Kiss Of Death 1947

This is a superb noir thriller that Hathaway made in 1947, with mostly “real” New York City locations. This film of redemption and revenge opens on Christmas Eve as Victor Mature and two other hoods enter the Chrysler Building to rob a private jeweler and of course everything that could g...o wrong does. This is a striking sequence to open a film with, and Hathaway milks the suspense as the crooks are stuck in a slow moving elevator. Mature whose fabulous face looks like it belongs on the side of a mountain is amazingly touching and moving as Nick Bianco a small time crook who decides to squeal on the psychotic Tommy Udo played in his debut film role by a scary Richard Widmark who throws a wheel chair bound Mildred Dunnock down a flight of stairs and then gives off his creepy giggle. This is still a shocking sequence and Widmark deservedly received a supporting Oscar nomination only to loose to Edmund Gwenn’s Santa Claus, in Miracle on 34th Street. Sweet always wins out over sour. The screenplay is by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer with wonderful nourish documentary like cinematography by Norbert Brodine. One of the Ten best films of 1947.