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A scheming college guy, played by a youthful Robert Wagner, tries to marry into wealth. Complications result in murder. Because of the murder angle, and because the plot centers on Wagner's sly and cunning character, the film reminds me a little of "Dial M For Murder". But, to its credit, "A Kiss Before Dying" has a darker, more brooding, noir-like quality, helped along by a 50's music score that is jazzy and slightly mournful.

Wagner's acting, if not Oscar-worthy, is at least acceptable. But Jeffrey Hunter is miscast, and therefore not convincing, as the pipe-smoking professor/detective. And Joanne Woodward gives a clinging, and altogether too whiny, performance, as the damsel in distress. A couple of interesting, if somewhat implausible, plot twists add impact to the screenplay. The film's conclusion, however, is predictable and just a tad melodramatic.

Overall, "A Kiss Before Dying" comes across as a stylish, very 1950ish, wanna-be classic. It doesn't quite succeed, but is nonetheless worth watching at least once, especially for viewers who like dark, brooding, twist-laden thrillers.

I read Ira Levin's book when I was young, sometime in the 1960s, and loved it. It's very chilling, and I think as good as Rosemary's Baby. Better than the Stepford Wives and Boys from Brazil.

This film is a quite bizarre mixture of the chilling and the comical. Someone above has mentioned the scene where Bud and Dorie are having an intense conversation when suddenly a middle-aged woman in a completely see-through blouse with a great big bra underneath walks between them and halts the conversation; she has nothing whatsoever to do with the plot, and when it happened I literally burst out laughing at the incongruousness of it. I also laughed at Jeffrey Hunter's ridiculous attempts to manipulate heavy Clark Kent spectacles and an unlit pipe in a vain attempt to appear mature.

The good points about the film are the plot, which is gripping even though it's been shortened markedly from the book, and some of the acting, particularly Robert Wagner and Joanne Woodward -- and I also enjoyed George Macready as the father of Dorie and Ellen.

The fact is that I was consistently interested or amused or gripped by something or other for the whole of the film. You can't really ask for much more from a film.

According to Alicia Malone, the beautiful and intelligent host at tcm, "A Kiss Before Dying" is considered by Joanne Woodward to be not only her worst picture but the worst picture ever made by Hollywood. Oh c'mon, Joanne, considering some of the turkeys that I have seen with you and your late husband, Paul Newman, you can't possibly be serious. Don't get me wrong. Everyone is entitled to a living, and it's nice work if you can get it. At any rate, considering that Dore is supposed to be a bit of a whining nebbish, Joanne plays the part quite well.

I couldn't help from comparing this story, originating from Ira Levin's novel, to that of Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy" which was adapted to the silver screen as "A Place in the Sun". While Levin's and Dreiser's stories both center on the very determined ambitions of two young men from very modest, if not impoverished, backgrounds, the big difference is that George Eastman (Montgomery Clift) in "Place in the Sun" does not deliberately kill the woman he impregnates. He only WANTS to kill her in the worst way and then does nothing to help her when she, herself, manages to overturn their rowboat on Loon Lake. This significantly distinguishes Eastman from Bud Corliss (Robert Wagner), who, to me, is far less sympathetic and far more depraved than George. The scenes at the closed marriage license offices in both films are also very similar.

The entire cast is excellent, and I would argue that this is among Mr. Wagner's best roles as an unlikely psychopathic murderer. Noteworthy is his brief scene with Mary Astor when he scolds her, his mother, for her wardrobe choice moments before he introduces her to his wealthy girlfriend's family. This one scene defines his character and gives us an important glimpse of at least some of the circumstances behind his motivation. Are the short haircuts of both Mom and Dore a mere coincidence, or is there much more lurking behind that similarity? Mary Astor, an outstanding actor, has always contributed greatly to all of the movies in which I have seen her, including "Act of Violence", "Dodsworth", and "The Maltese Falcon", only a few that immediately come to mind. George Macready, including his distinctively resonant voice, is another seasoned professional whose appearance is a very welcome bonus here. I thought that Virginia Lieth acts very decently, and she looks beautiful, so I don't know why I have never seen her in any other film.

The technicolor photography of cinematographer Lucien Ballard on location in and around Tucson, Arizona, including the campus of the University of Arizona, is exceptional. There is a noticeable crispness to it as it captures the unique architecture and natural surroundings of 1956 Tucson, days that only survive as they are archived by films such as this. Note the copper colored Thunderbird that Dore Kingship drives as well as the corded telephone and the swimming pool ladders of the same color. Someone had a barrel of fun making this picture.

