Review of Kiss Me Deadly (1955) by X X — 25 Feb 2012

â"Kiss Me Deadly": 10/10. This noir, directed and produced by Robert Aldrich and scripted from Mickey Spillane's novel of the same name by A. I. Bezzerides, follows private investigator Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker of "Paths of Glory" fame) as he picks up a hitchhiker that he nearly hits named Christina (Cloris Leachman in her screen debut) in an opening sequence that includes opening credits that scroll backwards and the off screen torture and murder of Christina. The method used to kill her is largely left to the audience's imagination. So begins one of the wildest, if not THE wildest, true noirs ever committed to celluloid.

Made in 1955, during the height of Cold War paranoia, Mike Hammer, escaping after being left for dead by his and Christina's captors, makes his descent through the deceit and despair of L.A.'s dark, forlorn streets straight into the bowels of his own personal Hell. As the plot progresses and the frustration mounts upon Hammer, his true nature comes into the light. There is no doubt form the first scene that he is a blunt, gruff individual, but as mysterious assassins come after him his violent nature becomes apparent. Mike Hammer takes sadistic glee in brutalizing his enemies as the camera sometimes cuts to his cool, smiling face as he disarms and disables his attackers.

As Hammer tries to track down the people responsible for Christina's death and the "great whatsit" that she knew about and her murderers did not want spread, he encounters Christina's roommate, Lily Crawford, the dreaded (and lusted after) femme fatale. In this film, in particular, the femme fatale is virtually conjoined with the fear of a nucelar holocaust.

Complete with the signature film noir stylistic devices of off-kilter camera angles, the "tough guy" machismo, and looming shadows Aldrich's film blends, action, comedy, and pure horror and raises the pulp, B-grade subject matter into an enthralling, purposefully disorienting cinematic classic with a shocking ending.

Also starring: Jack Elam, Maxine Cooper, and Albert Dekker.