Killer's Kiss (1955)

82% of critics liked it
(17 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(6,430 ratings)

Stanley Kubrick's second feature film, Killer's Kiss was made on a budget of $40,000, all raised by Kubrick's relatives. The black-and-white drama was shot principally at night in a variety of seedy Manhattan locations. The plot, told in an extended flashback, covers two days in the life of boxer… More Stanley Kubrick's second feature film, Killer's Kiss was made on a budget of $40,000, all raised by Kubrick's relatives. The black-and-white drama was shot principally at night in a variety of seedy Manhattan locations. The plot, told in an extended flashback, covers two days in the life of boxer Davy Gordon (Jamie Smith) -- he meets nightclub dancer Gloria Price (Irene Kane); the two fall in love, and decide to make their futures somewhere other than New York City. But Gloria is lusted after by her ex-employer, Vince Rapallo (Frank Silvera), who not only won't take "no" for an answer but has no intention of losing her to a two-bit boxer. His machinations lead to murder, a police manhunt, and revenge in the best film noir fashion -- the very best, in fact, as Kubrick's use of real New York settings (and very ominous and sleazy New York settings at that) gives the action here a startling verisimilitude, as though we're watching a documentary, or the unfolding of actual events. The violence escalates as Davy and Rapallo find themselves going one-on-one, to the death if need be, with a climax in a warehouse filled with department store mannequins and their various component parts. Director-writer-photographer-editor Kubrick wasn't pleased with the studio-imposed ending added by its distributor (United Artists), but that compromise was a lot more logical and satisfying than the filmmaker's intended denouement. Irene Kane, who played the female lead, subsequently achieved success as TV commentator and journalist Chris Chase; also appearing in the film is Kubrick's then-wife Ruth Sobotka. And Frank Silvera, who plays the villain, was among the most prominent black actors working in theater and films during the 1950s, and eventually achieved stardom on television a dozen years later with his role on the NBC series The High Chapparal. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 7 min.
Directed By: Stanley Kubrick
Written By: Stanley Kubrick
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1955 Wide
On DVD: May 15, 2001

Critic Reviews

Variety Staff, Variety
Kubrick's low-key lensing occasionally catches the flavor of the seamy side of Gotham life.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
A noirish thriller with experimental trimmings that holds back most of the emotions, sensitive as well as otherwise, that threatened to make Kubrick's first feature mawkish.
Janet Maslin, New York Times
Kubrick worked in an uncharacteristically naturalistic style despite the genre material, with mixed but still fascinating results.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Frankly, it's a pretty wretched story, but this small, cheap film has style to spare.
Kim Newman, Empire Magazine
Kubrick's second feature shows his promise as a powerful and iconic director in motifs and style.
, Film4
It's tense, compelling and steeped in an urban anxiety that's strangely contemporary.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
Killer's Kiss is no one's idea of a great film but it displays much evidence of future brilliance.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Kubrick makes the most of flashback and dream sequences, and a surreal climactic fight in a warehouse full of mannequins.
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena
Depois deste filme, Kubrick jamais voltou a trabalhar com roteiros originais, optando apenas por adaptações - uma boa decisão, já que é a história que compromete este longa.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies
Offers some glimpses of what [Kubrick] was capable of doing with no budget and no crew and no actors.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Kubrick has created a sinister noir film.
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Hardly Stanley Kubrick's best work.

Read all 12 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

Melvin W

Vincent Rapallo: Like the man said, "Can happiness buy money?" "Her Soft Mouth Was the Road to Sin-Smeared Violence!" I found Stanley Kubrick's second directorial effort, Killer's Kiss, to be a pretty solid film. I enjoyed watching this early work from… More
Vincent Rapallo: Like the man said, "Can happiness buy money?" "Her Soft Mouth Was the Road to Sin-Smeared Violence!" I found Stanley Kubrick's second directorial effort, Killer's Kiss, to be a pretty solid film. I enjoyed watching this early work from Kubrick. It was good and you can see some of his techniques when it comes to camera work, but that's about the only thing that makes it seem like a Kubrick film. Obviously it was made on a small budget with a no name cast, who I thought was actually decent, and all in all it turned out to be a entertaining film. It's just crazy and cool to think about how Kubrick went from this little, low-budget, hour long romance thriller to films like 2001 and The Shining. To the world of Kubrick fans, this is kind of considered his first true film, despite the fact that he made Fear and Desire. Kubrick, himself, hated that film and didn't even want people to see it. There's cool little sequences in this movie, such as the final fight scene that basically mirrors the boxing match. There's a little hint of what is to come from Kubrick. His great foreshadowing was on display here in an early work. The music seems like it belongs anywhere else as long as that place isn't a Kubrick film. This is the only film from him where I didn't particularly care for the score. This movie is cool in that it shows the start of an immense talent. It shows a starting point for what would become one of the, if not the, greatest directors of all-time. It's cool to see that he always had an eye for cool shots and how to make a scene awesome visually even without a big budget, cool effects and huge set pieces. If you are a fan of Stanley Kubrick, you need to see this movie.
Steven C

I was really taken aback by "Killer's Kiss;" Stanley Kubrick's ultra-independent second feature. This film is just so obscure, compelling and visceral. The cinematography, by Kubrick himself (he also edited, directed, wrote and produced) is stunning. The film has… More
I was really taken aback by "Killer's Kiss;" Stanley Kubrick's ultra-independent second feature. This film is just so obscure, compelling and visceral. The cinematography, by Kubrick himself (he also edited, directed, wrote and produced) is stunning. The film has such an urgent time and place and New York City literally intrudes, seeps into, every frame. Because of this, the film has an energy and uncanny (sort of) cohesion. The film can be spare and abstract but it's fun to see Kubrick working in these perameters, or lack there of. "Killer's Kiss" is chock full is surreal, compelling imagery that stands alongside Jean-Luc Godard and even David Lynch at times.
Liam G

