A KISS BEFORE DYING
US, 1956, 94 minutes, Colour.
Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Leith, Joanne Woodward, Mary Astor, George Macready, Robert Quarry.
Directed by Gerd Oswald.
A Kiss Before Dying is a mystery thriller based on a novel by Ira Levin (Rosemary’s Baby, The Boys From Brazil, The Stepford Wives).
The film was a star vehicle for up and coming young actors of the period, especially Robert Wagner and Jeffrey Hunter. This time Robert Wagner plays a cad who courts a young woman, played by Joanne Woodward, and murders her. Her sister, Virginia Leith, is upset and tries to find out what has happened – and becomes entangled with the same suave villain. Mary Astor plays the villain’s mother, George Macready playing the father of the girls.
The film is an interesting study, 1950s style, of a ruthless college student who is ambitious and a psychopath.
The film was remade in 1991 by James Dearden and starred Matt Dillon as the psychopathic young man. In this version Sean Young played both sisters, Max von Sydow their father and Diane Ladd was the psychopath’s mother.
1. An effective murder-melodrama? Why? The overtones of the title - the kiss and the dying? Were these used well with the song during the film? What were the main features of its success as a melodrama?
2. What insight into motivations do such melodramas give? The creation of a real or unreal situation and the testing of behaviour and motives? Was the film successful here?
3. How well communicated was the atmosphere of the film? The world of Bud Corliss? The contrast between poor-class and rich-class? The problems of communication at University. and problems of pregnancy and maternity and paternity? The problems of madness?
4. How attractive a character was Bud? Robert Wagner's style? As appearing attractive to Dorothy and Ellen? The credibility of the situation which he was in? How do you explain his callous attitude towards people? His lack of moral scruple? His choices for the killing of Ellen? His murder of the witness? His attraction towards Ellen and using her? His smooth-talking to Mr. Kingsland? The influence of his mother on his life? Was he a credible, callous character?
5. How attractive was Dorothy? Her naivete and love for Bud? Her predicament and pregnancy? Her inability to disbelieve Bud? Her not taking the pills? The dramatic impact of her falling? How did this change our attitudes towards Bud?
6. Was Ellen an important character in the film? The repetition of the love between Bud and Dorothy? Ellen’s inability to see through Bud? The predicament and dangers at the end?
7. Mr Kingship and his attitude towards his daughters? The influence of society and wealth on human behaviour? The love-hate relationship of father and daughters? His inability to see through Bad? The change in attitude through all the tragedy? Was this credible?
8. Was Gordon Grant an attractive hero? Was he important in terms of psychological understanding for this film? Was he merely a conventional hero investigating a murder? Why?
9. What insight into the psychology of human behaviour did this film give? And the impact of social pressures on psychology and behaviour? (Even though the film was merely a murder story).
10. How exciting was the finale with the pursuit of Bud and the danger for Ellen? Bud’s death? How satisfying a story within its limitations was this film?
