Kiss Me Deadly
1955
Director: Robert Aldrich
Starring: Ralph Meeker, Maxine Cooper, Gaby Rodgers
I originally saw Kiss Me Deadly about five years ago. I only thought it was alright. Since then, I have developed a full blown passion for film noir. I absolutely adore it, and can’t get enough. I was looking forward, therefore, to giving Kiss Me Deadly a second gander in the hopes that it would rise meteorically in my estimation.
Um, no.
The plot (convoluted as always, but what do you expect from a noir?) centers on private detective Mike Hammer (Meeker) who specializes in dirty divorce cases. One night, a woman comes running at him down the road, naked under her trench coat. He gets caught up in her case, and after she is killed, he keeps on investigating. Enter lots of unsavory characters, random plot turns, and some bizarre references to nuclear warfare, and, well, there you go, that’s your movie.
