He had looks, charm ... and killer instincts.
A college student tries to get rich quick by wooing two wealthy sisters.
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Character
Grave, classical in form, earnest and spare.
- gravecomic
- classical in formformally daring
- earnestironic
- sparerichly built
- resolvedopen-ended
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“Is Robert Wagner the best thing in A Kiss Before Dying?”
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“Is A Kiss Before Dying better than its reputation?”
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“Would A Kiss Before Dying hit harder if it came out today rather than in 1956?”
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A yes-or-no question, answered from what people wrote here, on TMDB and on Wikipedia. Never made up.
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Reviews on TMDB
Written by TMDB members; each links to the original. Not part of Tastebuds's numbers.
- John Chardon TMDB · Nov 20177/10
Love conquers all... A Kiss Before Dying is directed by Gerd Oswald and adapted to screenplay by Lawrence Roman from the novel of the same name written by Ira Levin. It stars Robert Wagner, Joanne Woodward, Virginia Leith, Jeffrey Hunter and Mary Astor. A CinemaScope/De Luxe Color production, music is by Lionel Newman and cinematography by Lucien Ballard. Plot basically finds Wagner as a scheming pretty boy willing to commit murder in order to reach the riches of an inheritance. Story bubbles away nicely as Bud Corlis (Wagner) and Dorothy Kingship (Woodward), he sly and distant - she vulnerable and love struck, both hold court with performances of merit. The spiky edge comes by way of knowing what Bud is up to, and that poor Dorothy is completely oblivious, and when the key moment comes, it's shocking and really perches ones expectation levels to the edge of the seat. Sadly the second half of the movie doesn't quite live up to the promise of the first, for here the focus shifts from a twist into an investigation by Dorothy's sister, Ellen (Leith), who refuses to accept the official party line surrounding her sister. It's all very competently mounted, but the pervading sense of mena
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Cast
- Robert WagnerBud Corliss
- Jeffrey HunterGordon Grant
- Virginia LeithEllen Kingship
- Joanne WoodwardDorothy ('Dorie') Kingship
- Mary AstorMrs. Corliss
- George MacreadyLeo Kingship
- Robert QuarryDwight Powell
- Howard PetrieHoward Chesser, Chief of Police
- Molly McCartAnnabelle Koch
- Marlene FeltonMedical Student
Crew
- Gerd OswaldDirector
- Lawrence RomanScreenplay
- Ira LevinNovel
- Lucien BallardDirector of Photography
- Lionel NewmanOriginal Music Composer
- George A. GittensEditor
- Robert L. JacksProducer
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Pairings
Companions we picked from the closest works, and how to take them.
Similar in taste
Closest on the same fourteen dimensions, from everything scored on Tastebuds Other media included when they land close.
Impact 194985% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Too Late for Tears 194984% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Party Girl 195883% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
The Conjuring 2 201683% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
99 River Street 195382% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Sleep, My Love 194882% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
The Glass House 200182% alikeBoth grave, classical in form, earnest.
The Criminal 196081% alikeBoth classical in form, grave, earnest.
Tomorrow's Joe 197076% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form, earnest, grave.
Kojak 197374% alikeTelevision · Both classical in form, resolved, earnest.
Often watched with
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