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KISS THE GIRLS
US, 1997, 115 minutes, Colour.
Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Carey Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, J. O. Sanders, Alex Mc Arthur, Bill Nunn, Brian Cox.
Directed by Gary Fleder.
Kiss the Girls plays better than it is written mainly because of the performances of Morgan Freeman as a detective with psychiatric skills and Ashley Judd, as an intern abducted by a serial killer who calls himself Casanova who escapes and assists the police in their investigations, not a wilting victim but a strong woman who confronts the killer.
The visual style of the film and its production values also make this a good-looking mystery. While it is easy to pick holes in a script when thinking about it after: `Surely the local police would have known about the tunnels where the abducted women were kept...'. However, while you watch you are caught up in the investigation. Audiences will probably pick Casanova before the police do, but there are a couple of twists along the way - and Morgan Freeman has such a convincing and authoritative presence. The film retains the flavour and most of the plot of James Patterson's novel - which the writers did not do in the second Alex Cross adaptation, Along Came a Spider.
1. Entertaining police drama? Murder mystery? Based on the bestsellers by James Paterson? The adaptation of a complex thriller for the screen?
2. The Washington settings? Alex Cross in action as a prologue to the film? The siege, his psychological persuasion of the battered wife not to kill herself? Preparation for the main themes?
3. The transition to Carolina: the city, the university, the police precincts? Medical school? The forests and the woods? The underground caverns? The comparison with Los Angeles and the woods outside the city? Locations for the mystery? The musical score and its dramatic effect?
4. Alex Cross and his personality: Morgan Freeman's screen presence, his skill in psychological examinations? Skill as a doctor, forensic evidence? The news about his niece and his going to Carolina? The introduction to the Carolina police, implicit racism? The meeting with the chief and the warning to keep out, despite the welcome? The young policeman and their assistance?
5. The situation with Casanova: the abducted women, the murdered girl and her being found, cross examining the evidence in the forest? His study of the case, the number of girls, his understanding of Casanova as a collector? His pursuit of the investigation?
6. The focus on Kate Mc Tiernan, her work as a doctor, comforting the Chinese mother and her daughter? Her being abducted from her home? Imprisoned underground, the taunts of Casanova, her resistance (and the scenes of her boxing and martial arts training)? Being drugged, being sick with the food, attacking Casanova, the escape, the pursuit through the forest, the jump over the cliff, her being rescued? In the hospital, discovering the drug and healing her? Her press statement and the challenge to Casanova?
7. Kate and her confrontation with Alex, giving him the news about Naomi, wanting to be part of the case? The investigation of the drug? Leads to Los Angeles?
8. Kate and Alex in Los Angeles, meeting John? Henry and his assistance? The risk in the undercover engagement? Stakeout on Rudolf, following him to the woods, his preparation for the abduction, going into the club, the return to the woods, the shooting of Henry? The girl screaming and the attack? Kate's action with the car, Alex and his being injured? The expose on television? The anger of the Carolina police?
9. The intimations that there were two criminals? Communication via the Internet? The different modes of each? The apprehension of the doctor, his home, sado masochism, the interrogation, Alex's anger with him? The irony that he was a front?
10. The help of Naomi's boyfriend, Kate's assistance, narrowing down the place where the women were held, underground? Hearing the shots, Alex's attack, confrontation with Rudolf, his death?
11. Casanova and his women, a collector, sexual attitudes, dominance, Naomi playing the violin? Rudolf's coming to the centre, the confrontation with Casanova? The challenge the attack, pursuit of Alex through the forest?
12. The saving of the women, of Naomi? The stakeout for identifying Casanova? Audience suspicions? Kate inviting Alex to dinner? The identification with Nick, his police background, his coming to the house, helping Kate with the preparation for the meal, the revelation, the confrontation? Alex saving the day, using his psychology?
13. The resolution of the plot the success of the film as a police investigation, action thriller, psychological thriller, sexual politics, the conventions of this kind of thriller? The resolution?