vince Barnett
    • Officer Gulliver
    Alexander Carr
    • Leon A. Grossmith
    Edward Van Sloan
    Edward Van Sloan
    • Tom Avery
    Harold Minjir
    Harold Minjir
    • Howell
    Barbara Bedford
    Barbara Bedford
    • Script Girl
    Al Hill
    Al Hill
    • Assistant Director
    Harold Waldridge
    Harold Waldridge
    • Charlie
    • (as Harold Waldrige)
    Wade Boteler
    Wade Boteler
    • Sergeant Hilliker
    Lee Moran
    Lee Moran
    • Todd
    King Baggot
    King Baggot
    • Al Payne
    • (uncredited)
    Wilson Benge
    Wilson Benge
    • Café Henri Actor Doorman
    • (uncredited)
    Phil Bloom
    Phil Bloom
    • Hood
    • (uncredited)
    Eddie Boland
    • Bill
    • (uncredited)
    Morgan Brown
    Morgan Brown
    • Crew Member
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Edwin L. Marin
    • Writers
      • Madelon St. Dennis(book)
      • Barry Barringer(screen play)
      • Gordon Kahn(screen play)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Invisible Ghost
    5.2
    Invisible Ghost
    Phantom Ship
    5.4
    Phantom Ship
    The Devil Bat
    5.5
    The Devil Bat
    The Human Monster
    5.7
    The Human Monster
    Chandu the Magician
    6.2
    Chandu the Magician
    White Zombie
    6.3
    White Zombie
    Night of Terror
    5.5
    Night of Terror
    Mark of the Vampire
    6.2
    Mark of the Vampire
    The Raven
    6.9
    The Raven
    I Became a Criminal
    7.2
    I Became a Criminal
    The Body Snatcher
    7.3
    The Body Snatcher
    The Woman in Green
    6.6
    The Woman in Green

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The showing on 5 December 1932, was a preview and had no hand-tinted sequences. The film was scheduled for a 25 December 1932 release nationally, but it was held up so that some sequences could be tinted.
    • Goofs
      In early scenes while dictating in his office and talking to police, Leon A. Grossmith, the head of the studio, has a "humorous" accent with some inverted word placement. "Murder? Oye!" "A calamity Ve got, ach!" Later, towards the end of the film, he makes "advances" toward Marcia Lane in her dressing room. His accent is gone, he speaks Standard American or General American .
    • Quotes

      Officer Gulliver: Mr. Drew, I've been thinking.

      Franklyn Drew: No!

      Officer Gulliver: Yeah. The first thing I ask myself when I investigates a murder is 'who done it'.

      Franklyn Drew: Well that sounds logical.

      Officer Gulliver: And the next thing I ask myself is 'who could do it.'

      Franklyn Drew: And then?

      Officer Gulliver: Then I ask myself again 'who wanted to do it.'

      Franklyn Drew: And how do you answer yourself?

      Officer Gulliver: Well... I ain't come to that yet.

    • Connections
      Featured in Lugosi: Hollywood's Dracula (1997)

    User reviews59

    Review
    Top review
    Write the Movie
    Here's another important early detective movie. It is important because it is early in the life of talkies (just two years after, really); it is a mystery (which was just being invented cinematically); and it is "folded."

    That last means that it is a movie. And it is about a movie. All the characters except the hapless police detective are part of the movie within, which is also called "The Death Kiss." That designated detective is our usual surrogate: in the outer film trying to suss out the inner.

    The murder in question is a murder in the movie within that is "real," meaning it is also in the outer movie. The real detective turns out to be the writer of the inner movie. I am not sure if this is the first appearance of this particular device. I would appreciate hearing if it is not. If it is, this film is of enormous importance. If not, it is still important, though for enjoyment purposes, well its pretty far down the list.

    I'm tentatively making this a "worth watching," but if I confirm that it is the first talking with a movie with written by the same guy that writes the outer movie, I'll elevate it to a four.

    Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.
    helpful•8
    3
    • tedg
    • May 10, 2007

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 8, 1933 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • El beso de la muerte
    • Filming locations
      • California Tiffany Studios - 4516 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • K.B.S. Productions Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 15 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Bela Lugosi and Adrienne Ames in The Death Kiss (1932)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Death Kiss (1932) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in July
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    Hollywood Romances: Our Favorite Couples
    See the full list

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.