laura 1944 movie review

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors.

Now streaming on:

I've seen Otto Preminger 's “Laura” three or four times, but the identity of the murderer doesn't spring quickly to mind. That's not because the guilty person is forgettable but because the identity is so arbitrary: It is not necessary that the murderer be the murderer. Three or four other characters would have done as well, and indeed if it were not for Walter Winchell we would have another ending altogether. More about that later.

Film noir is known for its convoluted plots and arbitrary twists, but even in a genre that gave us “ The Maltese Falcon ,” this takes some kind of prize. “Laura” (1944) has a detective who never goes to the station; a suspect who is invited to tag along as other suspects are interrogated; a heroine who is dead for most of the film; a man insanely jealous of a woman even though he never for a moment seems heterosexual; a romantic lead who is a dull-witted Kentucky bumpkin moving in Manhattan penthouse society, and a murder weapon that is returned to its hiding place by the cop, who will “come by for it in the morning.” The only nude scene involves the jealous man and the cop.

That “Laura” continues to weave a spell -- and it does -- is a tribute to style over sanity. No doubt the famous musical theme by David Raksin has something to do with it: The music lends a haunted, nostalgic, regretful cast to everything it plays under, and it plays under a lot. There is also Clifton Webb's narration, measured, precise, a little mad: “I shall never forget the weekend Laura died. A silver sun burned through the sky like a huge magnifying glass. It was the hottest Sunday in my recollection. I felt as if I were the only human being left in New York. For Laura's horrible death, I was alone. I, Waldo Lydecker, was the only one who really knew her.”

It is Clifton Webb's performance as Waldo Lydecker that stands at the heart of the film, with Vincent Price , as Laura's fiancee Shelby Carpenter, nibbling at the edges like an eager spaniel. Both actors, and Judith Anderson as a neurotic friend, create characters who have no reality except their own, which is good enough for them. The hero and heroine, on the other hand, are cardboard. Gene Tierney, as Laura, is gorgeous, has perfect features, looks great in the stills, but never seems emotionally involved; her work in “Leave Her to Heaven” (1945) is stronger, deeper, more convincing. Dana Andrews, as Detective Mark McPherson , stands straight, chain-smokes, speaks in a monotone, and reminded the studio head Daryl F. Zanuck of “an agreeable schoolboy.” As actors, Tierney and Andrews basically play eyewitnesses to scene-stealing by Webb and Price.

This was Clifton Webb's first big starring role and his first movie role of any kind since 1930. He was a stage actor who refused the studio's demand for a screen test; Otto Preminger, who began by producing the film and ended by directing it, in desperation filmed Webb on a Broadway stage and showed that to Zanuck. “He doesn't walk, he flies,” an underling told Zanuck, but Webb, who had a mannered camp style, impressed Zanuck and got the role. Vincent Price creates an accent somewhere between Kentucky and Transylvania for his character, who is tall and healthy and inspires Waldo Lydecker to complain to Laura: “With you, a lean strong body is the measure of a man.”

Lydecker is lean but not strong. Webb was 55 when he played the role, Tierney 24. A similar age difference was no problem for Bogart and Bacall, but between Webb and Tierney it must be said there is not the slightest suggestion of chemistry. He is a bachelor critic and columnist (said to be modeled after Alexander Wolcott), and the first time we see him he is sitting in his bathtub, typing. This is after Laura's body has been found murdered with shotgun blasts, and the detective comes to question her closest friend.

The scene develops with more undercurrents than surface, as McPherson enters the bathroom, glances at Lydecker, seems faintly amused. Then Lydecker swings the typewriter shelf away, so that it shields his nudity from the camera but not from the detective. Waldo stands up, off screen, and a reaction shot shows McPherson glancing down as Lydecker asks him to pass a bathrobe. Every time I see the movie, I wonder what Preminger is trying to accomplish with this scene. There is no suggestion that Lydecker is attracted to McPherson, and yet it seems odd to greet a police detective in the nude.

Lydecker is Laura's svengali. In flashbacks, we follow the progress of their relationship. He snubs her in the Algonquin dining room, then apologizes, becomes her friend, and takes over her life, chooses her clothes, redoes her hair, introduces her to the right people, promotes her in his column. They spend every night together out on the town, except Tuesdays and Fridays, when Waldo cooks for her at home. Then other men enter the picture, and leave again as Waldo blasts them in his column. Big, dumb Shelby with his lean, strong body is the latest and most serious threat. Considering this Waldo-Shelby-Laura love triangle, it occurs to me that the only way to make it psychologically sound would be to change Laura into a boy.

The movie basically consists of well-dressed rich people standing in luxury flats and talking to a cop. The passion is unevenly distributed. Shelby and Laura never seem to have much heat between them. Waldo is possessive of Laura, but never touches her. Ann Treadwell (Anderson), a society dame, lusts for Shelby but has to tell him or he'd never know. And Detective McPherson develops a crush on the dead woman. There is an extraordinary scene where he enters her apartment at night, looks through her letters, touches her dresses, sniffs her perfume, pours himself a drink from her bottle and sits down beneath her enormous portrait, which is placed immodestly above her own fireplace. It's like a date with a ghost.

McPherson's investigation and his ultimate revelations are handled in an offhand way, for a 1940s crime picture. He is forever leading people to believe they're going to be charged, and then backing off. Lydecker asks to tag along as the cop interviews suspects; murder is his “favorite crime,” and “I like to study their reactions.” Astonishingly, McPherson lets him. This is useful from a screenplay point of view, since otherwise McPherson would be mostly alone.

All of these absurdities and improbabilities somehow do not diminish the film's appeal. They may even add to it. Some of the lines have become unintentionally funny, James Naremore writes in More than Night: Film Noir in its Contexts, ”Where 'Laura' is concerned, the camp effect is at least partly intended--any movie that puts Clifton Webb, Judith Anderson and Vincent Price in the same drawing room is inviting a mood of fey theatricality.”

