Kitten with a Whip

{{For|the drag queen formerly known as Kittin Withawhip|Bob the Drag Queen}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Kitten with a Whip

| image = Kitten with a Whip.jpg

| caption = theatrical release poster

| director = Douglas Heyes

| producer = Harry Keller

| writer = Douglas Heyes
Whit Masterson

| based_on = {{based on|Kitten with a Whip|Wade Miller}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| cinematography = Joseph F. Biroc

| editing = Russell F. Schoengarth

| color_process = Black and white

| distributor = Universal Pictures

| released = {{Film date|1964|11|04|U.S.}}

| runtime = 83 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

}}

Kitten with a Whip is a 1964 American crime drama film directed by Douglas Heyes, who co-wrote the screenplay with Whit Masterson, a pseudonym for writers Robert Allison “Bob” Wade and H. Bill Miller, who also wrote the novel on which the film is based under the name Wade Miller. The film stars John Forsythe, Ann-Margret, Peter Brown, Patricia Barry and Richard Anderson.

The film was made to publicize Ann-Margret as a serious actress. Her previous films, Viva Las Vegas and Bye Bye Birdie, were of the musical genre and did little to highlight her dramatic skills. Her management signed her to several different films at this time, each with a top Hollywood studio, and she was not consulted on the projects they had chosen for her. In interviews, Ann-Margret made the best of the situation, claiming she was hoping to distance herself from her "new Marilyn Monroe" image.

Decades later, the film would be selected for riffing in a 1994 episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Kevin Killian's 2008 book of poetry Action Kylie features "Kitten with a Whip", a poem inspired by the film and featuring its two main characters.

Plot

The wife of prospective politician David Stratton (John Forsythe) is away in San Francisco, visiting relatives there. David comes home one night but not to an empty house—a young woman, Jody (Ann-Margret), is asleep in his daughter's bed.

Jody has just escaped from a juvenile detention home, where she stabbed a matron and started a fire. Though David is furious and wishes to call the police, Jody tells him a tale of woe and he is sympathetic. He buys her a dress, gives her some money and puts her on a bus. Soon after, David learns that Jody is a wanted fugitive who had been lying to him. He returns home to find Jody there. She refuses to leave and threatens to create a scandal if he forces her out. Worried about his political fortunes, David is forced to let her stay.

Jody invites three friends to the house, including two ruffians, Ron and Buck, who bully David into letting them throw a wild party in the house. The youths begin to fight until Ron suffers a deep cut in the arm with a razor. They drive across the Mexico border, taking David along. They deposit Ron with a local doctor and ditch Buck when the car is entangled in barbed wire.

Jody and David end up in a Tijuana motel. When Ron and Buck return, a chase occurs and their car crashes, killing them both. David, seriously injured, awakens in the hospital to find that just before she died, Jody had told the authorities that she had been in the car with Ron and Buck, meaning that David is in the clear.

Cast

Ann-Margret as Jody Dvorak
John Forsythe as David Stratton
Peter Brown as Ron
Patricia Barry as Vera
Richard Anderson as Grant
Skip Ward as Buck Vogel
Diane Sayer as Midge
Ann Doran as Mavis Varden
Patrick Whyte as Phillip Varden
Audrey Dalton as Virginia Stratton
Leo Gordon as Police Sgt. Enders
Patricia Tiara as a striptease dancer
Nora Marlowe as Clara Eckhart
Frances Robinson as Martha
Maxine Stuart as Peggy
Doodles Weaver as Salty Sam

