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IMDbPro

Kiss Me, Stupid

  • 19641964
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
7.9K
YOUR RATING
Dean Martin, Kim Novak, and Ray Walston in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
Watch ’Trailer [EN]’
Play trailer2:35
1 Video
18 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Romance
Jealous piano teacher Orville Spooner sends his beautiful wife, Zelda, away for the night while he tries to sell a song to famous nightclub singer Dino, who is stranded in town.Jealous piano teacher Orville Spooner sends his beautiful wife, Zelda, away for the night while he tries to sell a song to famous nightclub singer Dino, who is stranded in town.Jealous piano teacher Orville Spooner sends his beautiful wife, Zelda, away for the night while he tries to sell a song to famous nightclub singer Dino, who is stranded in town.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
7.9K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Billy Wilder
  • Writers
    • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
    • I.A.L. Diamond(screenplay)
    • Anna Bonacci(play "L'Ora della Fantasia")
  • Stars
    • Dean Martin
    • Kim Novak
    • Ray Walston
Top credits
  • Director
    • Billy Wilder
  • Writers
    • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
    • I.A.L. Diamond(screenplay)
    • Anna Bonacci(play "L'Ora della Fantasia")
  • Stars
    • Dean Martin
    • Kim Novak
    • Ray Walston
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 92User reviews
    • 59Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer [EN]
    Trailer 2:35
    Trailer [EN]

    Photos18

    "Kiss Me Stupid" Felicia Farr and Ray Walston U/A 1964  / MPTV
    "Kiss Me Stupid" Dean Martin 1964 UA  / MPTV
    Billy Wilder on the set of "Kiss Me Stupid" c. 1964
    Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Dean Martin and Kim Novak in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Dean Martin and Kim Novak in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Dean Martin and Kim Novak in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
    Kim Novak in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Dean Martin and Kim Novak in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Felicia Farr in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
    Dean Martin, Kim Novak, and Ray Walston in Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Dean Martin
    Dean Martin
    • Dinoas Dino
    Kim Novak
    Kim Novak
    • Polly the Pistolas Polly the Pistol
    Ray Walston
    Ray Walston
    • Orvilleas Orville
    Felicia Farr
    Felicia Farr
    • Zeldaas Zelda
    Cliff Osmond
    Cliff Osmond
    • Barneyas Barney
    Barbara Pepper
    Barbara Pepper
    • Big Berthaas Big Bertha
    Skip Ward
    Skip Ward
    • Milkmanas Milkman
    • (as James Ward)
    Doro Merande
    Doro Merande
    • Mrs. Pettiboneas Mrs. Pettibone
    Bobo Lewis
    • Waitressas Waitress
    Tom Nolan
    Tom Nolan
    • Johnnie Mulliganas Johnnie Mulligan
    • (as Tommy Nolan)
    Alice Pearce
    Alice Pearce
    • Mrs. Mulliganas Mrs. Mulligan
    John Fiedler
    John Fiedler
    • Rev. Carruthersas Rev. Carruthers
    Arlen Stuart
    • Rosalie Schultzas Rosalie Schultz
    Howard McNear
    Howard McNear
    • Mr. Pettiboneas Mr. Pettibone
    Cliff Norton
    Cliff Norton
    • Mack Grayas Mack Gray
    Mel Blanc
    Mel Blanc
    • Dr. Sheldrakeas Dr. Sheldrake
    Eileen O'Neill
    Eileen O'Neill
    • Mitzi a Show Girlas Mitzi a Show Girl
    Susan Wedell
    • Silvya a Show Girlas Silvya a Show Girl
    • Director
      • Billy Wilder
    • Writers
      • Billy Wilder(screenplay)
      • I.A.L. Diamond(screenplay)
      • Anna Bonacci(play "L'Ora della Fantasia")
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Crooner Dino is played by Dean Martin, in a role where he essentially is playing himself. Dino is asked at one point in the film what he thinks of the new rock group The Beatles, and he replies in a derogatory manner, with the script imitating Martin's feelings about the band in real life. Dino is then told that they are the new sound and that Dino's sound is obsolete. Ironically, and in reality, soon after the filming of this movie began, Martin recorded his soon-to-be signature song, "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime," which knocked The Beatles' "A Hard Days' Night" single from the Billboard #1 spot in August 1964, one month after filming wrapped on this movie. Martin therefore became the second easy-listening performer to achieve a #1 Billboard single after The Beatles arrived in America. The first was Louis Armstrong with "Hello, Dolly" in May 1964. Both did this by usurping the Beatles themselves from the top chart position.
    • Goofs
      After Orville's wife digs under his sweatshirt for a pen while Johnny is playing the piano, the sound of the piano distorts as if the sound tape slowed down for a second.
    • Quotes