The story of Preminger's struggle to get the movie made has become Hollywood legend. As he tells it in his autobiography, Zanuck saw him as a producer, not a director, and assigned Rouben Mamoulian to the piece. When the early rushes were a disaster, Preminger stepped in, reshot many scenes, replaced the sets, and fought for the screenplay. Zanuck insisted that another ending be shot; the film was screened for Zanuck and his pal Walter Winchell, a real gossip columnist, who said he didn't understand the ending. So Zanuck let Preminger have his ending back, and while the business involving the shotgun in the antique clock may be somewhat labored, the whole film is of a piece: contrived, artificial, mannered, and yet achieving a kind of perfection in its balance between low motives and high style. What makes the movie great, perhaps, is the casting. The materials of a B-grade crime potboiler are redeemed by Waldo Lydecker, walking through every scene as if afraid to step in something.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

Now playing

Mary & George

Cristina escobar.

Sheila O'Malley

Riddle of Fire

Robert daniels.

We Were the Lucky Ones

Simon Abrams

Marya E. Gates

Film credits.

Laura (1944)

Latest blog posts.

25 Years Later, Alexander Payne’s Election Remains as Relevant as Ever

Sharp Writing, Excellent Cast Keep Spy Thriller The Veil Engaging

Take Another Trip to the End of the World with Sony’s Stellar Blade

He's Got Something Going On: David Proval on Mean Streets, and Acting for Martin Scorsese

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Upcoming Movies and TV shows
Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

What's the Tomatometer®?
Login/signup

Movies in theaters

Opening this week
Top box office
Coming soon to theaters
Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

Fandango at Home
Netflix streaming
Prime Video
Most popular streaming movies
What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

Challengers Link to Challengers
Abigail Link to Abigail
Arcadian Link to Arcadian

New TV Tonight

The Jinx: Season 2
Knuckles: Season 1
The Big Door Prize: Season 2
Them: Season 2
Velma: Season 2
Secrets of the Octopus: Season 1
Dead Boy Detectives: Season 1
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Season 1
We're Here: Season 4

Where to Watch

Rent Laura on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

A psychologically complex portrait of obsession, Laura is also a deliciously well-crafted murder mystery.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Otto Preminger

Gene Tierney

Dana Andrews

Det. Lt. Mark McPherson

Clifton Webb

Waldo Lydecker

Vincent Price

Shelby Carpenter

Judith Anderson

Ann Treadwell

More Like This

Movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

Laura (1944)

User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

User Ratings
External Reviews
Metacritic Reviews
Full Cast and Crew
Release Dates
Official Sites
Company Credits
Filming & Production
Technical Specs
Plot Summary
Plot Keywords
Parents Guide

Did You Know?

Crazy Credits
Alternate Versions
Connections
Soundtracks

Photo & Video

Photo Gallery
Trailers and Videos

Laura [1944] Review – An Exceptionally Stylized Noir Mystery

Otto Preminger’s Laura (1944) is ranked no. 4 in the American Film Institute’s (AFI) list of the greatest films in the ‘mystery’ genre. But viewers expecting a tough, indecipherable secret would be somewhat disappointed. In fact, apart from the half-way twist much of the ‘mysterious’ elements would remain predictable for modern-day audiences. Yet what makes Laura a marvelous masterpiece is Mr. Preminger’s seductive and powerful visual style. His fluid long takes, probing camera, and mellowed chiaroscuro lighting brings forth a grimly fascinating allure to the whodunit plot structure. Along with Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity (1944), the astoundingly fluent stylistic hallmarks of ‘Laura’ have appealed across generations of cinephiles and perpetually heralded as one of the top-ten film-noir projects.

Based on author Vera Caspary’s 1942 novel of the same name, the book was adapted to screen by trio of writers : Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth Reinhardt. Perhaps, Laura was also well-known in Hollywood history for the off-screen conflicts it brewed, primarily between Otto Preminger and 20 th Century Fox executive-head Darryl F. Zanuck. Their bitter feud has been going from 1937 itself, which nearly destroyed Preminger’s career. Zanuck initially hired Rouben Mamoulian (‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’) as the director and allowed Preminger to serve as producer. Naturally, they fought over everything from sets to costumes. When Zanuck felt disappointment over first set of rushes made by Mamoulian, he was fired and Preminger was promoted as director. Still, Zanuck persistently opposed many of the director’s artistic choices. There were also minor problems between the cast members and Preminger. Eventually, Mr. Preminger succeeded in diffusing his own refined authorial voice all over the project. Laura also became Otto Preminger’s first major critical and commercial success.

Although Preminger failed to adapt the novel with Vera Caspary (they didn’t compromise over the film’s tone), the narrative retains certain proto-feminist threads, not often found in post-war noir films. Laura opens with these disconsolate words: “I shall never forget the weekend Laura died” . The opening credits show us an instantly bewitching portrait of the title character, hanging in the wall of a lavish New York apartment. Like the Mona Lisa blush, the beautiful woman’s portrait looks at us with a mixture of sorrow and allure. A no-nonsense NYPD detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) finds himself totally smitten over the portrait. Nevertheless, he meticulously goes over facts and sees through the lies to find Laura’s killer (“I suspect nobody and everybody”, McPherson nonchalantly states). He first interrogates the prickly Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), a blue-blooded newspaper columnist, whose words carry the power to make and destroy people (“I don’t use a pen. I write with a goose quill dipped in venom”, Waldo quips).

High On Films in collaboration with Avanté

The ageing socialite has played the role of protégé for Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney), who was initially a lowly staff member in a giant advertisement firm. Waldo agrees that although he introduced her to the inner-circle of opulent people, it is her tenacity and restraint that made her a famous advertising executive. Not only Waldo, every other person McPherson speaks to are captivated by Laura’s sensuous beauty, intelligence, and benevolent nature. Laura’s fiance Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price) obviously becomes the prime suspect. He is a handsome and suave young man, who has a reputation for mishandling money.

Related to Laura: 5 Must-See Movies of Otto Preminger

Shelby seems courteous and affectionate towards Laura, but McPherson digs deeper and finds Shelby to be a ladies’ man. On one hand, the detective skillfully inquires into the glamorous yet ominous high-society world of obsession, lies, and jealousy. On the other hand, he finds himself crazily infatuated with the murdered woman (he pores over her letters and diary, and achingly stares at Laura’s portrait). Waldo easily sees through McPherson’s tough-guy facade and warns, “You’d better watch out, McPherson, or you’ll finish up in a psychiatric ward. I doubt they’ve ever had a patient who fell in love with a corpse.” And very soon, the detective wakes up in Laura’s apartment and sees something that would have instantly reminded him that he has slipped through the cracks of reality.

