Not that bad at all. "Dino" portrays himself (which is a bit unusual considering his character is basically a drunken ass-bag in the film) getting stuck in small town Nevada for a day with a song writer and his fat pal trying to pitch him a few piano musical numbers on the sly. Obviously, the big shot can't be bothered since he was originally passing through, so the fat-ass pretends he has to work on the famous fuck's car for a day or so while the star spends a night in town. Only problem is, the writer's wife has been an insane fanatic of the singer since highschool, Dean claims he can't spend a night without snatchin' up a broad, and the pianist is always terrified of his wife being with somebody else because apparently she's the "hottest damn dame there"...
Despite his pal's desire to invest in an eighth chin, the husband vetos the initial get-rich-quick scheme, so the friend then convinces the song writer to kick his attractive wife out and get some sexy waitress to pretend being her instead so that the piano man can persuade D to hear and purchase some songs before inevidibly... plowing his pretend wife during their actual anniversary. This works like a charm and the husband even makes up some excuse to leave so the two can more acquainted, before the plan is ruined when the song writer throws Dean Martin out for assuming he can just have any married woman... then decides to do her himself!
Meanwhile, Mister Martin screws the real wife during the last hour of her anniversary in exchange for taking the song called "Sophia" and SOMEHOW this does not affect their marrage nor any of the other characters, as if Superman time traveled away his problems yet still got to sex up Lois Lane.
Condemned by the Catholic League of Decency when it premiered, "Kiss Me, Stupid" touches on immoral subjects with comedy. Good performances, but a rather weak story makes up an average entertaining movie.
Frivolous fluff that was so controversial when it was released in 1964, the Vatican issued a proclamation forbidding Catholics from seeing it. I'm not catholic but I can certainly empathize with the Pope on this one. Sadly, Kiss Me, Stupid seems to do what Hollywood does best, it takes marriage lightly and portrays adultery as romantic and exciting. The script is ridiculous, the jokes are weak and, to top it all off, the original casting of Peter Sellers and Marilyn Monroe ended up being Ray Walston and Barbara Pepper. Sorry Billy Wilder, but even Dean Martin and Kim Novak combined couldn't pull this one out of the crapper.
Raising intriguing questions on the nature of fidelity, celebrity and identity, this under-seen Wilder film had within it the potential t be one of his best. Had the film gone forward with original lead Peter Sellers that would have been the case, unfortunately due to numerous reasons Sellers left and was replaced with Walston. Walston is good but tends to overplay. Dean Martin is great as himself (or more of a rougish heel version of himself) and Vertigo fans will be shocked to see Kim Novak playing the uncouth hooker with a heart of gold. Worth checking out, especially for Wilder fans.
MCT:September 19, 2008
MCT:September 17, 2008
MCT:August 13, 2008
MCT:July 22, 2008
