[FilmReview]KissMeDeadly(1955)6.2/10

Jumpingonthebandwagonofanescalatingpost-WWIInuclearparanoia,RobertAldrich’shard-hittingFilm-NoirKISSMEDEADLY(hisfifthfeaturefilm)setsitscock-and-bullbackboneinMickeySpillane’stitularpulpnovel,butsubstitutesitsMcGuffinwithacockamamiePandora’sboxallegorythatisonlyappendedforitssheershockingvalue.AhardboiledL.A.shamusMikeHammer(Meeker),reluctantlyfallsinwithahitchhikerChristinaBailey(aradiantLeachmaninherscreendebut,andwedomissherilluminatedpresenceafterhercharacter’sfateisappallinglysealed),whoonlywearsatrenchcoatafterfleeingfromamentalinstitutioninthedeadofnight,beforebeingcaughtupwithherpursuers,shetellsMiketo“rememberme”ifshedoesn’tmakeitalive,andthisisexactlywhathappens.AfterMikemiraculouslysurvivestheman-madeaccidentwhichostensiblykillsChristina(thevillainshaveanunconsciousMikeattheirmercies,yet,theyinexplicablysparehimfornootherreasonbutwhatthestoryrequires),heknucklesdowntobird-dogthemysterybehind,routinelysievingthroughaconcatenationofnames,oftenfromthemouthofhisdevoutandworld-savvyassistant-cum-loverVelda(Cooper),tritelyhazardingthelivesofthosewhoarepassivelyenmeshedinhisinvestigation,itismildlysurprisingthathisbuddy,theGreekimmigrantNick(vexinglyplayedbyNickDennisinhamminguphisva-va-voomcatchphrase)doesn’tblowhimselfupearlierbutonlysuccumbstoafacilebudgingofajack.ButthemajorbreakthroughhingesondecipheringChristina’scrypticlastwords(whichmightjustaswellberephrasedas“examineme”byscreenwriterA.I.Bezzerides,ifshedoesn’treallyintendtomuddythewaterswhenherlifeishangingbyathread),and“vestige”istheoperativeword.Foronething,thestory-linebarelymakesanysense,andBezzerideshasnovolitiontopaperoveritsporouslooseendsandpreposterousturnofevents,forinstance,wehavenoinklingoftheantagonists’agendawiththebox(savinganurbanelyintimidatingPaulStewartfromgoingsinisteralltheway),whatistheinvolvementofLt.PatMurphy(Addy),andwhyonearththeonlypersonwhoknowsitswhereaboutissoimpetuouslydispatched?WhileMike’smyth-divulgingtakesanimprobablysimplifiedroutenameaftername,whathefacesmostlyisacesspoolofhumanscumsthattrulymeritshisslapping-happysecond-nature(inturnechoeshisownshort-fusedcruelty),nottomentionthefilm’ssweepingderogativetreatmentofitsfemalecharacters,everyonemechanicallyfallsunderthespellofMr.Meeker’sirresistiblylaconicandimpassivemachoposturing,tryingtosealakisswithhimatshortnotice,Aldrichreallyoverreacheshimselfinbeatingthedrumforthisfustyandperniciousmasculinity.Thatsaid,asagrubbynoirtall-tale,itssuperficialproductionvaluespeaksforitselfbyallowingMikeperambulatingL.A.’snocturnalstreetsandtreacherouscornerswhereliesanddangerfesterunderDPErnestLaszlo’simmaculatelens,andAldrichunflinchinglyratchetsupitscynicismuntilthefinalradioactiveperdition,remotelyelicitsasenseofSci-Fiproportionthatchimeswithitsverticallyrollingopeningcredits,whichwouldbenormalizedbytheSTARWARSjuggernautstwodecadeslater.referentialentries:Aldrich’sWHATEVERHAPPENEDTOBABYJANE?(1962,8.2/10),HUSH….HUSH,SWEETCHARLOTTE(1964,7.8/10).本文版权归作者他他所有，任何形式转载请联系作者。