Kiss Them for Me (film)

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File:KissthemformeDVD.jpg DVD cover of the film
Directed by	Stanley Donen
Written by	Luther Davis Julius J. Epstein Frederic Wakeman
Produced by	Sol C. Siegel
Starring	Cary Grant Ray Walston Suzy Parker Jayne Mansfield Werner Klemperer Leif Erickson
Distributed by	Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
Release dates	10 December 1957 17 January 1958 13 October 1958
Running time	105 min.
Country	U.S.A.
Language	English
Budget	$1,945,000
Box office	$1,800,000 (US rentals)

Kiss Them for Me is a 1957 comedy film starring Cary Grant and Jayne Mansfield, directed by Stanley Donen. Co-stars included Suzy Parker, Leif Erickson, Ray Walston, and Werner Klemperer.

The screenplay is an adaptation of Kiss Them for Me, a 1945 Broadway play written by Luther Davis and based on Frederic Wakeman Sr.'s 1944 novel entitled Shore Leave.

Plot

Three decorated Navy pilots finagle a four-day leave in San Francisco. They land a posh suite at a hotel where Commander Andy Crewson, a master of procurement, arranges to populate it with wine, women and song.

Blonde bombshell Alice Kratzner is one of these women, lured to the suite under the false pretense that Crewson has a stash of nylon stockings. Once there, she is naturally attracted to Crewson, but later turns her attention to Lieutenant McCann, a married man who also is in the process of running for a Congressional seat back home in Connecticut. If he is elected, McCann can leave the Navy immediately and return to civilian life.

Lieutenant Wallace tries to get the three pilots, including "Mississip," to make morale-raising speeches at the plants of shipyard magnate Eddie Turnbill, so that Turnbill will vouch for the men with the Navy and also to grease a popular job for himself upon leaving the service. Crewson and his cohorts, however, are physically and mentally exhausted from the war and simply want to enjoy a few days away from it.

Suffering from combat stress and confronted with a number of reminders of the horrors of war, Crewson tries to amuse himself by making a play for Turnbill's attractive fiancée, Gwinneth Livingston. She resists his advances at first, but ultimately throws her engagement ring in Turnbill's face. Crewson declares his love for her shortly before he and his mates board a plane leaving San Francisco to return to duty.

The Mansfield & Parker Debate

It proved to be the last starring role in a mainstream Hollywood film for Jayne Mansfield, who shared over-the-title billing with Grant, even though her role was considerably smaller than his. Kiss Them for Me, was made directly after Mansfield's previous hit film comedy, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. Kiss Them for Me was hoped to bring the same succes for 20th Century Fox and Mansfield as did Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, but proved to be a box-office flop.

Suzy Parker, a world famous fashion model, made her film debut in this film, and, had a bigger role than Jayne Mansfield. Cary Grant's character begins with feelings for Alice Kratzner (Mansfield), but soon finds he likes Gwinneth Livingston (Parker) better. Most of the film's plot centers around the relationship between Andy Crewson (Grant) and Gwinneth Livingston (Parker).

Today the film historians note Mansfield for having a supporting role rather than a leading one. When Kiss Them for Me was released, some critics described it as: "false advertisement"; meaning Mansfield shouldn't have won second billing under Cary Grant, Suzy Parker should have, and, Jayne should had settled for thrid or fourth billing.

Cast (in credits order)

• Cary Grant as Lieutenant Commander Andy Crewson
• Jayne Mansfield as Alice Kratzner
• Leif Erickson as Eddie Turnbill
• Suzy Parker as Gwinneth Livingstone
• Ray Walston as Lieutenant McCann
• Larry Blyden as Mississip
• Nathaniel Frey as Chief Petty Officer Ruddle
• Werner Klemperer as Lieutenant Walter Wallace

External links

• Kiss Them for Me at IMDb