KISS OF DEATH
US, 1994, 100 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, David Caruso, Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Hunt, Stanley Tucci, Michael Rapaport, Ving Rhames.
Directed by Barbet Schroder.
Kiss of Death is well written by Richard Price (The Colour of Money) and directed with pace and authentic atmosphere by Barbet Schroeder (Reversal of Fortune, Single White Female). David Caruso, from NYPD, is surprisingly effective as the small-time crook caught between the police and a Chicago mob. Nicholas Cage obviously relishes his role as a sadistic gangster. It is the story of an ordinary man, used and exploited by criminals, imprisoned and asked to be an informer (and coming up against an unscrupulously ambitious DA). There is a strong supporting cast including, Samuel L. Jackson and Stanley Tucci, with impressive characterisations. This makes it an intelligent thriller. It is based on the Henry Hathaway film of 1947 - very loosely - with Victor Mature and Richard Widmark.
1. A 90s thriller? Intelligent thriller? Based on a film of the '40s? Expectations? Style?
2. The title, its reference to the particular characters?
3. New York City locations, the opening tracking shots? Situating the action in a particular part of suburban New York, the car yards, the world of criminals? The documentary tone? The real world, the fantasy world of the criminals? The score?
4. The atmosphere of cars, the initial environment and mood? Stations, wharves? The world of working-class criminals? Deals? The contemporary tone?
5. Jimmy Kilmartin and his world, his relationship to his wife? Baby? Rosie? Ex-con? His hopes? The babysitter? Ronnie and his request? Helping them out? The job? The encounter with Junior Brown? The bust, the shooting, the hit? The death? His going to prison again? The other criminals, his taking the fall? The relationship with Calvin?
6. The DA, Calvin, the information, the deals, the bashing?
7. The portrait of Beverly, of Ronnie? The hundred and fifty dollars? The lies, the bar, the drink? The deals, the funeral? Ronnie and the information?
8. The background of the lawyers, the information, the talking with Jimmy, their being clever, his becoming their victim?
9. His mother, Rosie, the baby? Getting out of jail?
10. The DA, His character, the politics? The deal? The background of Junior, the tape? The bar? The bonds, the red car? Rosie and her fears?
11. Junior, Ronnie’s relationship with him? Little Junior? The push-ups, the fanatic, Nicolas Cage’s performance? Bonds with Jimmy, trust? The death?
12. Jimmy and the phone call, the brawl, the arrest, the lawyer?
13. The program, hiding? The DA and his ambitions?
14. Calvin, Jimmy alone, the confrontation with Junior, his being saved, the DA and the tapes?
15. The citizens, trapped?
16. The themes of good and bad – and grey areas in the one character? Jimmy as a reasonable man, the family man, caught up in crime, serving his time, not ratting out his friends? The deal at the end, the pressure? His bond with Little Junior, with Big Junior Brown? The struggle between good and evil? A glimpse of the criminal world? A film noir of the 1990s?
