KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE
US, 1950, 102 minutes, Black and white.
James Cagney, Barbara Payton, Ward Bond, Luther Adler, Helena Carter, Steve Brodie, Rhys Williams, Barton
Mac Lane, Frank Reicher, John Litel.
Directed by Gordon Douglas.
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye a violent, rather unpleasant, Cagney gangster thriller from 1950. Cagney had made his mark in this kind of role in the '30s and had made a comeback with the classic White Heat in 1949. This film seems merely an echo of the earlier films and White Heat. The film has a strong cast, is directed strongly by Gordon Douglas and is based on a novel by Horace Mc Coy (author of They Shoot Horses Don't They).
1. The popularity of James Cagney thrillers? The gangster thrillers of the '30s? The more sophisticated film-making of the '40s and '50s? Impact of such films now - in comparison with later gangster films and television series?
2. Warner Brothers' production: black and white photography, the American cities, the world of the gangsters, crooked police,, lawyers? Affluent society? Musical score? The gangster traditions and the presentation of the law, the mob, visual presentation of violence?
3. The structure of the film: the trial, the introduction to the defendants, the flashbacks? The absence of Ralph Carter? The establishing of suspense about him? The puzzle about the involvement of so many defendants? A satisfying conclusion?
4. The break from prison and the comparisons with so many other films showing this kind of action? The guards. the work, the gunfights, the chasing? The cars? The presence of Holiday? The garage man and his double-dealing? Fulfilment of audience expectations about the jailbreak?
5. Cagney as Carter? Small. punk. mad - and his reaction to this? Power-hungry and conscienceless? Violent? His friendship with Jinx and using him as chauffeur? Accomplice? His plans for getting his money back. future robberies? The infatuation with holiday? The confrontation with Webber and his assistant? Taping him to incriminate him? His friendship with the crooked lawyer?
6. The details of his recovering his money, further plans, his ingenuity? The following of the pick-up men? The police uniform and his acting as policemen, killing the pick-up men? Cold-blooded murderer? The reaction of Jinx and the others to the murder? His self-confidence and panache?
7. His meeting with Margaret, her background, society, wealth? Courting her? The credibility of his marrying her? Her being confronted by her father after the wedding? His pretending to give her up and not take the cheque? His being summoned again and the possibility of a future with Margaret - their plans to go off?
8. The contrast with Holiday and her devotion to her brother, reaction to his death? Her dislike of Carter and his brutal treatment of her, visual violence? Her being changed, waiting for him, jealousy and finally killing him?
9. The picture of Webber as policeman, crooked cop, his officers, contacts with the mob, fears, his off-sider? The picture of crooked police?
10. The smooth-talking but sinister lawyer and his involvement in the plans?
11. Carter's cunning,, over-reaching himself, playing people off against each other - the title of the film and Holiday's using it against him as she killed him?
12. The gangster genre and its contribution to a picture of the United States? The tradition of the manic gangster? Crime, justice? Audience sympathies and antipathies?
