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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Kiss Me, Stupid (1964)

Rating: 3 Stars (out of 4)

Keen-o Dino

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Kiss Me, Stupid on DVD.

Kiss Me Stupid (1964, MGM/UA, $19.98) was one of Wilder's most notorious efforts, raising the ire of the Catholic Church before its release. Dean Martin plays an alcoholic lounge singer named Dino who takes a detour through a small town and meets up with hopeful songwriter Ray Walston. Walston and his partner Cliff Osmond decide that if they can provide Dino with a woman for a night to keep him happy, they'll have a chance to sell one of their songs. They enlist Polly the Pistol (Kim Novak) to "play" Walston's wife for a night, but everything goes haywire and Dino ends up with Walston's real wife (Felicia Farr, Wilder's real-life wife). It doesn't make much sense, but Wilder's beautiful use of the black-and-white widescreen frame, dazzling casting and crisp pace make it an interesting oddity.

Starring: Dean Martin, Kim Novak, Ray Walston, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond, Barbara Pepper, Skip Ward, Doro Merande, Bobo Lewis, Tom Nolan, Alice Pearce, John Fiedler, Arlen Stuart, Howard McNear, Cliff Norton
Written by: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond, based on a play by Anna Bonacci
Directed by: Billy Wilder
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 125 minutes
Date: July 10, 2003