Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

The United Artists 1956 release A Kiss Before Dying is the chilling story of a handsome, fortune-hunting college student who commits murder when his plans for marrying a wealthy coed go awry. Robert Wagner is brilliant as Bud Corliss, the smooth, charming and totally amoral young man. Joanne Woodward is Dorothy "Doty" Kingship, Bud's rich and naive girlfriend whom Bud believes to be his ticket to a life of wealth and privilege.

Doty is the daughter of a very rich and controlling man (George Macready). Although Bud has never met Mr. Kingship, he is convinced that a marriage to Doty will result in a very comfortable life or, at the very least, a generous inheritance for Doty. Bud's good looks and declarations of love sweep Doty off her feet and they soon plan to be married. However, just as Bud is congratulating himself on the perfect scheme, Doty tells him that she is pregnant.

In itself, a pregnancy would almost assure marriage but Bud is concerned at how Mr. Kingship will react. Fearful that a marriage because of pregnancy might anger the father and cause him to disinherit Doty, Bud asks her to postpone the wedding. Doty is persistent, though, and tells Bud that she is willing to make any sacrifice for him--even living without her father's money. This is, of course, not what Bud wants to hear. After failing in his attempts to convince her to wait, Bud concocts an elaborate scheme to poison the girl. But, thinking that Bud is trying to make her miscarry, she foils his plan.

Now desperate, Bud sets about laying the groundwork for his second murder attempt. He tells Doty, who is fluent in Spanish, that he has a passage he needs translated for one of his classes. Eager to please, Doty makes the translation, writing it out in longhand. Actually, the text of the passage is a suicide note. Bud plans to use the note to cover-up her murder. With that part of his plot completed, he tells Doty it is time to get a marriage license. An ecstatic Doty follows him to the license bureau, which Bud knows will be closed that day. Feigning disappointment, he leads his unsuspecting victim up to the roof of the office building, supposedly to talk and comfort her. In a chilling moment, Bud gives the tearful girl a kiss and then coldly pushes her off the roof. The police register the death as a suicide and Bud thinks that he has gotten away with murder.

After Bud is certain that the case is closed, he moves away. Still obsessed with the Kinship family--and their money--he transfers to another college and starts a relationship with Ellen, Doty's sister (Virginia Leith). Ellen is unaware the Bud had ever met her dead sister, much less that they planned to marry. The deception works well until Ellen meets Gordon Grant (Jeffrey Hunter), a policeman who is lecturing at the school. Grant had known Doty before when he had attended some classes with her. Neither Ellen nor Grant believe that Doty would commit suicide and, after doing some investigation, they find enough inconsistencies to warrant reopening the case. Through a series of coincidences, Ellen and Grant uncover the details of what happened. When Bud finds out that he will be exposed as the murderer, he targets Ellen as his next victim. What follows is totally-engrossing high suspense.

In what is possibly his best dramatic role, Robert Wagner exhibits great versatility in this departure from his usual ladies' man typecasting. Wagner makes a remarkable villain, his handsome features hiding the mind of a ruthless psychopath. Joanne Woodward also gives a convincing and subtle performance as the trusting Doty. Virginia Leith, Jeffrey Hunter and George Macready are all wonderful in their supporting roles.

Although the murder takes place about midway in the film, there is still a great deal of suspense throughout. The superb direction of Gerd Oswald along with some excellent cinematography help to emphasize the dark mood, giving it the feel of a Hitchcock thriller.

There are some problems with the plot, particularly the lack of an explanation for Bud's psychopathic personality. He is seen as a man who appears to like women but only uses them for his own ends. His patronizing attitude toward his mother is shown but without an explanation for his attitude. It is also revealed that he has suffered some type of war injury but there is no elaboration as to what the injury was or what effect it might have had on his personality. But, even with its flaws, A Kiss Before Dying is a very suspenseful film and will hold the viewer's attention from beginning to end.

With a few plot changes, this film was remade in 1991, starring Matt Dillon and Sean Young (who played the roles of both sisters). However, the 1956 movie was far superior in acting as well as direction.



Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS