Rent Kiss of Death (1947)

Hollywood Neorealism. - Kiss of Death review by Steve

This is one of the postwar American crime films influenced by Italian Neorealism. So there's a credit stating it was shot in authentic locations, including interiors. But this being Hollywood, there are no amateur actors. Instead we get Victor Mature as a jailed robber who turns in his accomplices to be at home with his kids.

So he is hunted down by the mob. Richard Widmark's debut performance as a giggling psycho-hitman made the most impact. He is something new in the studio era, a deranged goofball who really enjoys his work. Like when he famously pushes an elderly cripple (Mildred Dunnock) down a flight of stairs before killing her.

It's the face-off between the stoolie and the wired hophead that generates the drama and a decent climax. The support roles are commonplace, though it's startling how quickly Coleen Grey steps in to perform the duties of Mature's wife after her suicide. There is an impression of censorship being challenged; it's quite violent, for the period.

And there's an effort to portray realistic sleaziness. These docudramas now get marketed as film noir, but are different. There is expressionism, but no shadows or skewed camera angles. Few hardboiled epigrams, but plenty of street jargon. It's mainly interesting for the period New York locations and Widmark's innovative performance.