As is the case with any film, there are some peculiar instances, including the reluctance of Dwight Powell at least to attempt to fight for his life. And where is the truck driver at the end? I expected him to appear immediately at the scene instead of hiding in his cab until the police arrive. And does Bud actually push Ellen out of the path of danger, as I believe he does? Also, if Bud's service during the Korean War is a factor behind his behavior, this should have been developed more as it should have but wasn't in the case of George Loomis (Joseph Cotton) in "Niagara", another favorite of mine from the same era.

An evil young man resorts to murder in his efforts to get his hands on an heiress's fortune. Unluckily for him, the heiress's sister and a smart young college lecturer smell a rat ...

This is a sumptuous mid-50's all-American movie, set in a world of sorority houses, open-top cars and drug stores. The boys have shiny, well-oiled hair and the girls wear big skirts. Courting couples meet on the bleachers at the football field between classes.

Shot in cinemascope, the film's aspect ratio means that television (where I saw it) does it a disservice: all too often, dialogues are conducted between two noses at either extreme of the screen. The colour is 'de luxe', so the credits tell us, and indeed the look of the film is rich and bright.

The film is a standard thriller, based on an Ira Levin novel. It is well put together, and has a nice, slinky jazz score, including the theme song (playing on the juke box during one of Bud's dates with Dory).

The opening is impressive. The camera pans around a student's bedroom, neatly setting the scene for us. We hear (but do not see) a girl crying. Gradually, as the characters are revealed, we get the message - Dory has found out that she is pregnant by Bud. She has a wealthy father, but is prepared to forego comfort if the man she loves will marry her. Bud is much more interested in the family money.

Even though Bud is despicable, we find ourselves wanting his scheme to succeed, so cleverly are we drawn into his plan. He surreptitiously studies poisons in the university library, then by a cunning ploy gains access to the chemistry lab. He composes a note in Spanish, ostensibly a piece he needs to translate for his class, then gets Dory to write out the English for him. She doesn't realise it, but she is writing her own 'suicide note'. Gerd Oswald's direction is strong on body language throughout the movie, and we cannot help but see the significance when Dory (played by Joanne Woodward) goes to kiss Bud, and he flinches.

A very young Robert Wagner portrays Bud as a slick, incredibly handsome villain with no feelings. He feigns affection for women, but is capable of none. When he cajoles his mother (Mary Astor) into choosing a tie for him, he craftily changes it for a preferred one when her back is turned.

The director is adept at conveying information without words. When Bud looks at the municipal building and marvels at its height, we know straight away what he is planning. When he is on the roof, the tension is sustained commendably.

Victoria Leith plays Ellen, Dory's sister. In another fine 'body language' moment, we see her subtly shrugging off her father's attempt to comfort her. We gather from this that Ellen blames him for what happened to Dory.

The plot contains some elements which stretch our credulity. If the ending is contrived and highly improbable, at least the incremental steps by which doubt invades Ellen's awareness are cleverly done.

Is it a coincidence that Jeff Hunter (Gordon Grant) and Robert Wagner look so alike? Or are they meant to represent two facets of intelligence - one cold and selfish, the other beneficent and altruistic? In the scene just before the engagement party, they are even dressed identically.

Verdict - A cleverly-executed murder flick.

Bud Corliss (Robert Wagner) comforts his girlfriend Dorothy "Dory" Kingship (Joanne Woodward) who is utterly distraught after discovering her pregnancy. He's the gold digger and concerned only about her father's mining fortune. Her disinheritance is guaranteed and he is pushed to marry her. He plans to stage her suicide to get rid of both of his responsibilities. Dory has a sister in Ellen (Virginia Leith) and nobody in the family has ever met Bud.

It's an interesting noir story of the 50's. The Kingship family is the new wealth of the country while Bud represents the growing greed. He is the maniac pushed over the cliff. Robert Wagner has the leading man looks and he reminds me of Charlie Sheen if he turned fully to the dark side of Gordon Gekko. If there is a weakness in the movie, it's Ellen. She needs to be a younger sister rather than an older sister. She needs to be more innocent than Dory. That would elevate the danger and her innocence would allow better for his deception. Also, I don't see any great acting from Leith. The movie gets handed to her after the turn and she doesn't have the big screen power. She has a good look but she never took over. Overall, I love the story and the early execution is great. Wagner does really good work here.