Laura (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
'Laura' (directed by the great Otto Preminger) is one of those classic old school Hollywood film noir mysteries that cast an eerie spell over audiences both back in 1944 & also today. Based on a novel by Vera Caspary, 'Laura' is the tale of a cop (Dana Andrews) who oddly - and foolishly - falls in love with the beautiful NY advertising executive (Gene Tierney) ... whose murder he is investigating! Prime suspects abound -- and they're all lovesick males.
Gene Tierney is gorgeous as the titular character; who actually isn't in the film that much. She perfectly embodies the mysterious femme fatale character of Laura Hunt -- her portrait that hangs in her glamorous apartment plays a BIG part in the movie. Dana Andrews is solid as Det. Mark McPherson, said cop of the murder investigation who starts falling in love with the deceased woman. Clifton Webb was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Waldo Lydecker, a charismatic, imperious newspaper columnist who relates with relish how he met Laura & eventually became her mentor.
'Laura' unfolds in 88 well-paced minutes and, the plot includes several narrative curveballs and one whopper of a twist. Though the murder is baffling, the killer is apparent long before the end of the film; but due to the odd nature of the story, that does not take any tension away from the movie. The great supporting cast includes a melodramatic Vincent Price as Laura's parasitic fiancee, & the stage actress Judith Anderson as Laura's socialite aunt; Anderson is best known as the villainess Mrs. Danvers in 1940's Rebecca. Dorothy Adams is wonderful as Bessie, Laura's highly distraught maid.
Most of the characters in this film are well-fleshed out ... except for enigmatic Laura; but again, there is reason for that. Each male character, in particular, sees reflected in Laura what they desire her to be. Clifton Webb's character is a fascinating one because, while Waldo is most likely a gay man with a savage wit, we still question if he lusts after Laura anyway ... or if he wants to live vicariously through her. Because Clifton Webb was gay in real life, how he plays the role of Waldo gives the film a complex subtext that might not have existed if a different actor had played him.
Otto Preminger lends a mercurial quality to the film with his astute direction. The script - while filled with outlandish impracticalities {my one big knock against the movie} - still proves to be interesting. The dialogue line deliveries {particularly from Webb} are biting. The gleaming cinematography, lush sets & lovely costumes are all stunning. And a haunting title song written by David Raskin & Johnny Mercer was wildly popular at the time. 'Laura' may not be perfect or as emotionally potent as it could be, but it is a 'must see' for any movie buff -- a "classic" in every sense of the word.
Gene Tierney is gorgeous as the titular character; who actually isn't in the film that much. She perfectly embodies the mysterious femme fatale character of Laura Hunt -- her portrait that hangs in her glamorous apartment plays a BIG part in the movie. Dana Andrews is solid as Det. Mark McPherson, said cop of the murder investigation who starts falling in love with the deceased woman. Clifton Webb was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as Waldo Lydecker, a charismatic, imperious newspaper columnist who relates with relish how he met Laura & eventually became her mentor.
'Laura' unfolds in 88 well-paced minutes and, the plot includes several narrative curveballs and one whopper of a twist. Though the murder is baffling, the killer is apparent long before the end of the film; but due to the odd nature of the story, that does not take any tension away from the movie. The great supporting cast includes a melodramatic Vincent Price as Laura's parasitic fiancee, & the stage actress Judith Anderson as Laura's socialite aunt; Anderson is best known as the villainess Mrs. Danvers in 1940's Rebecca. Dorothy Adams is wonderful as Bessie, Laura's highly distraught maid.
Most of the characters in this film are well-fleshed out ... except for enigmatic Laura; but again, there is reason for that. Each male character, in particular, sees reflected in Laura what they desire her to be. Clifton Webb's character is a fascinating one because, while Waldo is most likely a gay man with a savage wit, we still question if he lusts after Laura anyway ... or if he wants to live vicariously through her. Because Clifton Webb was gay in real life, how he plays the role of Waldo gives the film a complex subtext that might not have existed if a different actor had played him.
Otto Preminger lends a mercurial quality to the film with his astute direction. The script - while filled with outlandish impracticalities {my one big knock against the movie} - still proves to be interesting. The dialogue line deliveries {particularly from Webb} are biting. The gleaming cinematography, lush sets & lovely costumes are all stunning. And a haunting title song written by David Raskin & Johnny Mercer was wildly popular at the time. 'Laura' may not be perfect or as emotionally potent as it could be, but it is a 'must see' for any movie buff -- a "classic" in every sense of the word.