MovieChat Forums > Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) Discussion > Kiss Me Stupid

Kiss Me Stupid

posted 11 years ago by williwaw
3 replies | jump to latest

Billy Wilder coming off smash hits in Some Like It Hot, The Apartment and Irma La Douce was given carte blanche by the Mirish Brothers and UA and filmed this comedy in his unique style. Wilder cast the film with Dean Martin ever so effective and Kim Novak whom he loved wortking with ( See Cameron Crowe's book on Wilder). The movie had its problems with originally cast Peter Sellars after a few weeks on the shoot hard a heart attack and Wilder had to re cast. After Danny Kaye, Bob Hope, and Jack Lemmon ( who was working elsewhere) turned it down, Wilder went with Ray Walston. After all this duress, then Wilder and the Mirisch Corporation and UA had to deal with censorship problems that now seem ridiculous; the movie got a condemned rating. The Film was tossed by UA to its small label Lopert Pictures and quickly released and forgotten, a flop for Wilder, Martin and Novak. Seen today it is a fine film that could have been truly wonderful if the brilliant Peter Sellars had remained in the flick. Kim Novak had a trial with Henry Hathaway on Of Human Bondage who was fired by MGM. It was reported in Maurice Zolotow's book on Wilder that Billy read the riot act to Kim before the picture began/ They develope a wonderful relationship with Wilder deeming Kim Novak -along with Audrey Hepburn- his favorte female star. Wilder got a great performance from Kim and the film was shown last night as on TCM due to their Star Of The Month program.

[–] andyvanm 11 years ago

The movie is beyond sad ,Kim Novak playing this part was so beneath her after she had already proved herself a great actress in her other films,thank God Marilyn Monroe wasn't stuck with it nor Jayne Mansfield ,poor Jayne was forced into doing absolute crap toward the end of her life.This film shows how even brilliant writers and directors could get lost in the 1960s anything goes mentality ! Great cast but the movie is the exploitation of pure *beep* !

[–] FANatic-10 10 years ago

I was very disappointed in this film, coming from the vaunted and certainly capable of far better, Billy Wilder. Kim Novak managed to be winsome and charming in an insulting role, but the whole thing was tiresome, unfunny and ugly. Way too much time was spent on Ray Walston, who just was not capable of carrying so much of the film, in my opinion, invaluable character actor that he was. Truthfully, though, I doubt whether the originally cast Peter Sellers would even have been capable of improving the proceedings much.

[–] heyuactor 8 years ago

I agree with you in all that except Sellers was so talented he would have made it considerably more enjoyable.

The Maltese Falcon: https://youtu.be/hp7130Bjec4