So in class we’ve all been complaining about the questionable quality of Kiss Me Deadly and all of its ridiculousness. Well since I have to make-up a blog, I’ve decided to do a head-to-head battle between Mike Hammer and Jeff Bailey, and maybe along the way prove that Kiss Me Deadly really wasn’t THAT bad.
Bailey and Hammer are both the male protagonists in their respected film noir movies. I’m going to avoid comparing them against the really obvious stuff (they’re both detectives…) and try to focus on the aspects that characterize their characters as film noir. Namely, 1) Fatal Downfall, 2) Fighting style, and 3) Love interest.
For the sake of the comparison I’m going to assume both men died. If Hammer wasn’t killed by the explosion he would have died eventually so it really doesn’t matter. But what led to their fatal downfall? Hammer discovers near the end of the movie just how big of a mistake he made when he assumed Christina’s roommate was legit. By not following through with his detective duties, he made a fatal assumption that the girl could not possibly be a fake/spy. Although the extents of the consequence of his actions aren’t quite clear, the director does hint that when the girl opened the box it unleashed a nuclear holocaust. Jeff’s flaw was predictable and cliché. He fell for the girl he was supposed to bring back for his boss, she killed a man, tried to frame him, and ultimately everybody died. Unlike in Hammer’s case, most of the casualties were the characters in the movie. I’ll give the point to Hammer because his fatal downfall not only endangered him, it threatened the entire world.
Both Hammer and Jeff get to show off their fighting ability in their respected movies, but that’s not what I’m grading. For this battle, I’m talkin’ style. Hammer gets some good fight scenes, the notable one where he throws popcorn in an assassins face and then punches him down several flights of stairs. Hammer also has a pretty good move in the pool house when he paralyzes some thug, but the camera doesn’t give the viewer any glimpse as to what is going on. I think everybody knows what I’m going to say for Jeff. You can’t beat taking a man out with one punch. Yes, it’s an amazing showcase of strength, but the style with which he went about doing it gives him the point. Walk in, punch, take the papers, light a cigarette, and leave. That borders Clint Eastwood awesomeness.
It wouldn’t be film noir without femme fatales and that secret love interest. Or in Hammer’s case, love interests. Hammer had to endure women literally throwing themselves at him for the length of the movie. Perhaps the closest woman to him, and ultimately the woman he maybe falls for, was his partner Velda. It was obvious Velda was crazy for Mike Hammer, but
unfortunately for her, she had to compete with countless other women for his attention. In Out of the Past, the movie fluctuates out of flashbacks and Jeff’s girlfriends. In the present he hooked up with Ann, in his past he had a mixed up relationship with Kathie. Ultimately Jeff’s past catches up to him (out of the past…) and he find himself with Kathie again. Only this time, Jeff did not fall for her lies and instead turned her over to the authorities-at the cost of his own life. I have to give the point to Hammer on account of his apparent irresistible studliness.
If you’ve been keeping track, that’s Hammer 2 – Bailey 1. I’m not saying Kiss Me Deadly is in any way a better movie than Out of the Past, but you have to admit Hammer was a much more exciting main character.
Bailey and Hammer are both the male protagonists in their respected film noir movies. I’m going to avoid comparing them against the really obvious stuff (they’re both detectives…) and try to focus on the aspects that characterize their characters as film noir. Namely, 1) Fatal Downfall, 2) Fighting style, and 3) Love interest.
For the sake of the comparison I’m going to assume both men died. If Hammer wasn’t killed by the explosion he would have died eventually so it really doesn’t matter. But what led to their fatal downfall? Hammer discovers near the end of the movie just how big of a mistake he made when he assumed Christina’s roommate was legit. By not following through with his detective duties, he made a fatal assumption that the girl could not possibly be a fake/spy. Although the extents of the consequence of his actions aren’t quite clear, the director does hint that when the girl opened the box it unleashed a nuclear holocaust. Jeff’s flaw was predictable and cliché. He fell for the girl he was supposed to bring back for his boss, she killed a man, tried to frame him, and ultimately everybody died. Unlike in Hammer’s case, most of the casualties were the characters in the movie. I’ll give the point to Hammer because his fatal downfall not only endangered him, it threatened the entire world.
Both Hammer and Jeff get to show off their fighting ability in their respected movies, but that’s not what I’m grading. For this battle, I’m talkin’ style. Hammer gets some good fight scenes, the notable one where he throws popcorn in an assassins face and then punches him down several flights of stairs. Hammer also has a pretty good move in the pool house when he paralyzes some thug, but the camera doesn’t give the viewer any glimpse as to what is going on. I think everybody knows what I’m going to say for Jeff. You can’t beat taking a man out with one punch. Yes, it’s an amazing showcase of strength, but the style with which he went about doing it gives him the point. Walk in, punch, take the papers, light a cigarette, and leave. That borders Clint Eastwood awesomeness.
It wouldn’t be film noir without femme fatales and that secret love interest. Or in Hammer’s case, love interests. Hammer had to endure women literally throwing themselves at him for the length of the movie. Perhaps the closest woman to him, and ultimately the woman he maybe falls for, was his partner Velda. It was obvious Velda was crazy for Mike Hammer, but
unfortunately for her, she had to compete with countless other women for his attention. In Out of the Past, the movie fluctuates out of flashbacks and Jeff’s girlfriends. In the present he hooked up with Ann, in his past he had a mixed up relationship with Kathie. Ultimately Jeff’s past catches up to him (out of the past…) and he find himself with Kathie again. Only this time, Jeff did not fall for her lies and instead turned her over to the authorities-at the cost of his own life. I have to give the point to Hammer on account of his apparent irresistible studliness.If you’ve been keeping track, that’s Hammer 2 – Bailey 1. I’m not saying Kiss Me Deadly is in any way a better movie than Out of the Past, but you have to admit Hammer was a much more exciting main character.
1 comment:
It makes me really happy that you did an analysis of a potential battle: I was actually just thinking about who would win in a fight. Personally, I would disagree with you and say Bailey would kick some ass. I feel like Hammer spent too much time slapping people and slamming their fingers in drawers and not enough time being really hardcore (like with the popcorn). Bailey, on the other hand, is all about the hardcore. I mean, he barely even flinches when he gets slapped. I also think that if they actually fought, Hammer would probably fight dirty (which makes him an automatic loser in my book). I think Bailey would emerge the victor.
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