A Kiss Before Dying is a 1956 American color film noir directed by Gerd Oswald in his directorial debut. The screenplay was written by Lawrence Roman based on Ira Levin's 1953 novel of the same name, which won the 1954 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The film stars Robert Wagner, Jeffrey Hunter, Virginia Leith, Mary Astor and Joanne Woodward in one of her first film roles. It was remade in 1991 under the same title.

Plot

University student Bud Corliss is wooing fellow student Dorothy Kingship solely for her father's mining fortune. When Bud discovers that Dorothy is pregnant with his child, he realizes that she will be disinherited by her father, Leo Kingship. However, Dorothy does not care about losing the fortune, as she feels free of her father's control for the first time in her life. Bud assures Dorothy that he will take care of her, but hesitates when Dorothy insists on marrying, but he agrees to it.