Killer's Kiss (1955)

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Director extraordinaire Stanley Kubrick was downright prolific in the 1950s, directing four features and three short films between 1951 and 1957. This is the young Kubrick, before the years between projects, and shooting dozens of takes of the same innocuous sequences. Every film fan seems to have different opinions on his films, and the rumors surrounding his offscreen and onscreen lives. "Killer's Kiss," his second feature, is a gritty film noir with little grandeur but a lot of beautifully shot sequences.

Davey (Jamie Smith) is a down-on-his luck boxer who decides to leave New York City after another loss in the ring. His apartment window faces Gloria's (Irene Kane), a dime-a-dance girl who works in a smoky hall under the leering eye of Vinnie (Frank Silvera). Davey witnesses Vinnie attack Gloria, rescues her, and they spend two days together hiding out and falling in love. Vinnie is still miffed about losing Gloria, and puts a fatal plan into motion.

If you were a fan of Turner Classic Movies, you would recognize some of the shots here from their "Up All Night" ads that they used to play in the wee hours of the morning. The stark black & white cinematography is beautiful, as is the guerilla-style street filming on location in New York City. I'm obsessed with this urban world, having read early Beat and pulp writers talking about scuzzy one room flats and dive bars. Kubrick had to get rid of the sound recordist because of technical problems, so everything was recorded in post-production. This adds an off-kilter element that actually helps the film. The three main performers are all good, and their are memorable scenes that stand out despite the hurried production and short running time- an alleyway attack, and the final sequences on some deserted streets and in a mannequin factory. The screenplay does lag at a few points with a little too much padding and, while it's a well done scene, the ballet sequence (featuring Kubrick's then-wife) seems out of place.

"Killer's Kiss," whose poster features the classic ad-line "HER SOFT MOUTH WAS THE ROAD TO SIN-SMEARED VIOLENCE," has glimmers of what was yet to come from the great film maker.

Stats:
(1955) 67 min. (* * * 1/2) out of five stars
-Story and Directed by Stanley Kubrick
-Cast: Frank Silvera, Jamie Smith, Irene Kane, Jerry Jarrett, Mike Dana, Felice Orlandi, Shaun O'Brien, Barbara Brand, Ruth Sobotka
-Not Rated, contains physical violence, some adult situations, alcohol and tobacco use