Laura

LAURA is, quite simply, as good as it gets as far as "film noir" is concerned.

Aside from an interesting story, a witty script, excellent B&W photography of elegant sets and the beautiful Gene Tierney as the center of attention, it works on every level imaginable. Dana Andrews has an intriguing role as the detective drawn to the portrait of Laura after believing her dead. And Clifton Webb has his star-making role of Waldo Lydecker, the snobbish and elegant man who seems just as obsessed with the dead woman as the detective. Adding to the impressive performances are Judith Anderson and Vincent Price.

The only flaw seems to be that Laura herself is not as well-defined in motives and background as the other players. But Gene Tierney's mesmerizing beauty hardly makes that important. Nevertheless, she is too passive in the role and actually gave far stronger performances in films like The Razor's Edge and Leave Her to Heaven, something she herself admitted--but her looks were never used to better advantage.

With several plot twists and turns, it keeps you thoroughly absorbed until it reaches its satisfying climax under Otto Preminger's knowing direction. Not to be missed, it's a classic of its kind.

For a detailed look at the career of DANA ANDREWS, see my current article on him in FILMS OF THE GOLDEN AGE, Summer 2001 with a look at all of his films and many photos.

The first time I saw this film, about eight years ago I ended up almost losing a friend because I was hoarding the VHS copy he had lent me for about two months. After seeing it, I quite simply didn't want to give up the tape because in doing so, I wouldn't be able to watch it anytime I wanted to; and I did watch it anytime I wanted to, and often, until he threatened to call a Noir Intervention. I may have loved this film from the first viewing, but I wasn't prepared to deal with something like that, as entertaining as it may have been.

I fell in love with `Laura' because it is biting and evil, intelligent and surprising. The unfathomably gorgeous Gene Tierney plays the title character, an advertising executive whose best friend Waldo Lydecker (played by the always wonderful Clifton Webb) and fiancée Shelby, (a really young Vincent Price) are some of the prime suspects in her murder. The gruff detective leading the case (Dana Andrews) is Det. McPherson, and he quickly essentially falls in love with a ghost while he is trying to solve her murder.

`Laura' has one of the great Noir scripts in that just as the audience thinks they have the case solved, another curve ball is thrown at them which blows that theory out of the water. The acting is pure delightful melodrama, but Clifton Webb's performance is simply show-stopping. His character is a vicious snit of a writer who uses his column as a weapon against anyone he doesn't like or even tolerate. Even upon multiple viewings I can't help but howl at some of his lines and mannerisms.

If anyone was to request suggestions for good Film Noir movies, I would prescribe a heavy dose of `Laura' because it has something for everyone in that it is romantic, thrilling, mysterious, wickedly funny and above all, thoroughly entertaining.

--Shelly

Laura is a wonderful example of film noir. The cast is perfect. Dana Andrews is the detective assigned to investigate the murder of Laura (played by Gene Tierney). As he interviews her associates and becomes mesmerized by her portrait, he begins to fall for Laura posthumously. Clifton Webb plays her mentor perfectly and Vincent Price is classic as Laura's pretty boy fiance. Although the movie begins with Laura's murder, it still has incredible surprises and an awesome denouement. Andrews hard boiled detective and the dark, raining sets illustrate the meaning of film noir. I highly recommend it.

'Laura' is one of the most entertaining mystery movies I've ever seen. A mystery? Also a romance, a Film Noir and even in some ways a comedy. It's quite a unique movie from the legendary Otto Preminger, who took over from the original director and started from scratch. Gene Tierney plays the title character, a woman who seems to bewitch every man she meets. It's no wonder because Tierney is mesmerizing to watch. I think she could well be the most beautiful actress of all time. Dana Andrews, Vincent Price and Clifton Webb play the three men in Laura's life. Andrews ('Night Of The Demon') plays a detective investigating Laura's apparent murder, Price, years before becoming a horror icon, a gigolo type who is due to marry her, and Webb (best known as Mr. Belvedere) is a snobby columnist and wit who is Laura's mentor. All four actors are just terrific and the plot is full of twists and surprises. I enjoyed this movie from start to finish. 'Laura' is one of the very best Hollywood movies of the 1940s. Highly recommended

Laura is another brilliant addition to Hollywood's golden age with its incredible screenplay and a great non linear narrative structure. While it might not reach the heights of Double Indemnity or The Third Man, it is still a fantastic motion picture.

One thing that never seems to disappoint about ( Most of ) the classic Hollywood Film-Noirs is that they have incredible writing, and Laura is no different. The dialogue that is said is most of the time highly intellectual but shockingly coherent at the same time. This is especially the case whenever Waldo Lydecker ( Clifton Webb ) comes on screen, and his character, which is the vicious columnist, fits this poetic dialogue perfectly. ( Just look at the 'lunch' scene, or his narration near the end, or the narration where he describes Laura, as all of them have a superb screenplay ) Webb's impeccable delivery of these lines also helps ofcourse, as his performance is definitely the acting highlight of the show. Dana Andrews has the perfect face for this film noir detective kind of type, and his rugged and tough mannerisms fit perfectly for his character, although at times he might appear a bit wooden. Normally i do not care much for the outer look of women in film, but since Laura ( Gene Tierney ) is supposed to be this fascinating dame that everybody becomes obsessed with, it ofcourse helps that she is a looker, as this further enhances the immersion of the audience into the picture because it becomes relatable.

The indoor set design is as per usual in the golden age in Hollywood once again stunning. The cinematography uses a lot of low key lighting to capture the sinister and mysterious feel of the film perfectly, and the decoration of the sets is very elegantly created, with a lot of classic baubles in the background so the audience has enough to see in every shot in the entire film. The narrative is top notch, as it uses unpredictable twists and flashbacks created to enhance our relationship to the characters a bit more so we know what they were like before the 'murder'. Not a lot of characters are likeable, but those that are not likeable are so in a way that they still feel as if they were real people to which this is happening to. It is also a wonderful study on compulsive obsession ( The ending will show you why ) and man's nature to make rash decisions for the sake of love.

It does seem to be a bit too hasty near its final couple of minutes, but this is a slight issue that a lot of Hollywood films from this era seem to have. The haste is only there for the ending though, as the rest of the film is still executed wonderfully. The movie has the suspense in its narrative to keep the audience extremely interested in how its final events will unfold, and this creates a non stop thrill ride along the way.

Never does Laura insult our intelligence with obvious things, and instead it respects the audience's intelligence since every character seems to be highly intelligent in it, and the unpredictability of it further enhances this. It also has fantastic acting performances ( Especially Clifton Webb ) and a superb screenplay. Although the ending might seem to sudden, this still makes for a beautifully crafted Film Noir.