Kiss Them for Me

Kiss Them for Me

List Price: $14.98
Our Price: $6.43
You Save: $8.55 (57%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.15 (click here)
Category: DVD
See more DVD details

DVD details

DVD Reviews of Kiss Them for Me

DVD Review: Donen delivers!
Summary: 4 Stars

Cary Grant is always marvelous, and his performance here is no exception. His Commander Crewson is a fairly typical Grant role of a part-goldbrick, part-devil-may-care military officer, a standard Grant character. But then, we have some magical moments interspersed with the suave Grant comedy that gives him a chance to really go for the dramatic gusto.

Three soldiers, who have made incredible and heroic contributions to the battles of World War II are being set up for a PR tour to promote the war effort. Crewson and his cohorts decide to have some fun in San Francisco instead, and finagle their way into a few days leave. Once there, it's a life of ease, except for the fact that they're not exactly on an approved leave, and the shore patrol is on the lookout for the rogue heroes. Each man wants to just get out of the line of fire, having seen enough of it, and are not interested in promoting anything but their own freedom, if just for a few days.

Two great Grant dramatic moments will stay with you for sure; in the first, Grant tells off a pushy millionaire who wants the men to give a rah-rah speech to his factory workers. In the other, Crewson meets a fellow soldier he knew, a young man who got a bad break in battle.

Ray Walston and Larry Blyden offer excellent support as Crewson's war hero comrades, and Werner Klemperer ("Hogan's Heroes") stands out as a military PR man shepherding the three semi-awol soldiers. Jayne Mansfield plays a typical "dumb blonde" as usual, and Richard Deacon ("The Dick van Dyke Show") appears in a small, but memorable supporting role as a shy paper magnate.

It's too bad this one isn't better known. Perhaps this is beacuse the movie does not touch the lofty heights of comedy met in "Operation Petticoat" or "Father Goose". Instead, the film is a comedy-drama about WWII, and was possibly aimed at a more mature audience, both of which make the movie a bit more tense for the casual viewer. This is especially true in the last third or so, as the focus wanders a bit into more mature and serious areas, then tries to wander out again by the end.

Regardless, the film is well worth viewing at least once, and is an excellent example of a late 50's "grown-up" film.

Description of Kiss Them for Me