The notable film-noir trope, femme fatale depicts enigmatic, eroticized women characters with a penchant for power and manipulation. ‘Laura’ infuses a slight twist on the familiar noir trope. Even after her death, the sparklingly beautiful titular character drives the male characters (McPherson, Waldo & Shelby) insane; not due to her calculated wickedness, but because of each man’s illusory perspective of the woman. There’s not much to say about who is Laura as a person. The men repeatedly obsess over the unfathomable sense of charm and allure she radiates rather than attend to her preoccupations and inner feelings.

Earlier, Waldo admits that it’s Laura’s intelligence which led to her rise in the business world, but the very same factor incites lustful desires and hatred among men. They hate and want her based upon an illusion: that she is the ‘perfect woman’. The premise reminds us of classic Hitchcockian territory, although Preminger treats the yearning, obsessive male gaze with an inherent tragic tone and to confront the perils of idealized image. Perhaps, the film’s only flaw lies in its classic whodunit structure, which never turns Laura into a real character (even after the half-way reveal); her individuality is a mystery to the end.

Also Read: The Representation of Women in Film Noir

Otto Preminger’s magnificent palette of deep shadows and burnishing brightness works finely as the primary visual motif for the film-noir themes (cinematographer Joseph LaShelle won an Oscar for his work). Preminger’s stylish symmetry and suspense-sustaining pace are some of the perfectionist film-maker’s many appealing attributes. As I mentioned earlier, the mystery element is easily foreseeable. Nevertheless, the movie’s brilliance lies in Preminger’s ability to imbue multi-layered and rich visual texturing to the austere narrative. Preminger’s precisely calibrated staging, sets, and camera movements intensify the emotions and substance of each scenario. In fact, the film deserves repeat viewings especially to observe Preminger’s mature and ambiguous approach. The director, also well-known for pushing the limits of censorship, includes quite a few erotic undercurrents and weaves an atmosphere of repressed sexuality.

The performances are brilliant all around. More than the actions of central characters – played by Tierney and Andrews – I liked the pertinent dialogue delivery of Clifton Webb and Vincent Price’s portrayal of a bumbling young man (it’s a surprising role considering Price’s later association with cult horror movies). Overall, Laura (88 minutes) is a visually enchanting film-noir that starkly ponders on the nature of obsessive love.

Laura (1944) Trailer

Links: Imdb , Rotten Tomatoes

Trending right now.

Arun Kumar is an ardent cinebuff, who likes to analyze movie to its minute detail. He believes in the transformative power and shared-dream experience of cinema.

The Whale (2022): Release Date, Plot, Cast, Trailer, And Everything We Know

Faces Places [2017] – A Joyful and Wistful Journey of a Preeminent Artist

Dear Zindagi [2016] : A Love Letter to Life

Titans (Season 4) Episode 10: Recap & Ending, Explained – How Do The Titans Save Everyone From Sebastian’s Video Game?

A Song for You [2021]: ‘NYAFF’ Review – An Important Song Sung From the Margins

Sleep Tight (2011) Review: Sick. Twisted. Nightmarish.

Festival Reports
Book Reviews
Great Directors
Great Actors
Special Dossiers
Past Issues
Support us on Patreon

Subscribe to Senses of Cinema to receive news of our latest cinema journal. Enter your email address below:

Thank you to our Patrons
Style Guide
Advertisers
Call for Contributions

Laura : Noir of Identity and Illusion

In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock employed a similar approach when killing off his female lead in Psycho , the murder now rupturing the conventions of classical Hollywood narration to let a psychopath in as the lead. Hitchcock knew that a “fissure” could make a film, as it already had in Vertigo (1958) when James Stewart’s Scottie encounters the uncanny Judy (Kim Novak), then learns her “true” identity. The murderous shift in Psycho ’s narrative attracted Hitchcock to the project (1) , as a particular moment in Laura (1944) did for Otto Preminger (2) . What Preminger described as a “gimmick” solidified the film’s place in the noir tradition. Laura’s (Gene Tierney) return to her apartment – after she’s believed to be dead – immediately makes her into a murder suspect. At this moment the murder mystery completes its transformation into an hallucinatory narrative. Although one of the “Big Four” (along with Double Indemnity , The Maltese Falcon [John Huston, 1941], and Murder, My Sweet [Edward Dmytryk, 1944]) identified by Nino Frank in his pioneering essay on film noir that gave the style its name, he describes Laura as conventional when compared to the other three (3) . What eluded him is the film’s slow slip away from the Arthur Conan Doyle tradition as it moves toward revising the upper class Agatha Christie whodunit.

Set in New York, Laura , from the outside, seems prepped as a traditional locked-room mystery. Aside from the investigator, everyone carries himself or herself fabulously, a conceit that Preminger peels away by the film’s finish. Columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb) presents a privileged air that could spell trouble for others, or even for himself. Preminger fought to cast the diminutive actor in the role, for reasons that soon become obvious. Meanwhile, Vincent Price’s priggish, excessively cultured Shelby Carpenter seems to shield an underlying philistinism and perversion. But Preminger deals in facades, with how perception cheats us, right down to the ideal image of Laura as a portrait.

The film’s shifting point-of-view – from McPherson, to Waldo, back to McPherson, then Laura – contributes significantly to the hyper-real tone that gained the attention of Frank and, subsequently, so many others. Waldo’s recollection to McPherson of how he discovered Laura, and began a relationship with her, instigates just one thread in the film’s overwhelming fabric of obsession. That Laura clears room for the advance of Lydecker, Carpenter and McPherson is a credit to the film’s economy and leads the way for future feminist interpretations. Such a feminist reading reveals Laura to be the victim of three men – all are just pesky at first, until they are spurned and become aggressive. The late critic Robin Wood, who noted the fluidity and hybridity of genres, might have seen the film as a comedy of suitors gone nightmarish.

That Laura comes back “from the dead” is a clever spin on what Freud called the “return of the repressed”. Hardly the seductress, Gene Tierney’s Laura stands as an odd figure among the women of noir. A review by Thomas M. Pryor in The New York Times at the time of release described Tierney as a let down after the film’s buildup of her role (5) . In retrospect, this “negative” point is actually a strength as no woman could match such an idealisation.

