"The Kissing Bandit" is a comedy. It informs the viewer in its first seconds, so it should be taken lightly. But it is not a clever comedy or even an average comedy. The plot is so thin it detracts from the positive aspects of the film. The dialogue is so unpolished it feels like the work of a first-timer.
The film features first-rate production values, like some dazzling costumes. And the voices of Kathryn Grayson and Frank Sinatra do their best to rise above the merely average score. But the silliness of the film, thought intentional, comes across as amateurish.
Thankfully, there is one exception: a dance sequence (choreographed by Stanley Donen) that features Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, and Cyd Charisse. It's a fiery, whirling pas de trois that becomes a duel of dance, with Miller and Charisse "battling" like passionate dervishes.
The film features first-rate production values, like some dazzling costumes. And the voices of Kathryn Grayson and Frank Sinatra do their best to rise above the merely average score. But the silliness of the film, thought intentional, comes across as amateurish.
Thankfully, there is one exception: a dance sequence (choreographed by Stanley Donen) that features Ann Miller, Ricardo Montalban, and Cyd Charisse. It's a fiery, whirling pas de trois that becomes a duel of dance, with Miller and Charisse "battling" like passionate dervishes.