Kiss Me, Stupid

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Kiss Me, Stupid
Directed by	Billy Wilder
Produced by	Billy Wilder I.A.L. Diamond Doane Harrison
Written by	Billy Wilder I.A.L. Diamond Anna Bonacci
Starring	Dean Martin Kim Novak Ray Walston Felicia Farr
Music by	André Previn
Cinematography	Joseph LaShelle
Editing by	Daniel Mandell
Distributed by	The Mirisch Corporation
Release date(s)	December 22, 1964
Running time	125 mins.
Language	English
IMDb profile

Kiss Me, Stupid is a 1964 American comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Dean Martin and Kim Novak. Martin plays a nightmare version of himself called "Dino", Novak portrays a trailer-trash prostitute, and Ray Walston took over a role originally intended for Peter Sellers as a jealous husband after Sellers suffered a heart attack. Excoriated by critics as being immoral upon its release, it has proven to be a prescient forerunner of films in which performers play unflattering versions of themselves, and includes one of Dean Martin's most fascinating performances. Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics for the intentionally bad songs composed by Walston's hapless character. The wedded couple characters played by Walston and Felicia Farr end up having sex with other people (Kim Novak and Dean Martin respectively), manage to shrug it off, and get back together. Such adulterous behavior on film upset Roman Catholic Church officials; the Vatican's Legion of Decency banned the film at the time it was released. The film's opening scenes were shot during a live Martin performance at the late Sands Casino in Las Vegas. Also, the customized Italian Ghia sports car driven by Martin in the film was the performer's own automobile.