Killer's Kiss

Infobox_Film
name = Killer's Kiss


image_size =
caption = Theatrical Poster
director = Stanley Kubrick
producer = Stanley Kubrick Morris Bousel
writer = Stanley Kubrick Howard Sackler
narrator = Jamie Smith
starring = Jamie Smith Irene Kane Frank Silvera
music = Gerald Fried
cinematography = Stanley Kubrick
editing = Stanley Kubrick
distributor = United Artists
released = September 28, 1955
runtime = 67 minutes
country = United States
language = English
amg_id = 1:27313
imdb_id = 0048254|

"Killer's Kiss" (1955) is a film noir co-written and directed by Stanley Kubrick, his second feature. The film features Jamie Smith, Irene Kane, Frank Silvera, and others. [imdb title|id=0048254|title=Killer's Kiss.]

Plot

The film revolves around Davey Gordon (Jamie Smith), a 29 year old welterweight New York boxer in the end of his career, and his relationship with a dancer (Irene Kane) and her violent employer (Frank Silvera).

The drama begins as Davy Gordon (Jamie Smith) is mentally preparing for a big fight against Kid Rodriguez in his apartment room. On the other side of the building, across the courtyard, he gazes upon Gloria Price (Irene Kane), an attractive taxi dancer, getting ready or work. As they both walk out of the building, they run into each other, they notice each other but say nothing. Gloria is picked up by her boss Vincent (Frank Silvera).

As Davy is losing his fight, Gloria is dealing with her boss in his office as he tries to kiss her repeatedly.

That evening Davy is awakened by screams coming from Gloria's apartment. As he looks across the courtyard, he sees that Gloria is being attacked by Vincent. He runs to her room, but Vincent has made his getaway. Davy comforts Gloria and she goes to sleep comfortable that Davy is in the room to protect her. However, Vincent is not deterred, and proceeds to interfere in their lives.

Background

It was Kubrick's second feature, and the earliest still available (he removed his first film "Fear and Desire" from circulation over his displeasure for it). Kubrick was 26 years old when he directed this movie, and had to borrow $40,000 from his uncle, who owned a drug store in New York. [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?_r=1&res=9402E2D81031F937A25752C0A962958260&oref=slogin Maslin, Janet] . "The New York Times," film review, January 14, 1994. Last accessed: February 21, 2008.]

Kubrick began to shoot the film with sound recorded on location, as was common practice in Hollywood. However, frustrated by the intrusion of the microphone into his lighting scheme, Kubrick fired his soundman and decided to post-dub the entire film as he had with his first film. [Hughes, David (2000). "The Complete Kubrick". Virgin Publishing Ltd, pp. 26-27.]

Cast

* Jamie Smith as Davy Gordon
* Irene Kane as Gloria Price
* Frank Silvera as Vincent Rapallo
* Jerry Jarrett as Albert (the fight manager)
* Mike Dana as Gangster
* Felice Orlandi as Gangster
* Skippy Adelman as Mannequin factory owner)
* David Vaughan as Conventioneer
* Alec Rubin as Conventioneer
* Ralph Roberts as Gangster
* Phil Stevenson as Gangster

Critical reception

When released, the staff at "Variety" magazine gave the film a mixed review, and wrote, "Ex-Look photographer Stanley Kubrick turned out "Killer's Kiss" on the proverbial shoestring. "Kiss" was more than a warm-up for Kubrick's talents, for not only did he co-produce but he directed, photographed and edited the venture from his own screenplay [originally written by Howard O. Sackler] and original story...Kubrick's low-key lensing occasionally catches the flavor of the seamy side of Gotham life. His scenes of tawdry Broadway, gloomy tenements and grotesque brick-and-stone structures that make up Manhattan's downtown eastside loft district help offset the script's deficiencies." [ [http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117792300.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0 "Variety'] Film review, 1955. Last accessed: February 21, 2008.]

More recently, "New York Times" film critic Janet Maslin reviewed the film, and wrote, "Killer's Kiss" brought the director onto more conventional territory, with a film noir plot about a boxer, a gangster and a dance hall girl. Using Times Square and even the subway as his backdrop, Mr. Kubrick worked in an uncharacteristically naturalistic style despite the genre material, with mixed but still fascinating results. The actress playing the dance hall girl, billed as Irene Kane, is the writer Chris Chase, whose work has frequently appeared in "The New York Times." Frank Silvera plays the boxer, whose career is described as 'one long promise without fulfillment.' In the case of Mr. Kubrick's own career, the fulfillment came later. But here is the promise." [Maslin, Janet. Ibid.]

Awards

Wins
* Locarno International Film Festival: Prize, Best Director, Stanley Kubrick; 1959.

References

External links

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* [http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReviews8/killerskiss.htm "Killer's Kiss"] at DVD Beaver (includes images).