TheLittleSongbird Love film-noir and classic film, was really intrigued by the story (one of my favourite kinds of stories) and wanted to see how Richard Widmark's (an actor who specialised in playing villains and nasty characters) widely lauded film debut would fare. Will admit though to not being a big fan of Victor Mature, while not belonging in the deride camp that he tends to fall into.'Kiss of Death' turned out to be a film that lived up to high expectations quite splendidly. Have seen some wastes of potential recently so seeing a film that doesn't in any way was a relief. Perhaps not quite exceeding them, but can totally see the appeal. Everything that 'Kiss of Death' has been especially noted for was obvious from start to finish and it is a good representation of why the genre and this kind of story appeals to me. The romantic relationship did feel rushed for my liking. Also thought that the middle act dragged occasionally.However, 'Kiss of Death' is rich in atmosphere, love the grit of the cinematography, the crispness of the editing and the authenticity of the locations. The music is used sparingly but fits well when used. Henry Hathaway directs in a way that always makes the film involving and suspenseful, not dumbing down anything and making the considered shocking content have full impact.The script is taut and intelligent, as well as free of fat. The story never stops being suspenseful and what could have been an ordinary story turns into a work that is mature, tense and suspenseful, sometimes tragic, with the wheelchair/stairs scene that unsurprisingly shocked audiences at the time still one of the most shocking and iconic acts of evil on film.Victor Mature's sympathetic performance is one of his best by a considerable degree, while Coleen Gray and Brian Donlevy (cast against type) are strong support. 'Kiss of Death' belongs though to Richard Widmark, his unforgettably frightening performance is not only one of the best film debuts ever but also one of the most evil incarnate psychopathic characters on film.Overall, very good and worth seeing especially for Widmark. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Lee Eisenberg Film noir became one of the primary genres in cinema in the 1940s: lowlifes, corruption, femmes fatales, and the like. One of the most famous examples is Henry Hathaway's Academy Award-nominated "Kiss of Death". Probably its most famous quality is Richard Widmark's chilling performance as the villain, constantly bearing his teeth like the old man in "Poltergeist 2". The most famous scene is the one on the staircase. It must've been shocking for the time. Victor Mature's protagonist is the typical man who's had a string of bad luck and has no choice but to turn to crime. Trying to make right, his past comes back to haunt him.It makes sense that film noir arose around the time that it became more common to film on location: it affirmed a sense of realism (and cynicism). "Kiss of Death"'s New York setting shows the grittiest aspects of the criminal underworld, as well as law enforcement. Obviously it wasn't as gritty as would be allowed in a few decades, but there's no sugar-coating anything here. As for the ending, it would've been interesting to see it go a different way, but we can still say that Nick achieved his goal.Anyway, an outstanding movie. This is everything that a movie should be. Coleen Gray, Brian Donlevy and Karl Malden offer fine support.

JohnHowardReid Kiss of Death, is an amazingly brutal yet honest movie. How it got past American censors in 1947 was always a real mystery to me until Elia Kazan explained to me how it was achieved . Apparently, the original movie was lavishly endowed with scenes that would be sure to really infuriate the censors. But in addition, the movie also contained scenes that were almost as striking but slightly less liable to bring down the full wrath of these censors. So under the censor's direction, but strenuously fighting all these requests, many cuts were made as a compromise. But the movie still contained enough strong material to bring down the wrath of censors overseas who promptly responded by cutting the film to ribbons!. Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer spared no punches in their original seamy script. They managed to get away with it in the States by throwing the censors a sop when they eliminated all the scenes involving Patricia Morison, who played Maria Bianco (Nick's wife), plus Robert Keith (the judge), and Jay Jostyn (the D.A.). I hoped that these scenes would be restored in Fox's DVD release, but unfortunately, no such luck!

mark.waltz In the criminal world, a rat is a dirty word, and even in law enforcement, those who squeal on the criminals the police are desperate to catch are not always trusted or even liked. Paroled thief Victor Mature finds out that the best way to be a rat is to disappear, yet even that is not easy with the word of mouth spreading after he testifies against psychopathic murderer Richard Widmark, a trial that results in Widmark being acquitted because of his powerful defense. Widmark lies in waiting, like a hungry cat, waiting to pounce, playing with him like real felines do with their prey.This exciting New York City set film noir utilizes the beautiful Elmer Bernstein music "Street Scene" to unfold its story, showing the viewer what lead Mature to being imprisoned, his decisions to rat out fellow prisoner Widmark, and the impact it has on his family. Widmark, the most unforgettable film noir villain, possesses an evil laugh, which when it appears usually mean that a gun or some other method of murder will be appearing as well. This laugh becomes truly menacing in particular when he confronts the wheel-chair bound mother of another rat as to her son's whereabouts.Mature's character, while a crook, is certainly worthy of sympathy. His character witnessed the police killing of his father as a child, was forced by poverty into a life of crime, and his latest imprisonment was as a result of not being able to find a job because of his ex-con status. Then, there's his unseen wife, whom we find out can't take the pressures of poverty, the former baby sitter (Coleen Gray) who becomes Mature's new love interest, and the threat that Widmark imposes on them when his acquittal makes him a free man. This is where the suspense comes in, and a sequence where the sleepless Mature tiptoes around his house with concern for his two daughter's safety is like the ticking of the clock in "High Noon". The ending is unique in the sense that it leaves the viewer with a sense of both hope and justice.