christopher-underwood I just love this movie. Granted, a little too much time and space is given to Ray Walston early on as he over reacts and overacts to the idea that his wife might be deceiving him, but then filming began with Peter Sellers in the role and nobody would have complained then. Apart from that all is very good, turning brilliant as the grossly underrated Felicia Farr shines and the golden boy himself arrives playing a parody of himself. And if all that was not enough, with the edgy storyline developing and the jokes and dialogue crackling we get a bonus - Kim Novak. She is sensational here, utilising the dialogue and situation to give a marvellous performance of great depth. The film is intelligent, daring (for the time) very likeable and best of all, actually very funny. Great!

leethomas-11621 Farce-like movie based on a flimsy premise. By the same director as Some Like It Hot, but without the star power of that movie or the script. Way-laying Dean Martin to peddle some Tin Pan Alley songs to him provides weak motivation for the hijinx that follow. And this disappears quickly as a lot of effort is expended by the stars for little effect.

dglink While the writer-director team of Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond have produced some of the greatest films of all time, their late career entry, "Kiss Me, Stupid," does not rank high among the duo's critical or box office hits. However, time has been kind to the film, and what may have seemed shocking in 1964 is relatively tame today, although controversy lingers even in this permissive age. Aspiring song writers Ray Walston and Cliff Osmond conspire to keep Las Vegas songster Dino from leaving Climax, Nevada, where his car has developed suspicious engine problems, long enough to sell him their songs. Walston is overly jealous of his luscious wife, Felicia Farr, and Dino gets headaches without daily sex. With Dino lodged in Walston's guest room, Walston must get his wife out of Dino's reach, and, with Osmond's help, replaces her with Kim Novak, a lady for hire from the local Belly Button Bar.Dean Martin effortlessly plays Dino, who is basically himself, and we hear him croon a couple of pleasant tunes during the film. However, the stand out is arguably Ray Walston, who gives a sometimes manic comic performance as the husband, who is suspicious of every man from the milkman to the dentist to a teenage piano student, who nears his wife. Walston is ably abetted by Cliff Osmond as Barney, his song writing partner and accomplice in the plot to sell Dino their songs. Kim Novak as Polly the Pistol has a part Marilyn Monroe could have played; Novak looks terrific, perhaps more than terrific, and her dumb, but endearing prostitute is memorable and among the film's major assets. Beyond the leads, Wilder has peppered the cast with a number of comic performers like Doro Merande, Alice Pearce, Mel Blanc, John Fiedler, and Henry Gibson, who add short, but amusing bits throughout.Sex comedies in the 1960's seemed daring at the time, and many have dated badly. This film understandably caused a stir by its implication that a man would sell his wife's sexual favors for a business deal. Perhaps the film has aged well because Wilder and Diamond do not cop out, and the moral compromises may still raise eyebrows. The well written script has enough amusing complications to be entertaining, although it lacks the one-liners and laughs of a "Some Like it Hot." Filmed in glorious black and white by Joseph LaShelle with an Andre Previn score and a Gershwin tune or two, "Kiss Me, Stupid," remains a comedy for adults. While no longer as risqué as originally intended, the film benefits from Walston and Osmond's comedy, Novak's astonishing beauty and vulnerability, and Wilder's sure direction. While not a comedy classic, the film is quite entertaining and worthy viewing.

Alanjackd I can well imagine in its day this was regarded as risqué or even vulgar but looking now as i've just rediscovered Billy Wilder it stands the test of time and is probably in the Billy W top 3. Dean Martin sends himself up something stupid...Baby...and Kim Novak is such a good actress I can't imagine anybody else being good enough or brave enough to pull it off. Crammed full of innuendo and beautifully filmed in b&w where colour was available is a stroke of genius as it takes away the rear scenery and makes the characters stand out. The guy who plays the Petrol attendant steals every scene he is in and the whole cast seem to have so much fun. This movie is a dream from credit to credit.All the way through the movie I sensed a backdrop of small town madness and the score is haunting at times. This could have been a Hitchcock comedy. Best line for me.."If you want action Buddy,go to the Bellybutton" cracks me up every time.In fact I'm gonna watch it again.