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That was an excellent one.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

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

Henry Hathaway directed this revenge story that stars Victor Mature as Nick Bianco, a small-time crook sent to prison after a jewel heist who refuses to inform on his gang, because of his wife. After learning his wife committed suicide, and knowing he was double-crossed, Nick does cooperate with the D.A.(played by Brian Donlevy) and gets paroled. He then remarries, to a woman named Nettie(played by Coleen Gray) and gets a job. Things are fine, until one of the old gang he informed on named Tommy Udo(played by Richard Widmark in his film debut) comes calling, hell-bent on revenge... Unremarkable story on the whole, except for one thing: Widmark's unforgettable performance as ruthless and giggling killer Tommy Udo, one of cinema's most memorable villains, with that iconic scene of his pushing the poor wheelchair-bound woman down the stairs while he laughs maniacally being most memorable. He steals the film, and his performance was Oscar-worthy.

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.

"Kiss of Death" is a fairly standard noir drama made memorable by the presence of Richard Widmark as the maniacal gangster Tommy Udo. All the time while watching him though, I kept thinking of Frank Gorshin as The Riddler in the campy 'Batman' TV show of the mid-Sixties. Probably because I was a teenager when 'Batman' came out, and I had already seen Gorshin doing his impression bits on variety shows of the era. It would be interesting to surmise that Gorshin based his Riddler on Widmark's Tommy Udo, but his own explanation removes that possibility.Without Widmark, this story would probably be relegated to 'just another crime drama' status, even though a good performance is turned in by it's principal, Victor Mature, as a criminal attempting to go straight via the 'stoolie' route. His character, Nick Bianco, is portrayed as a caring family man who becomes even more conflicted after his wife commits suicide while he's in the can. That's where he and Tommy first hook up, with their entanglement proceeding on the outside when both are paroled.What makes the picture particularly interesting for me were all the great location street scenes that give the picture it's New York City flavor. Did you ever see such brand spanking new looking taxi cabs as those shown here, courtesy of Yellow Cab and Sky View? Try finding one as classy today and you'll be looking a long time.What you don't want to do while watching is put this film under the microscope for some of the credibility defying moments that creep into the story. There's that tense shadowy scene when Nick Bianco waits for Tommy Udo and his goons to show up at his house, and it turns out to be Assistant D.A. D'Angelo (Brian Donlevy). Then when Nick confronts Tommy at the restaurant, you have to wonder why he made it past the front door. But the question that really nagged me throughout the story was this - why did every hood in the big house always wear a suit and tie?