Classic Film Friday: Kiss of Death

This classic from 1947 is a film noir, which is basically a crime drama. It involves Nick Bianco (Victor Mature) and he is an ex-con trying to live right, but circumstances make him go back to crime. He gets caught again, but doesn't snitch on the people who helped him in return they are supposed to take care of his family. They don't. They never do, do they? His wife commits suicide.

Nick gets visited in jail by Nettie (Coleen Gray), the woman who is heard narrating throughout the movie and was his kids babysitter. Nick and Nettie eventually marry. But first she tells him that his wife had an affair with Pete Rizzo, if you can believe that, Rizzo was one of his accomplices. So Nick decides to switch sides and start talking. He informs Assistant District Attorney Louis D'Angelo (Brian Donlevy) that he's ready to talk and wants his kids back in return.

So Nick names names, and starts talking. And the big name that comes up is Tommy Udo (Richard Widmark) who is just crazy. Nick and Tommy have it out, because Nick has to testify against him. Remarkably they acquit Tommy anyway, so there's the setup for the showdown. Who will come out on top? Hmmmmm... That's why they call it film noir.