As bastions of American success, the middle-class home and family rot from the inside across much of noir. But in Laura such a solid nuclear unit is hardly present. Preminger captures not the breakdown of a family but the failed attempt to make such a unit, as well as the retaliation against the offence to fragile masculinity. The passion- cum -murder of noir turns to the thrills of identity and illusion.

Laura (1944 USA 88 mins)

Prod Co: Twentieth Century-Fox Prod, Dir: Otto Preminger Scr: Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhardt, adapted from the novel by Vera Caspary Phot: Joseph LaShelle Ed: Louis Loeffler Art Dir: Leland Fuller, Lyle Wheeler Mus: David Raksin

Cast: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson, Dorothy Adams

Looking at Film from Every Angle

Review: Laura (1944)

Wesley Lovell

Source Material

Review One of the finest aspects of the legendary film noir Laura is its cinematography. The images are crisp, clean and well selected, but the film owes much of its visual flair, plotting and design more to the successful Citizen Kane three years earlier than to anything else. The stories are as different as can be and the originality of the story of Laura is what has made it the enduring classic it is today. The film is about a detective (Dana Andrews) haunted by and investigating the death of a beautiful young woman. He suspects everyone and makes no bones about casting suspicion wherever it leads. He uses trickery, misinformation and old fashioned detective work to examine every aspect of the case in hopes of finding out who killed Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) and why.

The performances are satisfactory, but as stilted and confined as the genre will allow and perhaps its film noir itself, but I didn’t find myself emotionally invested in much of the film. The characters are kept at a distance to be observed and not appreciated. And with the painting of Laura having more looming presence over the film than any single character, it becomes hard to focus on more than just the mystery. And it’s a well oiled, plotted and mechanized case that has inspired many imitators over the years. From the “well, I wasn’t being fully honest, but I will be now” constant in the film to the mid-film twist that spins the case from one investigative shadow to the next.

Tierney is probably the better actress in the film with Judith Anderson a minimal presence in the film and Dorothy Adams a caricature. Andrews is stiff and inexpressive for much of the film, which plays perfectly well into the character and his few emotional outbursts still lack zeal despite fitting well in the scene. When you first see Clifton Webb on screen, you’re immediately turned off by his brashness, selfishness and general ill temper, but once you discover who he is, it makes sense, but doesn’t make him any less frustrating. And that leaves Vincent Price, who became the prince of horror tropes. His persona here is a significant departure from his more familiar (to younger audiences) later work in films like House of Wax. Yet, there are kernels of excellence in his performance. Several times you actually feel for him, but distressingly not often enough.

Film noir’s a genre that after many experiences just doesn’t appeal to me as much as it probably should. I adore murder mysteries and I celebrate the atmospheric feature, yet the lack of sympathy for the characters, lack of depth and unexceptional performances dissuade me from appreciating this type of yarn. While I can appreciate the multitude of genres at play in the film, the tendency towards film noir is my biggest road block to full enjoyment. Review Written October 25, 2010

One response to “Review: Laura (1944)”

Movie Review

US Release Date: 10-11-1944

Directed by: Otto Preminger

Starring ▸ ▾

Gene Tierney , as
Dana Andrews , as
Det. Lt. Mark McPherson
Clifton Webb , as
Waldo Lydecker
Vincent Price , as
Shelby Carpenter
Judith Anderson , as
Mrs. Ann Treadwell
Dorothy Adams as
Bessie Clary, Laura's Maid

Gene Tierney and Vincent Price in Laura .

Laura is a fine example of 1940's film noir. Released in 1944, directed by Otto Preminger, and featuring a very successful title song written by David Raksin and Johnny Mercer, Laura is a classic movie in every sense of the word.

The story involves the murder of a beautiful New York advertising executive and the men in her life who suddenly find themselves suspects. Gene Tierney was absolutely gorgeous. She perfectly embodies the character of Laura. The portrait of her that hangs in her apartment plays a big part in the movie. Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) begins falling in love with the woman whose murder he is investigating.

Clifton Webb was Oscar nominated for his role as Waldo Lydecker. This character was based on the acerbic critic Alexander Woollcott (he was a popular “type" in those days, Monty Woolley played Sheridan Whiteside, another version of Woollcott in 1942's The Man Who Came to Dinner and All About Eve 's Addison DeWitt was also said to have been based on him). He spouts lines like, "I don't use a pen. I write with a goose quill dipped in venom." And, "In my case, self-absorption is completely justified. I have never discovered any other subject quite so worthy of my attention."

Laura clocks in at under an-hour-and-a-half. The pacing is brilliant and the story features some surprising twists. Still the murderer is apparent long before the conclusion. The supporting cast includes a rather melodramatic Vincent Price and the wonderful stage actress Judith Anderson.

The men in the movie are all given fairly well-rounded personalities. It is only the enigmatic Laura that we are never allowed to really know. Whether this was just bad screenwriting or an intentional device used by the director, I don't know, but it works. Each man sees reflected in Laura what they desire her to be.

Now Clifton Webb was pretty well known to be gay, which in itself was pretty remarkable for the time period. It is very easy to read his character as gay. Does he really lust for Laura or does he want to live vicariously through her? He does seem smitten with Dana Andrews. And what's up with his bath scene at the beginning of the movie? Anyway, it gives the movie an interesting subtext that might not have existed if another actor had played the role.

Laura is another “must see" for any movie buff.

Gene Tierney posing for Laura

Waldo was obviously a gay character. When Andrews asks Webb if he was in love with Laura, Webb responds vaguely that she made him want to be a better person. The bath tub scene is an obvious hint of his sexuality. He invites Andrews into his bathroom instead of getting dressed first. Note that he asks Andrews to hand him a wash cloth that he never even uses. Andrews throws the cloth into the tub from a distance. Both men were sending the other a message. If that were not enough, look at how cold and rude Waldo was when, in a flashback, he met Laura. A straight man would have been much more forgiving of such a gorgeous woman interrupting a lunch he was having alone.

You want more evidence? Look at the scene cut from the original version but restored in 1990. After Laura and Webb become friends, he tells her how to wear her hair and picks out her clothes to make her look more fashionable. Webb narrates during a makeover montage, “Laura had innate breeding, but she deferred to my judgment and taste. I selected a more attractive hairdress for her. I taught her what clothes were more becoming to her.” If that is not a gay stereotype, I do not know what is.

