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Kiss Me Deadly

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Kiss Me Deadly

Released May 18, 1955

1h 45m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

98%

Tomatometer

42 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

One evening, private detective Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) picks up a strange woman, Christina (Cloris Leachman), who's standing on the highway wearing only a trench coat. They're stopped farther on by strangers who knock out Mike and murder Christina. Although warned not to investigate by the police, Mike and his girlfriend and assistant, Velda (Maxine Cooper), become ensnared in a dark plot involving scientist Dr. Soberin (Albert Dekker) and Christina's terrified roommate, Lily (Gaby Rodgers).

Critics Consensus

An intriguing, wonderfully subversive blend of art and commerce, Kiss Me Deadly is an influential noir classic.

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Richard Brody

The New Yorker

The actors' idiosyncratic voices, wrapped around such chrome-plated poetry as "the great whatsit" and "va-va-voom," are as hauntingly musical as Aldrich's images.

Sep 12, 2016

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Chris Nashawaty

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B+

Jun 16, 2011

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Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

This independently produced low-budget film was a shining example for the New Wave directors -- Truffaut, Godard, et al -- who found it proof positive that commercial films could accommodate the quirkiest and most personal of visions.

Mar 27, 2009

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Rob Gonsalves

Rob's Movie Vault

It takes Mickey Spillane's unreconstructed macho lout Mike Hammer and brutally interrogates him, slapping him around in a jazzy bebop rhythm that rides right up to apocalypse.

Rated: A+

Nov 29, 2022

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

The climax is so startlingly unusual that this Robert Aldrich-directed picture safely becomes unforgettable.

Rated: 7/10

Aug 23, 2020

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Chris Barsanti

Eyes Wide Open

By the time the movie comes to its gonzo Pandora's box conclusion on the beach, neither script nor screen have been able to keep up with reason, preferring instead to simply stay out of Hammer's way.

Jul 22, 2020

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Ernie K

Quintessential, dark, brooding, surprising noir, featuring a dynamite performance by Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer as he portrays a man of intuition, violence, desire, and even occasional compassion. As hardboiled as they come, he also wishes to help a woman in great distress, and in the process there are dizzying twists and turns. A mid-50's watch that will still satisfying the noir fan - as well as anyone appreciating offbeat but compelling film making.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/24/24

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Leo P

I saw this B movie first time as a kid.I didn't understand what was that glowing and groaning thing in the shoe box and I became really scared.The sole purpose of this miscarriage is to frighten children,and can be of interest only for those who want to see one of the very first models of answering machine in action.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/06/24

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Leaburn O

Noir sci-fi weirdness. Psychedelic and fantastical but also hard to care about. Has all the signposts of a great noir but the intrigue is never adequately paid off or developed. Just ends with this pseudo nuclear nonsense. Watched on DVD.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/21/24

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Andrew L

Robert Aldrich gets Mickey Spillane's most famous character right in this film noir that takes a simple plot and raises the stakes to where the main character, an inexpensive private eye with little-to-no morals named Mike Hammer, has to stop a global catastrophe.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/09/24

Full Review

acsdoug D

Ralph Meeker looks the part of a tough guy detective, but he doesn't sound like one. That high pitched voice of his really detracts from the character. Maybe if he was a better actor he could overcome that deficiency. Still the film has all you could wish for in a detective noir: thugs. violence and pretty dames. Good enough for me.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/31/24

Full Review

nick s

Surprisingly gritty movie with an unsympathetic main character who doesn't stay within social guardrails. Lots of eye catching locations as he follows the clues around town. Some of the editing was a bit rough, the acting had some soft patches and the plot was merely squeezing one person after another to uncover the macguffin. However, all that doesn't take away from the fact this was excellent entertainment.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/07/24

Full Review

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Robert Aldrich

Director

Ralph Meeker

Mike Hammer

Albert Dekker

Dr. G.E. Soberin

Paul Stewart

Carl Evello

Maxine Cooper

Velda

Gaby Rodgers

Gabrielle

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Synopsis

One evening, private detective Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) picks up a strange woman, Christina (Cloris Leachman), who's standing on the highway wearing only a trench coat. They're stopped farther on by strangers who knock out Mike and murder Christina. Although warned not to investigate by the police, Mike and his girlfriend and assistant, Velda (Maxine Cooper), become ensnared in a dark plot involving scientist Dr. Soberin (Albert Dekker) and Christina's terrified roommate, Lily (Gaby Rodgers).

Director: Robert Aldrich
Producer: Robert Aldrich
Screenwriter: Mickey Spillane, A. I. Bezzerides
Distributor: United Artists, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: United Artists
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 18, 1955, Original
Release Date (DVD): Jun 19, 2001
Box Office (Gross USA): $882
Runtime: 1h 45m
Sound Mix: Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, 1.66:1