Review of Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) by Steve N — 31 Mar 2011

This is by far the strangest film of Billy Wilder's long career and, as it turns out, a herald of his retirement. The film is blatantly sexual in ways that are surprisingly shocking, even by today's standards.

As a ribald commentary on the evolving sexual and social mores of the early 60s, it was both intensely controversial and a commercial disaster when it was released. However, time has been reasonably kind to it.

Dean Martin's riff on his own 'Dino' persona defines "living like a rock star" before there were rock stars in the modern sense. His appetites are unslakable, even for local go-to girl Kim Novak.

You watch his blatant groping with your jaw open, wondering why no one has shivved the impudent prick up to now. Interestingly, the "purest" character may be Novak's "Polly the Pistol" who, in assuming the guise of a housewife, becomes more like her inner self than the rode-hard roadhouse chew-toy she seems at first blush.