Laura begins with Webb narrating, “I shall never forget the weekend Laura died…” We then meet Dana Andrews playing Mark, a detective who questions those who knew Laura and through flashbacks we get to meet her. He begins to piece together what happened to the lovely young Laura and, as Patrick wrote, begins to fall in love with the image presented to him of a woman he has never met.

Mark is a typical tough 1940s detective. “I suspect nobody and everybody. I am strictly trying to get at the truth.” Like all of those Humphrey Bogart characters, Mark is an apparent loner with an empty heart waiting to be filled by a woman’s love. The film's best scene is when he sits alone in Laura’s apartment having a drink, while he stares up at her painting. Dana Andrews had a 45 year acting career but it was only between 1944-1946 that his star shown so bright.

Gene Tierney’s career practically mimicked Andrews. It lasted almost as long and the height of her career was nearly as short. The role of Laura reminded me of Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1947). Both films are based around a strong female lead using her charm to get her way. Both roles were played by breathtakingly beautiful actresses who make mush out of men. Gene Tierney had a face like no other. Those lips, eyes and cheek bones look as if they were kissed by God himself. With the exception of Hayworth, no other actress form the 1940s ever looked so good.

Patrick, I do not think Laura remaining mostly an enigma was a result of poor writing but, as you wrote, a reflection of how each man saw her. I think Waldo was living through her, as you suggested. Shelby was just after a good time. Only Mark truly felt a genuine attraction for her.

Laura is a classic and for good reason. With such innovative writing, a great cast and, as Patrick noted, a lean running time, this is one of the best films of its time.

Dana Andrews in Laura .

Although Laura is now rightly considered a classic of the 1940s, it began as a troubled B-Movie. Director Otto Preminger first saw the potential to adapt Laura for the silver screen from the successful novel by Vera Caspary, but due to an acrimonious relationship with 20th Century Fox studio head Darryl Zanuck, he almost didn't get his chance to direct it. When the film went into production, upgraded into an A-picture, Preminger was producing but at the behest of Zanuck, Rouben Mamoulian was behind the camera. After two weeks of shooting, Preminger was so disappointed by the dailies he was seeing that he finally managed to persuade Zanuck to fire Mamoulian, and put him in the director's chair. The result was a critical and financial success, nominated for 5 Academy Awards.

Neither of my brothers mentioned the film's famous score, which includes "Laura's Theme". This jazzy piece of music became so popular that a year later Johnny Mercer added lyrics and it has since become a Jazz standard, recorded by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald . This haunting tune is played several times throughout the film. Hedy Lamarr was once asked why she turned down the part of Laura and she famously replied, "Because they sent me the script, not the score."

Tierney was also hesitant about accepting the role, seeing it as essentially a small part. Technically she's correct. Her screen time, especially compared to her male co-stars, is quite small, yet she looms over the entire film in the same way that the painting of her (in reality a photograph of Tierney made up to look like a painting) looms over her apartment. I definitely agree that the decision to leave her as an enigma was deliberate. This is a movie about a woman as seen through the eyes of three different men. Eric might be right that only Mark felt a genuine attraction for her, but he no more knows the real Laura than we do. He has completely idealized her based on that painting and the glimpses he has gained of her through her letters and diaries. He falls in love with her without even meeting her.

Although I agree that the bathtub scene between Webb and Andrews is suggestive, and there's definitely a subtext to Webb's character, I think it's an oversimplification to say that he is just a gay man living vicariously through Laura. If it were that simple, why would he be so jealous of all the other men in Laura's life? Wouldn't he want her to date them, if he was living vicariously through her? I believe he was genuinely in love with Laura even if it wasn't a sexual love. It was still a jealous love and he resented her spending time with anyone else or, most especially, being influenced by anyone else but him. I think he saw her as a pet or a living doll, whom he could groom and teach. When they first met, she needed that grooming and his teachings, but by the time the film starts, Laura had learned all he could teach her. I think he would have been just as jealous of another woman, if she gained an influence over Laura.

This is one of those films that is so good that it can overcome a few weak plot points. There's no logical reason, for example, for Andrews' character to return the shotgun to its hiding place once he has found it. But little moments like that are easy to overlook when everything else about this movie is so perfect. The black and white cinematography, the haunting score, each actor who was so perfectly cast, and a plot that features a great twist, and all of it packed into 90 minutes, make this a definite classic.

Photos © Copyright Twentieth Century Fox (1944)

Laura Movie 1944 - A film noir that actually has a happy ending

This post may contain affiliate links.

The Laura movie is one of the O.G. classic film noirs. A masterpiece by Otto Preminger that is a must-see for film noir fans.

It’s also got a well-deserved 8.0/10 on IMDB and after you see it you’ll understand why.

This post is all about the Laura movie 1944

How is the Laura movie 1944 a film noir?

There are several definitions of a film noir . Some refer to it as just the style of lighting, the dramatic black and white stark lighting that so many film noirs have.

But others think it’s more, it has to do more with the characters of the film. And although it’s hard to pin down there are typically some defining characteristics.

The Laura movie 1944 has all the following typical film noir style characteristics:

An Imperfect protagonist

A Femme Fatale

Witty Dialogue

Dramatic lighting or ‘dark film’

Storyline told via flashback

Other common themes relate to mirrors, smoke, crime of some sort, and there are often detectives on the trail of something.

The Laura movie 1944 manages to bring in the above characteristics and still have a happy ending. Often good endings are hard to find in a film noir.

Why? Because of the nature of the protagonist--i.e. Often a ‘bad guy’ and hollywood code at that time wouldn’t let movies portray ‘bad guys’ get away in the end.

Back to the Laura movie: If you haven’t seen it, stop and see it now, because be warned, there are spoilers ahead!

Laura Movie 1944 Synopsis

When a beautiful woman ( Gene Tierney ) is murdered, a hard-boiled trench-coat wearing detective ( Dana Andrews ) is put on the case. As he learns about the victim he begins to fall in love. It doesn’t hurt that she has a sexy life-sized portrait of herself hanging right at eye level in her apartment.

In a classic film noir style twist it turns out that Laura wasn’t the girl murdered after all. But once she returns she becomes one of the suspects, as the girl that was murdered was having an affair with her fiance Shelby Carpenter. ( Vincent Price )

Laura Movie 1944 Cast

Gene tierney.

