Classic Film Friday: Kiss Me, Stupid

This movie is a free love 60’s style rendition of The Gift of the Magi. Ray Walston plays Orville Spooner, an insanely jealous and distrusting (yet conniving) piano instructor/song writer that will go to almost any length to sell stranded Vegas celebrity Dino (Dean Martin) his tunes. Knowing what a “player” Dino is, Orville concocts a scheme to run his wife out of the house for the night and have the local prostitute Polly (Kim Novak) play his wife in her place. He hopes to use his surrogate “wife” as leverage, in essence pimping her for guaranteed royalties from the big time entertainer.

The movie is loaded with Dean Martin shtick, Director Billy Wilder comedy and an inconceivable ending that is uncomfortable at first, but winds up being the only way everyone involved can come to terms. As the movie trailer suggests, this one’s for adults only.