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Actors: Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Leith
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about A Kiss Before Dying |
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Bud Corliss is a handsome, suave and a irresistable young man with a lack of morals. Corliss' girlfriend, Dorothy "Doty" Kingship, is the daughter of a rich and dominating father. Even though Mr. Kinship never met Corliss, he assumes if he marries Dorothy, he will live comfortably in life with Dorothy's money. Determined to live oi easy street, Corliss sways his girl with his looks and charm and "love" for her and soon the two plans to get married. While everything is perfectly planned according to Bud, Dorothy drops the bomb that she is pregnant. This does not upset Bud but he sure believes that Mr. Kingship will freak out over the fact that she is about to have a baby and top it all, Bud will never have to chance to enjoy the money.
Corliss moves to plan B, and tells Dorothy to postpone the wedding. But Dorothy does not want to reschedule the wedding even if it results in her dissolving her relationship with her father. This is news that Bud do not wants to hear, because if she ever break ties from her family, this means a loss of money. Next Bud tries to poison his girl, but the naive Dorothy assumes he want her to get a miscarriage. His final murder attempt is to plan a suicide-on Dorothy's part. Realizing that the girl is fluent in Spanish, Bud makes up a story that he needs to write a passage from Spanish class, and Dorothy happily agrees to it. What she does not know it is a suicide note written directly from her and part of Bud's plan to get rid of her.
After successfully completing half of his plot, he agrees that he finally wants to marry Dorothy. Kingship is happy about the outcome and the two goes out to get their marriage license, although unbeknownst to her, she will be killed. Corliss takes his girlfriend to the top of a building to console Dorothy who is overwhelmed with joy. During the consoling, he unexpectantly pushes her off the roof, without a second thought. After the news of her death, the police passes it off as suicide as Bud has gotten away with a perfect murder. However, Corliss will not stop until he gets half of the Kingships' money. He turns to Dorothy sister Ellen, who does not know much about the young man and began to form a relationship with her. Will Corliss pull off the same scheme as he did with his dead girlfriend?
--Alicia M., Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of A Kiss Before Dying |
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Lover is...
- criminal/bad doer
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- student
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- aggressive
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn wavey
Body type
- (woman) ample bosom & buttocks
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- police/lawman
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) muscular
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
City?
Yes
City:
- New York
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- all mixed up
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
Check here if B&W
Yes
Any profanity?
- Occasional swearing
Is this movie based on a
- book
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Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Alicia M.
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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