Gene Tierney stars as the gorgeous socialite Laura Hunt. Laura is an advertising executive with quite the glamorous life. Well, at least her evenings seem to be, full of society-type parties with the who’s who of New York.

We’re not exactly sure how she finds time to work with her evenings so full.

Gene Tierney being investigated in the Laura movie 1944

Dana Andrews

Dana Andrew’s character Mark McPherson is your stereotypical film-noir style detective. He smokes incessantly, drinks too much, and has a witty comeback to anyone who questions him.

While investigating Laura’s murder, he does all the above while also checking out her large portrait on a regular basis.

He even falls asleep in front of her portrait at one point in the movie after—-you guessed it, smoking and drinking too much.

We’re not joking about the smoking part, he has quite the knack for smoking while talking and talking around a cigarette that is already in his mouth—-definitely a lost skill for sure.

Although he has a hard shell when investigating the murder, it seems that Laura is one who can get through as he changes quite a bit and even manages a few rare smiles once she comes back from the dead as it were.

Clifton Webb

Clifton Webb plays the witty Waldo Lydecker who spends most of the movie with his clothes off (in his bathtub of course).

In all seriousness, Clifton Webb does a phenomenal job playing Waldo Lydecker. It’s hard to imagine him acting any other way after seeing this movie.

He really has a witty, almost nasty comment to anyone all the time. Again, a hard exterior through which is seems only Laura is able to get through.

You actually end up feeling quite bad for his character in the movie.

He refers to something along the lines of when a man has everything in the world except what he wants best he loses his self-respect. He is in love with Laura and considers her “the best part of himself” since he helped ‘create’ her image.

Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney in the laura movie

Of course she didn’t think of him romantically at all and he is constantly fighting off her lovers by researching them and exposing them in his writing.

It worked for a couple of her boyfriends, but it didn’t work when he tried to do it for her fiance Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price.)

Not wanting to see her with another man, he plans her murder so their love would be ‘eternal.’

It’s not clear how long he had planned her murder for, or if he had planned it way ahead of time for a ‘just-in-case’ scenario. But he had given her a large grandfather clock for her birthday which is where he hid a shotgun.

When Laura made it clear she wasn’t going to marry him, he rang her doorbell and when a girl answered the door in a dim light wearing Laura’s robe and slippers he shot her.

Laura had actually gone away for the weekend, and unknown to her or to Waldo Lydecker, Shelby had decided to have a rendezvous with his girlfriend at Laura’s apartment while she was away.

When the girlfriend opened the door, she got shot and Waldo left before realizing his mistake.

It actually takes everyone a long time to realize their mistake. The girl had even been identified as Laura by Laura’s maid…not sure how that happened, but they did mention that she had been shot in the face.

Vincent Price

Vincent Price plays Laura’s rather ditzy fiance Shelby Carpenter.

He is a wealthy playboy (or had been wealthy) that had gone through his money and wanted a job. Laura meets him at a party and offers him a job. They begin working together and that’s when their romance begins to develop.

Vincent Price and Gene Tierney smoking in the Laura movie

Of course he also started seeing one of the models that worked in the office as well, but Laura didn’t know about that until later.

He seems to always be broke and even pawns an expensive cigarette case that Laura bought him.

Despite his rather obvious flaws, Laura’s Aunt is in love with him no matter what. She says to Laura that he’s no good but he is what she wants. She also mentions that she can afford him. It seems like his big spending habits were no secret to anyone.

It’s implied that they end up together, even though she is quite a bit older than him. Maybe cougars were in style earlier than we thought.

Laura Movie 1944 - The film noir style imperfect Protagonist

The main character of the film, although the film is all about Laura, is actually Dana Andrew’s character Mark McPherson.

Although he’s not a criminal (luckily, so we can have our happy ending) he’s not a perfect character.

He’s biased against women “a dame in washington heights once got a fox fur out of me.”

He’s got a quick temper. And likes to call women ‘dames.’

Laura movie 1944: The film noir style femme fatale

Normally in film noir style a femme fatale is a sexy female character that will get the main protagonist into trouble.

Laura has the following characteristics of a femme fatale:

She dresses in a femme fatale style

She might be dangerous

She smokes--also a lot

She talks back

Laura does become a murder suspect, but she’s also turns out to be ‘not bad’ which is why we can have our happy ending.

Actually one of the reasons we love the Laura movie is because Laura isn’t a perfect character.

It’s nice how she plays a “good girl” role without coming across too “goody two-shoes” or corny.

We all know those film noirs that make you like the femme fatale character better than the “good” character for this exact reason!

Laura Movie 1944 - Film noir style witty dialogue

Turn up your volume and turn on the subtitles if needed when watching this movie because it’s got great dialogue.

Most of the witty lines comes from Waldo Lydecker, but Mark Mcpherson has got some good one of her own, and even Judith Anderson chimes in few here and there.

Laura Movie 1944 - Film noir style dramatic lighting

One of the most recognizable elements of film noir: the lighting.

It’s got a special moody/dark quality to it. The term “film noir” actually means “dark film” in reference to the lighting.

The Laura movie has plenty of it! It’s especially dramatic when Laura is being questioned in the Police office by Mark McPherson.

I shall never forget the weekend Laura died…the film-noir style flashback

Finally, our last film noir style element in the Laura movie:

Part of the story told through flashbacks.

The first part of the movie is told through flashbacks from Waldo Lydecker.

He tells detective Mark McPherson how he first met Laura and how he helped give her her start in advertising and how they had become close friends.

Most of Gene Tierney’s role in the first part of the film is told through flashbacks.

What happened to the portrait of Laura?

The portrait of Laura is a major theme throughout the Laura movie.

It’s Mark’s main connection with Laura when he believes her to be dead.

The introduction is shown in front of it, as well as the final credits.

When Laura was believed dead, Mark Mcpherson had put in a bid for it …. I.e. he wanted to buy the portrait just from looking at it all the time.

Since Laura came back, nothing really happened to the portrait of Laura. We’re assuming she kept the portrait. I.e. now that she was alive, it wouldn’t be auctioned off and would presumably stay in her apartment where Mark Mcpherson could look at it all he wanted to.