This is a solid noir film with a brilliantly staged finale that is not only unique for its time but is tense throughout. It is nowhere near Kubrick's later masterpieces like A Clockwork Orange and 2001, but it is pretty solid for someone only making their second feature.
Randy T

Kubrick's style is minimalistic and effective in this narrated noir gem that features nobody I'd ever heard of before or since.
Tim S

A marvelous and auspicious beginning. The flashback transitions and overdubbing bothered me a little bit, but otherwise, it's definitely a Kubrick film...and a great one at that!
AJ V

A pretty good attempt at film noir from Kubrick, but not as good as his later films. Only see if you're a really big fan of his work.
Ken S

Holy photography this movie is gorgeous. Kubrick is defiantly finding his signature style...but the script with all of the flashbacks is not quite as sharp as it could have been. Well worth seeing in spite of that...oh and the mannequin sequence is amazing.
Pierluigi P

Kubrick's noirish second film. great story and performers. a short, fun and bold little gem.
Michael G

Great early Kubrick. He wasn't there yet but he was well on his way...
Dillon L

Not a bad film (it has some interesting techniques), but not an especially great one either. Some shots are unique, but the story was lacking. It would have been a little better if Hollywood didn't tell Kubrick he had to film a 'happy ending' version.
Cameron J

Though underdeveloped, drawn-out, extremely quiet, slow and rather unengaging, "Killer's Kiss" is still with enough originality, solid action sequences and compellingness for it to pass, but just barely.
Gevvy S

Good camera work. The music was a nice aspect to that film because it drives the film forward. An average script with average actors, the dialogue was rather boring. Much of the film is conventional, but at times it loosens up and comes to life. Of course, this is very early Kubrick.… More
Good camera work. The music was a nice aspect to that film because it drives the film forward. An average script with average actors, the dialogue was rather boring. Much of the film is conventional, but at times it loosens up and comes to life. Of course, this is very early Kubrick. Near the end it begins to really come to life in terms of it having that Kubrick feel to it. The final scene where Davey is visciously attacked is shocking and the best moments of the film come after it. When Davey wanders into the apartment with the mannequins, I finally saw absolute proof of this film having shaped Kubrick his unique style. CHEESY ending. He should've cut the film 2 minutes earlier.
Chris B

The nighttime shots of New York are amazing and fit the mood and feel of the film hand in hand. The story itself is one of hard luck, jealousy, love and of course violence. Kubrick's second feature film is a prototype, albeit itself a wonderful film, to his third film The… More
The nighttime shots of New York are amazing and fit the mood and feel of the film hand in hand. The story itself is one of hard luck, jealousy, love and of course violence. Kubrick's second feature film is a prototype, albeit itself a wonderful film, to his third film The Killing. Killer's Kiss is a wonderfully dark and edgy noir piece that Kubrick achieved with a mere $40,000 budget and doing most of the work himself! You could see how the director was already gifted even at the age of 28 and this film foreshadows just hot great a director he would be throughout his vast career in film. Highly Recommended, especially if you are a Film-Noir junkie like myself!
Brian R

Stanley Kubrick's early works. If anything the locations of Manhattan caught my eye rather then the characters. Still K'sK deserves a tomato.
Buddy A

This film, one of Kubrick's earliest, is a rather interesting take on 1950s film noir. The cinematography, as you might expect from anything Kubrick has done, is likely the film's greatest feature, particularly in the climactic fight scene, which takes place in a mannequin… More
This film, one of Kubrick's earliest, is a rather interesting take on 1950s film noir. The cinematography, as you might expect from anything Kubrick has done, is likely the film's greatest feature, particularly in the climactic fight scene, which takes place in a mannequin warehouse. Many things here foreshadow the director's future style and his common themes, making this a must-see for Kubrick fans, but apart from this, there is not a lot in this movie to recommend to the general public. The film is good, but not great.
Emily B

The first half especially didn't really excite me, but it's faults are forgiveable as it's only Kubrick's second film. When watching it's interesting to compare to Kubrick's other works and see how he developed as a director. The best part has to be the… More
The first half especially didn't really excite me, but it's faults are forgiveable as it's only Kubrick's second film. When watching it's interesting to compare to Kubrick's other works and see how he developed as a director. The best part has to be the fight scene in the room full of mannequins.
Wu C

Kubrick was still young and learning. First half is slow. Didn't blow my mind, but the photography is pretty nice.
Christopher B

More interesting in seeing Kubrick's directing at the very early stages of his career. For us Kubrick fanatics, it's sometimes difficult to think of him as a just a man rather than a cinematic god. Still, despite it's shortcomings, this film is stylish as hell and the… More
More interesting in seeing Kubrick's directing at the very early stages of his career. For us Kubrick fanatics, it's sometimes difficult to think of him as a just a man rather than a cinematic god. Still, despite it's shortcomings, this film is stylish as hell and the beginning of an amazing director.

Read all 18 featured audience ratings

Cast

Frank Silvera
as Vincent Rapallo
Jamie Smith
as Davy Gordon
Irene Kane
as Gloria Price

Jerry Jarret
as Albert the Fight Manager
Dana Michael
as Hoodlum
Felice Orlandi
as Gangster

See full cast