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Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder (screenplay), I.A.L. Diamond (screenplay)
Cast: Dean Martin, Kim Novak, Ray Walston, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond
Genre: Adult themed comedy
Billy Wilder wrote and directed this adult themed sex comedy, that stirred up a heap of controversy when it was first released. Even today the film that deals with wife swapping and prostitution can raise an eyebrow or two.
Originally this was to be called 'The Sizzling Hour'...a title that sounds much more adult and more fitting than the cutesy title they went with. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a G rated Doris Day type comedy, it's not.
One of the things I love about this is Dean Martin plays a very serious character. Which is quite unusual for the singer who mainly did comedy roles. Here he plays himself, which is also highly unique. We start off watching a real performance by Dino at The Sands. He then hops into his expensive Italian car and heads to Las Vegas to shoot a TV show special. Along the way he runs into a road block and is forced to take a shortcut into a hole in the wall town, Climax Nevada. Where two desperate song writers (Ray Walston and Cliff Osmond) sabotage his car so that Dino will be forced to spend the night, given them time to pitch their songs to him. Along the way they come up with a plan to hire a prostitute (Kim Novak) to play Walston's wife, so Walston can give his wife to lusty Dino.
Dean Martin is great as a womanizing cad! He had real guts to play such an unsavory and unlikable character. Especially as he's playing himself. He's good at it too!
Ray Walston is golden as the insanely jealous husband and would be song writer who's willing to do just about anything to make Deano happy. Originally this was to star Jack Lemon who couldn't make it, then filming started with Peter Sellers who had a heart attack and couldn't finish. I'm glad Peter Sellers didn't make this, Walson is a much better choice anyway.
Fellica Farr is the loving wife of Ray Walston, who never knows what's going on but ends up doing a lot to help out! She's good. You have to see the movie to know what I mean. The Catholic Legion of Decency strongly objected to the film, which forced Billy Wilder to reshoot the last scene with Fellica Farr and Dean Martin. The restored print however does have the original, scandalous scene.
Shoot out to a very funny, Cliff Osmond, who makes the most of his on screen time.
I'm not always a big fan of Kim Novak. Originally this was to be a Marilyn Monroe vehicle, but after her suicide in 1962 the film was rewrote for Kim Novak. Novak is good, not special, but her more subdued performance helps to balance the almost maniacal energy of Ray Walston.
Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)
Director: Billy Wilder
Writers: Billy Wilder (screenplay), I.A.L. Diamond (screenplay)
Cast: Dean Martin, Kim Novak, Ray Walston, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond
Genre: Adult themed comedy
Billy Wilder wrote and directed this adult themed sex comedy, that stirred up a heap of controversy when it was first released. Even today the film that deals with wife swapping and prostitution can raise an eyebrow or two.
Originally this was to be called 'The Sizzling Hour'...a title that sounds much more adult and more fitting than the cutesy title they went with. But don't be fooled into thinking this is a G rated Doris Day type comedy, it's not.
One of the things I love about this is Dean Martin plays a very serious character. Which is quite unusual for the singer who mainly did comedy roles. Here he plays himself, which is also highly unique. We start off watching a real performance by Dino at The Sands. He then hops into his expensive Italian car and heads to Las Vegas to shoot a TV show special. Along the way he runs into a road block and is forced to take a shortcut into a hole in the wall town, Climax Nevada. Where two desperate song writers (Ray Walston and Cliff Osmond) sabotage his car so that Dino will be forced to spend the night, given them time to pitch their songs to him. Along the way they come up with a plan to hire a prostitute (Kim Novak) to play Walston's wife, so Walston can give his wife to lusty Dino.
Dean Martin is great as a womanizing cad! He had real guts to play such an unsavory and unlikable character. Especially as he's playing himself. He's good at it too!
Ray Walston is golden as the insanely jealous husband and would be song writer who's willing to do just about anything to make Deano happy. Originally this was to star Jack Lemon who couldn't make it, then filming started with Peter Sellers who had a heart attack and couldn't finish. I'm glad Peter Sellers didn't make this, Walson is a much better choice anyway.
Fellica Farr is the loving wife of Ray Walston, who never knows what's going on but ends up doing a lot to help out! She's good. You have to see the movie to know what I mean. The Catholic Legion of Decency strongly objected to the film, which forced Billy Wilder to reshoot the last scene with Fellica Farr and Dean Martin. The restored print however does have the original, scandalous scene.
Shoot out to a very funny, Cliff Osmond, who makes the most of his on screen time.
I'm not always a big fan of Kim Novak. Originally this was to be a Marilyn Monroe vehicle, but after her suicide in 1962 the film was rewrote for Kim Novak. Novak is good, not special, but her more subdued performance helps to balance the almost maniacal energy of Ray Walston.