This post was all about the Laura movie synopsis

What did you think of Laura?

Did you think Dana Andrews or Clifton Webb was the true protagonist?

Dark Passage

In a Lonely Place - Gloria Grahame’s Stunning Femme Fatale Style

Works Cited: Laura. Directed by Otto Preminger, performances by Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson, Twentieth Century Fox, 1944.

Hitchcock Movie Review: Rear Window

Reviews by someone who's seen the movie

A complex psychological thriller masquerading as a film noir, 1944’s Laura is about three men who are bewitched by a woman so ethereally, transcendentally beguiling that it is entirely appropriate that, when director Otto Preminger takes the curtain up, Laura (Gene Tierney) is already dead.

What follows is a basic whodunit pulled in various unusual directions. A for-instance: the cop on the case, Detective McPherson (Dana Andrews), invites one of the men suspected of killing her, Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), to accompany him while he cross-examines other witnesses. What cop does that? Another: the cop doesn’t do very much actual investigating and instead spends an inordinate amount of time in the dead woman’s apartment, making big moony eyes at a portrait of Laura hanging on the wall, as if it’ll tell him who did the deed.

The two other men in the dead Laura’s life are men with bits missing. Though it’s never stated up front, acid-penned columnist Lydecker is a homosexual whose relationship with Laura has been of the courtly older gent/young ingenue variety, though he, bucking against the constraints of his sexuality, wants more, much more. Vincent Price plays Shelby Carpenter, the would-be playboy of the western world who’s held back by a lack of cash and is hoping to rectify the situation by marrying the self-made Laura.

Neither man has the full complement of what Laura needs. If only decent, stand-up McPherson – a red-blooded male happy to live within his means – had met Laura while she were alive.

The casting is spot on. Preminger (who also produced) fought hard to get Webb for the role of Lydecker, and won out against the wishes of studio boss Darryl F Zanuck, who was unhappy about the star’s open homosexuality, when this was what Preminger – who had an instinct for a lurid tabloid sell – wanted him for. Price is suave to the point of being reptilian, in the days before he’d begun his slide into grand guignol. Andrews is particularly good, and plays what is essentially a mad role – the infatuated cop – with a great deal of subtlety and restraint.

There are two important women. Laura, of course, with Tierney doing good work as the go-getter who takes the breaks offered to her by Lydecker and becomes a lone female force in the male-dominated world of advertising. What’s particularly good about her performance is the way she catches the beautiful woman’s in-built expectation that men will fall over themselves to be near her. As a kind of shadow version of Laura is the nicely over the top (as ever) Judith Anderson, four years on from playing Mrs Danvers in Rebecca , and here playing the doomed friend of Carpenter, unrequited love busting out all over and with not quite enough of what Laura’s got to get what Laura gets.

Preminger always had a taste for the melodramatic and squeezes the mood from initially highly frivolous (when the cop first meets Lydecker, Lydecker is in the bath) to incredibly fraught. The scene towards the end where the cop announces over the telephone, and in front of a room full of people hanging on his every word, that he’s about to arrest the murderer just as soon as he’s finished this call, is a bravura bit of writing and directing Agatha Christie would have been proud of.

It’s a country-house murder-mystery with an urban (and urbane) update, and Preminger is at pains to keep everything moving as if on castors, so much so that the one sharp move in the whole film really generates a frisson.

A triumph for Preminger, a rebuke for Zanuck, who not only hadn’t wanted Webb but didn’t want Preminger to direct and even forced a contrived rewritten finale on his director. Preminger, a bull at a gate, got what he wanted in all three instances, and was vindicated when Laura became one of the big hits of the year. Laura’s Theme – later recorded by Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald – was a big hit too.

Laura – Watch it/buy it at Amazon

I am an Amazon affiliate © Steve Morrissey 2022

IMDb information

February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
February 2019
January 2019
August 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
September 2017
August 2017
November 2016
September 2016
August 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
February 2011
January 2009
January 2007
October 2006
August 2006
February 2002
September 2000

[imdb]tt0037008[/imdb]

Fox, 87 min., not rated, DVD: $14.98 Volume 20, Issue 4

by Randy Pitman

July 11, 2005

Rating: 4 of 5

1944 was a vintage year for film noir, producing two of the genre's undisputed classics, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity and Otto Preminger's Laura . Investigating the apparent murder of a beautiful socialite, hardboiled police detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is a sharp contrast to the effete intellectuals and snobs that comprise his list of suspects (including columnist Clifton Webb and ladies man[!] Vincent Price). Only there was nothing delicate or high class about the modus operandi: the victim had her face blown off by a shotgun, and in the early part of the film, we only know what she looks like because of a portrait hanging in her apartment. McPherson becomes infatuated by the dead woman in the picture, and is understandably stunned when Laura (Gene Tierney) walks in the front door, explaining that she'd been away on a vacation, sending the investigation in an entirely different direction. Maintaining a level of icy tension that has rarely been equaled in the history of crime films, Laura snagged an Oscar for Joseph LaShelle's atmospheric cinematography, and picked up nominations for Director, Supporting Actor (Webb), Screenplay, and Art Direction. Presented with a sharp-looking transfer, DVD extras include two audio commentaries (a very informative track by film historian Rudy Behlmer, and another with composer David Raksin and Wesleyan University film professor Jeanine Basinger), two episodes from A&E's Biography series ("Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait" and "Vincent Price: The Versatile Villain"), and a deleted scene. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: five other titles are also newly available in the Fox Film Noir collection: Call Northside 777 , House of Bamboo , Nightmare Alley , Panic in the Streets , and The Street With No Name .] ( R. Pitman )[ Blu-ray Review —Feb. 26, 2013—Fox, 87 min., not rated, $24.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1944's Laura sports a fine transfer and a DTS-HD monaural soundtrack. Blu-ray extras are nearly identical to the DVD release, including an extended version with alternate opening, two audio commentaries (the first with composer David Raksin and film professor Jeanine Basinger; the second by film historian Rudy Behlmer), the A&E Biography episodes “Gene Tierney: A Shattered Portrait” (44 min.) and “Vincent Price: A Versatile Villain” (44 min.), a deleted scene (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is “The Obsession,” featuring interviews with fans of the film (12 min.). Bottom line: a classic noir makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]

Star Ratings

As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.