      Dino: [on a cabaret stage, pretending to be drunk] I have an amazing mother, you know. She is 85 years old and she don't need no glasses.

      [pauses]

      Dino: She drinks right out of the bottle.

    • Alternate versions
      There is an American version and a version released outside the U. S. of Kiss Me, Stupid. Deemed too sexually charged for U.S. audiences, the scene with Dean Martin and Felicia Farr in Kim Novak's trailer was reshot for American release.
    • Connections
      Featured in E! True Hollywood Story: Dean Martin (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      'S Wonderful
      (uncredited)

      Music by George Gershwin

      Lyrics by Ira Gershwin

      Performed by Dean Martin

      (in the opening scenes)

    User reviews92

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An undeserved bad reputation
    When writer-director Billy Wilder made `Kiss Me, Stupid' in 1964, he was riding high: His comedy-drama `The Apartment' had won the Oscar as best picture in 1960 and Wilder's `Irma La Douce,' released in 1963, had been a smash. `Stupid,' however, would not receive critical raves or a warm reception at the box office. Instead it would be condemned by the Catholic Legion of Decency, banned in several cities and dropped by its original distributor United Artists, which gave `Stupid' a limited and unsuccessful release through its art-film branch Lopert Films. Seen today, it's laughable to think that this innuendo-laden but mostly innocuous comedy created such a furor. Admittedly, Wilder pushed the boundaries of good taste with some of the dialogue and imagery. Even so the movie is far more nutty than smutty. Set in the Nevada hamlet of Climax, `Stupid' tells the story of church organist and piano teacher Orville J. Spooner (Ray Walston), who is insanely overprotective of his adoring and adorable wife Zelda (Felicia Farr, who was married to Jack Lemmon offscreen). Orville and buddy Barney (Cliff Osmond) write songs in their spare time – one is called `I'm Taking Mom to the Junior Prom ‘Cuz She's a Better Twister Than My Sister,' and another begins, `I'm a poached egg without a piece of toast/Yorkshire Pudding without a beef to roast' – and they're excited when singing sensation Dino (Dean Martin as the same kind of leering lush he usually played in his nightclub act and on TV) is stranded in town. Orville thinks he can sell some material to Dino, but the aspiring tunesmith is alarmed by Dino's reputation as a great seducer and fears Zelda, a Dino fan, will end up in the star's clutches. So Orville hires Polly (Kim Novak), a trampy type with teased platinum hair who works at the local dive known as The Belly Button, to pretend to be his wife while he entertains Dino for an evening. Thanks to a series of surprises, it becomes a night to remember for all concerned, including Zelda, who wasn't even supposed to be a part of it in the first place. As the somewhat similar `Indecent Proposal' would do almost 30 years later, `Stupid' ultimately states that the best way to test a relationship is to walk away from it for a while and see what happens. What separates `Stupid' from so many of the so-called `sex comedies' of the period is its combination of cynicism and directness. Beneath the teasing and the titillation there are some genuinely provocative themes about human nature and the sacrifices we're willing to make to catch a break. Although the movie has what might be termed a happy ending, it's a conclusion with more than a few dark clouds hanging over it. Wilder and Diamond must have somehow known that the second half of the 1960s would be fraught with social changes and the re-evaluation of old standards. What looked like trash in 1964 seems pretty prescient when screened today.
    helpful•71
    8
    • kzoofilm
    • Aug 2, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 22, 1964 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • The Dazzling Hour
    • Filming locations
      • Twentynine Palms, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • The Mirisch Corporation
      • Phalanx Productions
      • Claude Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $3,500,000 (estimated)
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,869
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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