Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948)

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Movie Info

In this film noir drama, Bill Saunders (Burt Lancaster) is a former Prisoner of War living in England whose experiences have left him emotionally unstable and prone to violence. One night, while drinking in a pub, he gets into an argument with the owner which quickly escalates into a brutal fist fight; Bill kills the publican and flees with the police giving chase. Bill is given shelter by Jane Wharton (Joan Fontaine), a kind-hearted nurse who believes Bill when he tells her that the killing was an accident and that he's innocent of any wrongdoing. Bill soon gets in a fight with a policeman and ends up in jail, but Jane, who has fallen in love with Bill, still has faith in him, and upon his release she finds him a job driving a truck delivering drugs for the clinic where she works. Career criminal Harry Carter (Robert Newton), who witnessed Bill's murder of the pub owner, now sees a perfect opportunity for blackmail, and he forces Bill to tip him off for his next major drug shipment, which can then be routed to the black market at a high profit. Bill has little choice but to agree, but when Jane ends up tagging along when Bill is to make the delivery in question, he refuses to jeopardize her and makes the delivery to the clinic without incident. This quickly earns Harry's wrath, and they soon find themselves at the mercy of a very dangerous man. Miklos Rozsa composed the film's highly effective score. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Cast

Burt Lancaster
as William Earle 'Bill' Saunders
Joan Fontaine
as Jane Wharton
Robert Newton
as Harry Carter
Lewis L. Russell
as Tom Widgery
Aminta Dyne
as Landlady
Grizelda Harvey
as Mrs. Paton
Jay Novello
as Sea Captain
Colin Keith-Johnston
as Judge
Reginald Sheffield
as Superintendent
Campbell Copelin
as Publican
Leyland Hodgson
as Tipster
Peter Hobbes
as Young Father
Tom Dillon
as Welshman
Joseph Granby
as Theater Manager
Harry Allen
as Drunk
Valerie Cardew
as Change Girl
Ben Wright
as Cockney Tout
Harry Cording
Scott Wallace
as Hanger-On
Thomas P. Dillon
as Welshman
Harold Goodwin
as Whipper
Keith Hitchcock
as Official
Alec Harford
as Doctor
Art Foster
Lora Lee Michel
as Little Girl
Jimmy Aubrey
as Taxi Driver
Leslie Denison
as Constable
Arthur E. Gould-Porter
as Booky
Ken Harvey
as Booky
Tommy Hughes
as Booky
Bobby Hale
Tom Pilkington
as Booky
Charles McNaughton
as Telescope Man
Felippa Rock
as Woman
Colin Kenny
as Proprietor
Ola Lorraine
as Donald's Mother
Robin Hughes
Frank S. Hagney
as Seaman
James Logan
as Seaman
Patty King
as Children
David McMahon
as Seaman
Al Ferguson
as Marker
David Dunbar
as Large Man
Richard Glynn
as Donald
Marilyn Williams
as Barmaid
Jack Stoney
as Man
Mildred Hale
as Woman
James Fowler
as Tipster
Robert Hale
as Tipster
Anne Whitfield
Fred Fox
as Tipster
Jack Carol
as Tipster
George Bunny
as Bookie
Don MacCracken
as Policeman
Harry Wilson
as Man in Pub
Duke Green
as Man
Wesley Hopper
as Man
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Critic Reviews for Kiss the Blood Off My Hands

All Critics (1)

The soap opera romance felt as phony as the London dock scenes.

Aug 18, 2004 | Rating: C | Full Review…
Ozus' World Movie Reviews
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