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IMDbPro

Kiss Me Deadly

  • 19551955
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
21K
YOUR RATING
Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:15
2 Videos
99+ Photos
CrimeFilm-NoirMystery
A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit".A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit".A doomed female hitchhiker pulls Mike Hammer into a deadly whirlpool of intrigue, revolving around a mysterious "great whatsit".
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
21K
YOUR RATING
    • Robert Aldrich
    • Mickey Spillane(novel "Kiss Me, Deadly")
    • A.I. Bezzerides(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ralph Meeker
    • Albert Dekker
    • Paul Stewart
    • Robert Aldrich
    • Mickey Spillane(novel "Kiss Me, Deadly")
    • A.I. Bezzerides(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Ralph Meeker
    • Albert Dekker
    • Paul Stewart
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 219User reviews
    • 131Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos2

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:15
    Watch Trailer
    Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!
    Clip 5:23
    Watch Cowboys! Detectives! Giant Bugs! B-Movie History!

    Photos125

    Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Gaby Rodgers in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Maxine Cooper and Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Albert Dekker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Gaby Rodgers in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Albert Dekker and Gaby Rodgers in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Wesley Addy and Bing Russell in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Wesley Addy and Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Leonard Mudie in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
    Ralph Meeker and Leonard Mudie in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ralph Meeker
    Ralph Meeker
    • Mike Hammer
    Albert Dekker
    Albert Dekker
    • Dr. G.E. Soberin
    Paul Stewart
    Paul Stewart
    • Carl Evello
    Juano Hernandez
    Juano Hernandez
    • Eddie Yeager
    Wesley Addy
    Wesley Addy
    • Lt. Pat Murphy
    Marian Carr
    Marian Carr
    • Friday
    • (as Marion Carr)
    Marjorie Bennett
    Marjorie Bennett
    • Manager
    Mort Marshall
    Mort Marshall
    • Ray Diker
    Fortunio Bonanova
    Fortunio Bonanova
    • Carmen Trivago
    Strother Martin
    Strother Martin
    • Harvey Wallace
    Mady Comfort
    Mady Comfort
    • Nightclub Singer
    • (as Madi Comfort)
    James McCallion
    James McCallion
    • Horace
    Robert Cornthwaite
    Robert Cornthwaite
    • FBI Agent
    Silvio Minciotti
    • Mover
    Nick Dennis
    Nick Dennis
    • Nick Va Va Voom
    Ben Morris
    • Radio Announcer
    Jack Elam
    Jack Elam
    • Charlie Max
    Paul Richards
    Paul Richards
    • Attacker
      • Robert Aldrich
      • Mickey Spillane(novel "Kiss Me, Deadly")
      • A.I. Bezzerides(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The Kefauver Commission, a federal unit dedicated to investigating corrupting influences in the 1950s, singled this out as 1955's number one menace to American youth. Because of this, Robert Aldrich felt compelled to conduct a writing campaign for the free speech rights of independent filmmakers.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 10 mins) The singer is shown standing with both hands on the microphone stand. When Hammer is sitting at the bar, during the same song, the singer is shown in a reflection playing a piano and not singing, though she is still heard singing.
    • Quotes

      Mike Hammer: You're never around when I need you.

      Velda: You never need me when I'm around.

    • Crazy credits
      The opening credits scroll down instead of the usual up, resulting in needing to read them bottom to top.
    • Alternate versions
      Until 1997, all known copies in circulation of "Kiss Me Deadly" ended rather abruptly: the wounded Mike Hammer stumbling through the beach house looking for his partner Velda, and then there's a couple of brief shots of the house exploding and burning, with "The End" superimposed on the final shot. The music is cut off instead of fading out, and the screen turns black; it looks like Mike and Velda died in the blaze.
    • Connections
      Edited into American Cinema: Film Noir (1995)
    • Soundtracks
      Rather Have the Blues
      Sung by Nat 'King' Cole

      Written by Frank De Vol (uncredited)

      [Played on the car radio during the opening title card and credits]

    User reviews219

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    What an utterly bizarre film...
    Man, I saw this movie for the first time a few years ago and I still don't know what to think about it. Ralph Meeker as a fascistic Mike Hammer, a crazy hitch-hiker, an opera fan and a box that can destroy the world. I dunno.

    From what I understand Alderitch (the director) hated Mikey Spillane's story (which was about a briefcase full of drugs or money or something else), thought Mike Hammer was an image of brutality and fascism and made a film that reflected it. He makes Hammer out to be some kind of sadist and makes the suitcase out be some kind of nuclear device. The movie turns from a simple detective story to some wierd-ass, sci-fi cold war parable.

    It's sort of like the X-Files meets film-noir PI, or something to that effect.

    All that being said, this is a GREAT film and is well worth watching by anyone who like apocalyptic film-noir (in fact, this may be the only film in that sub-genre). Anyone who is a fan of bizarre camera work, weird symbolism and a stranger storyline, should really check this out.

    Observe the many bizarre inconsistencies (clocks that jump ahead and back, screams that don't jibe right with the soundtrack, camera angles that jump mysteriously) and keep in mind that these were INTENDED! When you get a feel for this film and start noticing what the director was attempting to do with this bizarre film I think that you will enjoy it even more. Truly a unique piece of film making.
    helpful•121
    38
    • A-Ron-2
    • Jul 6, 2000

    FAQ4

    • Why are there two different endings?
    • Which one is the original ending?
    • What is the European ending?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 28, 1955 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
      • Italian
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Clay Street, Bunker Hill, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Parklane Pictures Inc.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 46 minutes
      • Black and White

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