Review of Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) by Aj V — 09 Nov 2010

Billy Wilder puts a slightly dramatic - and slightly sour - spin on the 1950s/1960s sex comedy genre.

Dino satirizes his stage persona, playing an over-the-top boozy, sleazy Lothario, who's aiming to seduce the wife of a jealous, inattentive husband and song writer (Walston). Walston has an "available" bar-room tart (Novak) play the role of his wife, then starts peddling Dino some songs - and Novak - as a package deal. Meanwhile, the real wife (Farr), who is fed up with kitchen, apron, and sheer black nighties gone unworn, eventually ends up in the role of available bar-room tart herself.

Wilder's not-so-hidden agenda was to slap a 1964 American audience in the face with its own sexual hypocrisy, upon which the sex comedy genre was built.

In-references to the navels banned from television screens abound. The Novak/Farr full-swap/role-blur called to the carpet 1950s Madonna/vamp mentality. To distribute, the Dino/Farr extra-marital romp-for-hire (told on DVD) was edited out. Far too frank for its day, the Catholic Legion of Decency blacklisted the film.

The film suffers, and is overlooked, due to miscasting, likely caused by (what was then) far-too-edgy content. Doris Day would never have touched these roles. Novak's part was written for the late Marilyn Monroe - and it shows. Novak shoehorns poorly into squeaky blondeness with a phony cold, a tepid Jersey accent and a bad wig.

Walston's role was intended for Jack Lemmon who passed; Peter Sellers started production then walked.

Others discreetly supported Wilder's intent to critique America's sexual hypocracy. A Walston/Novak dance number is uncredited Gene Kelly choreography. Walston is peddling Dino some truly unpublished George Gershwin melodies; brother Ira added lyrics posthumously, specifically for use in this film. Andre Previn delivers the balance of the score.

TRIVIA: Watch Dino drive his own personal automobile in the film, a black, sleek and rare 1962 Dual-Ghia coupe.

RECOMMENDATION: Wilder's indictment of Hollywood politics via "Sunset Boulevard" is much stronger stuff, but there's plenty of Wilder craftsmanship and industry talent at work here delivering this now-dated message as well.