MysteryThrillerCrime

Kiss Me Deadly

- Blood red kisses! White hot thrills! Mickey Spillane’s latest H-bomb!

One evening, Hammer gives a ride to Christina, an attractive hitchhiker on a lonely country road, who has escaped from the nearby lunatic asylum. Thugs waylay them and force his car to crash. When Hammer returns to semi-consciousness, he hears Christina being tortured until she dies. Hammer, both for vengeance and in hopes that "something big" is behind it all, decides to pursue the case.

Release Date : 1955-04-28

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Parklane Pictures Inc.United Artists

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Mike Hammer

Original Name : Ralph Meeker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. G.E. Soberin

Original Name : Albert Dekker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carl Evello

Original Name : Paul Stewart

Gender : Male

Character Name : Eddie Yeager

Original Name : Juano Hernández

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. Pat Murphy

Original Name : Wesley Addy

Gender : Male

Character Name : Friday

Original Name : Marian Carr

Gender : Female

Character Name : Velda

Original Name : Maxine Cooper

Gender : Female

Character Name : Christina Bailey

Original Name : Cloris Leachman

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lily Carver

Original Name : Gaby Rodgers

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nick

Original Name : Nick Dennis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sugar Smallhouse

Original Name : Jack Lambert

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlie Max

Original Name : Jack Elam

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sammy

Original Name : Jerry Zinneman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cheesecake

Original Name : Leigh Snowden

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doc Kennedy

Original Name : Percy Helton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Manager

Original Name : Marjorie Bennett

Gender : Female

Character Name : Harvey Wallace

Original Name : Strother Martin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Popcorn Vendor (uncredited)

Original Name : John George

Gender : Male

Character Name : Carmen Trivago

Original Name : Fortunio Bonanova

Gender : Male

Character Name : Self - Singer (voice)

Original Name : Nat King Cole

Gender : Male

Character Name : Club Vocalist

Original Name : Kitty White

Gender : Male

Character Name : Nightclub Singer

Original Name : Mady Comfort

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender (uncredited)

Original Name : Art Loggins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gas Station Man (uncredited)

Original Name : Robert Sherman

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sideman (uncredited)

Original Name : Eddie Beal

Gender : Male

Character Name : Athletic Club Clerk (uncredited)

Original Name : Leonard Mudie

Gender : Male

Character Name : Ray Diker

Original Name : Mort Marshall

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

Yesterday I was looking for a thread, today I'm looking for a piece of string. Mike Hammer is driving down a dark highway when a half naked blonde forces him to stop, this event sends Hammer spiralling on a journey that may have a cataclysmic consequence for all involved. Kiss Me Deadly is a harsh movie, it contains an array of characters that are dislikable in the extreme, nobody can be trusted, and everyone on the surface appears to be selfish in their respective motivations. Taking in torture, murder, violence on tap, and a wonderful mystery plot, it's not hard to see why the film has gained a massive reputation as the years have rolled by - where although it's brutish in substance, the film is a damn riveting piece of work. Ralp Meeker is excellent as Hammer, a character who refuses to lay down, he gets knocked down constantly, but he gets back up tougher than before, he becomes the kind of hard boiled guy who hits first and then asks questions later. The direction from Robert Aldrich is perfect, off-kilter camera work drags the viewer into this skew-whiff world that Hammer has entered, and we often only see shots of the bad guys torsos so as to make them faceless thugs. It's down right aggressive film making that hits the requisite thriller mark. Kiss Me Deadly has influenced many others since its release, be it "Repo Man" or "Pulp Fiction", the impact is still being felt today. Containing a much talked about ending (both the restored and alternate endings work on differing levels to many), it's a film that leaves things up for discussion and debate, but what we do know for sure is that it's explosive and crowns what is now firmly established as a crime classic from the film noir splinter of film making styles. 8.5/10