"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is a violent thriller which simply exudes energy. Its story is told at an exhilarating pace, James Cagney gives a superb high octane performance and the character he depicts is an incredibly driven psychopath who pursues his own agenda with an extraordinary sense of purpose and determination.<br /><br />Ralph Cotter (Cagney) is a real force of nature and his actions have a powerful effect on everyone he encounters. He's completely oblivious to the rule of law and totally cynical in his attitude to other people. Amusingly, the fact that the other characters in the story are nearly all corrupt seems in a perverse way, to almost vindicate his attitude towards them.<br /><br />Cotter is a vicious criminal who together with another convict, escapes from a prison farm. When his accomplice is injured, Cotter shoots him in the head without any hesitation or compunction to ensure that his own chance of freedom isn't jeopardised. As planned, a car is waiting for him and accompanying the driver, Jinx Raynor (Steve Brodie) is the dead man's sister Holiday Carleton (Barbara Paynton). During the exchanges of gunfire that follow, Holiday shoots a prison guard and later Cotter tells his co-conspirators that Holiday's brother was killed by one of the guards. Holiday clearly dislikes Cotter initially but after an incident where he smacks her around the head with some towels, her demeanour changes and she starts to become attracted to him and agrees to him staying at her apartment.<br /><br />Cotter and Raynor carry out a robbery and are subsequently traced by two corrupt police officers who relieve them of some money and order Cotter to leave town. Cotter later records an incriminating conversation involving the two policemen and with the assistance of a shady lawyer, turns the tables on them.<br /><br />Cotter then gets involved with another woman, the daughter of a wealthy businessman and after the couple get married and jealous Holiday discovers who killed her brother, Cotter's problems start to escalate alarmingly.<br /><br />Holiday's relationship with Cotter has an unhealthy dimension as can be seen on a couple of occasions when she responds positively to him following violent incidents. Cotter on the other hand is able to get his way by using both brutality and cunning. When necessary he uses coercion to get Holiday to fall into line with his wishes and again uses plenty of guile in order to get the upper hand with the corrupt cops.<br /><br />"Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" is a very good movie in which James Cagney is at his brilliant best and the supporting cast all contribute fine and effective performances.