Production

The film is based on a novel by Wade Miller (the pen name of collaborators Bob Wade and Bill Miller).{{Cite web|url=http://georgekelley.org/forgotten-books-259-kitten-with-a-whipkiss-her-goodbye-by-wade-miller/|title=FORGOTTEN BOOKS #260: KITTEN WITH A WHIP/KISS HER GOODBYE By Wade Miller |publisher=GeorgeKelley.org|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-22}} In September, 1959, Hedda Hopper stated that Mamie Van Doren had purchased the rights with the intent to produce and star in the film.[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/94588370/hollywood-by-hedda-hopper/ "Hollywood" by Hedda Hopper, September 1, 1959] In November, 1959, it was announced that Universal had the film rights and assigned Robert Arthur to produce.{{Cite news|title=NEW FRENCH FILM WILL OPEN TODAY|date=Nov 16, 1959|work=The New York Times|id={{ProQuest|114809806}}}} The following year, Richard Rush was reported to be developing the project,{{Cite news|title=Prepares 'kitten'|date=Mar 24, 1960|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|167654836}}}} with Nancy Kwan cast in the starring role.{{Cite news|author=Hopper, H.|title=Story of newlyweds, 18 children to be a movie.|date=Oct 9, 1961|work=Chicago Daily Tribune|id={{ProQuest|183063950}}}} However, the film did not materialize at the time.

When plans for a screen adaptation were revived, the lead role was originally offered to Brigitte Bardot, but she turned it down.{{Cite news|title=Films for Children Urged by Radnitz: They're Next Fans, He Says; De Mille 'Thrills' Recalled|author=Scheuer, Philip K.|date=Oct 14, 1963|work=Los Angeles Times|page=D9}} In October 1963, Ann-Margret was announced as the star.{{Cite news|author=Hopper, H.|title='Tom jones' bonanza for star, director.|date=Oct 28, 1963|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|168400034}}}} She was paid $150,000 plus a percentage of the profits.{{Cite news|author=Scheuer, P. K.|title=Films for children urged by radnitz.|date=Oct 14, 1963|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|168403562}}}}{{Cite news|title=Meet Ann-Margret: Hard Work, Ambition Propel a Young Actress To the Top in Hollywood|author=DAVID H. KELSEY|date=Apr 7, 1964|work=The Wall Street Journal|page=1}}

Filming started in December 1963, with Douglas Heyes as writer and director{{Cite news|title=DIRECTOR ASSAILS 'HICCUPING' FILMS|author=MURRAY SCHUMACH|date=Jan 31, 1964|work=The New York Times|id={{ProQuest|115655151}}}} and Harry Keller as producer.{{Cite news|author=Scheuer, P. K.|title=Director typing hit by producer.|date=Sep 21, 1964|work=Los Angeles Times|id={{ProQuest|155016764}}}}

Reception

New York Times reviewer Eugene Archer was critical of the film's premise, stating of Forsythe's character, "At almost any point in the proceedings he could have solved the problem—and ended the movie—by simply walking away and calling one of his influential friends." However, Archer praised Ann-Margret's performance: "With little help from Donald Heyes, who directed his own foolish script, she demonstrates enough untrained talent to suggest interesting dramatic possibilities in better films."{{Cite news|last=Archer|first=Eugene|title=Screen: Mixed-Up Female Youngster|date=1964-11-05|work=The New York Times|page=50}}

Writing in the Los Angeles Times, critic Margaret Harford decried the film's "violence-for-violence's sake" and wrote of the ending, "The problem was how to end it all and Heyes took the coward's way out. Everybody dies a violent death except Forsythe who goes back to his wife and will probably run for governor. There's a message here somewhere but I'm not going to work overtime figuring it out for you."{{Cite news|last=Harford|first=Margaret|title='Kitten With Whip' Violent Melodrama|date=1964-11-27|work=Los Angeles Times|page=21, Part V}}

Filmink argued the film "has become a cult item due to its title, poster and Ann-Margret's balls-to-the-wall performance in the title role. This movie is much mocked but could have been a great little exploitation flick with 'Something to Say'{{snd}}it has some good moments, a decent cast, a story full of potential, and a very charismatic star. However, it is let down by dopey scripting and Universal's (typical) scrimping on the budget."{{cite magazine|magazine=Filmink|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/surviving-cold-streaks-ann-margret/|title=Surviving Cold Streaks: Ann-Margret|date=September 6, 2021|access-date=March 9, 2023}}

Lindsay Lohan has called it one of her favorite films of all time, and even expressed interest in starring in a Gus Van Sant-helmed remake in 2007.https://twitter.com/lavitalohan/status/1539192180610322435 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}