Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Awakening in a hospital after being unconscious for three days, Los Angeles private investigator Mike Hammer, a man with somewhat loose professional morals, knows that he was left for dead by whomever tried to kill him and that that murder attempt had something to do with the young woman he picked up on the highway. In their short time together, he had learned that she was a psychiatric hospital escapee named Christina who had been held there against her will. He believes the reason the people were after him and Christina is tied to something big, and with the help of his faithful secretary/girlfriend Velda Wickman, he decides to investigate. In addition to trying to discover exactly who Christina was, Mike will learn that whoever tried to kill him is still after him for information he may have gleaned from Christina in the matter. Velda also discovers that others involved in the matter know about Mike and, following those leads, Mike finds that many tied to Christina are now dead in what seemingly were meant to look like accidents. As such, Mike and Velda's lives, as well as others within Mike's sphere, also are in danger. Ultimately, he will learn the literal and figurative key to discovering what is going on still centers on Christina, and that discovery has potentially apocalyptic repercussions.