Most Popular

Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today:

Laura (1944) Directed by Otto Preminger , Rouben Mamoulian

Film review, film synopsis, similar films.

Badlands (1973)
À tout de suite (2004)
La Mala educación (2004)
Pour elle (2008)
Carne trémula (1997)

Film Credits

Other things to look at.

The Definitives

Critical essays, histories, and appreciations of great films

Essay by Brian Eggert November 13, 2021

Laura opens on a portrait of Gene Tierney, an actress Darryl F. Zanuck called, “The most beautiful woman in film history.” Tierney’s tragically short career was often judged by her appearance and privileged early life. Introduced as a debutante by her well-heeled Connecticut family, Tierney earned headlines for her romances with mogul Howard Hughes, future president John F. Kennedy, and Prince Aly Khan. She was seen as glamorous and serene to a fault, leading to occasional negative reviews of her mannered performances. Her character in the 1944 film, too, is lauded like a goddess by almost every character. “Her youth and beauty, her poise and charm of manner captivated them all,” extols one of Laura Hunt’s admirers. “She had warmth, vitality. She had authentic magnetism. Wherever we went, she stood out. Men admired her. Women envied her.” Such infatuation grows into an obsession with the idea of Laura more than the person behind her appearance, leading to her violent murder before the film opens. And while Tierney did not suffer that grim fate in life, her role and off-screen life share a similar downswing. Both Laura and the actor performing her were shaped according to a fantasy image, causing immeasurable damage in both the film and Tierney’s life.

Laura ’s screenplay doesn’t retain much from the source material. Author Vera Caspary’s story, first serialized in Collier’s Weekly as Ring Twice for Laura , was published in book form in 1942. After Twentieth Century-Fox acquired the screen rights, director-producer Otto Preminger championed the adaptation, despite being on the outs with Fox’s production chief, Zanuck. The two had clashed during the studio’s big-budget adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Kidnapped from 1938, and Zanuck had removed Preminger from the picture, stalling the director’s career in the process. But while Zanuck was away serving as a war photographer in Europe, executive assistant William Goetz quietly maneuvered Preminger back into the studio to develop Laura . A loose adaptation of the book, the screenplay was credited to Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt. The writers used Caspary’s gimmick of finding a dead woman who gets mistaken as Laura, only to have Laura return as a prime suspect, but not much else. Most of the characters and other details were reworked for the screen. Bryan Foy, head of Fox’s “B” movie unit of programmers, led the production initially. But few besides Preminger, Foy included, believed in the project. Caspary, too, felt her source material would be underserved by a “B” grade film, while Foy and others complained about the script’s quality. But Zanuck read the script and, according to Preminger, liked that it didn’t have a single scene inside a police station. Since Foy wasn’t interested, Zanuck took the project and gave it an “A” budget—an unlikely outcome given Zanuck and Preminger’s rocky past.

Still, Zanuck refused at first to allow Preminger to direct the picture. He sent the script to his studio’s other top-tier directors, many of whom passed, until Rouben Mamoulian, who had not worked for years and needed the money, agreed to take on the project with Preminger serving as a producer. But Mamoulian and Preminger disagreed about how Laura should be cast, shot, and scored, and others seemed unimpressed with the material. Jennifer Jones and Hedy Lamarr both turned down the leading role, leaving Laura to Gene Tierney, then 24, who had cut her teeth on a few underwhelming roles for Fox. However, after the first few days of shooting, Zanuck, Mamoulian, and Preminger were unsatisfied with the early footage. Preminger went to Zanuck and received permission to fire Mamoulian and take over the production himself. Approving Preminger’s takeover was a risky move on Zanuck’s part. Preminger had not yet developed into the autocrat behind the camera that he would eventually become; his output to this point consisted of a few “B” movies. And yet, after Laura , for which he would earn his first of three Oscar nominations for Best Director, he became one of Fox’s most important and edgy sources of film noir in the 1940s and 1950s. He followed it with Fallen Angel (1945), Whirlpool (1950), and Angel Face (1953), among others.

With pressures mounting in Tierney’s personal life, she needed roles like Laura Hunt, even if she thought little of them. “Really, I was in no position to be picky,” she wrote. Even after her career bloomed with roles in Leave Her to Heaven (1945), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), and Night and the City (1950), she continued to struggle in Hollywood. By the age of 34, Tierney was not only physically transformed by Hollywood but her mental state became increasingly fragile. Stress, depression, an undiagnosed bipolar disorder, and guilt over her first daughter’s institutionalization took their toll. She underwent psychotherapy and shock treatments. Between institutionalizations, she considered suicide when she stepped out onto the ledge of her New York apartment before a crowd of onlookers, among them her second daughter. Eventually, she retreated from the public eye to look after her mental health at a clinic in Topeka, Kansas, where she was advised to take a sales position in a local shop to adjust to people again. She was soon recognized and pestered by reporters while at work; the story made headlines, and Tierney was forced to quit her job. By the early 1950s, her film roles became intermittent. Within a few years, she retired from Hollywood and lived out her remaining decades with a quiet life in Houston.

Besides Tierney—who hadn’t revealed her full potential by 1944— Laura is full of unlikely casting choices. There’s Dana Andrews, an unproven “B” actor with few credits; he would soon become a film noir staple and make four more films with Preminger. Price is memorable as Laura’s husband-to-be, a far slipperier character than the types of intimidating roles he would take in Roger Corman and William Castle’s films. And while Judith Anderson’s role as Laura’s wealthy aunt isn’t as iconic as her Mrs. Danvers from Rebecca (1940), she delivers a complex character that this essay will touch on later. Then there is queer icon Clifton Webb, a Broadway star who had not appeared in a film since 1930. Webb was championed by Preminger, despite warnings to Zanuck that “he flies”—a reference to Webb’s sexuality. Noir scholar James Naremore observed wryly that Laura bears a camp quality given these actors who invite “a mood of fey theatricality.” But only in retrospect, when viewing Anderson’s closeted lesbian role in Rebecca , Price’s bisexuality as an open secret in Hollywood, and Webb’s open homosexuality, does Laura play as Naremore suggests.

Visually, Preminger’s approach to Laura proves static and detached, especially when compared to his later work. But this is purposeful. Using plan américain photography shot by cinematographer Joseph LaShelle, Preminger captures characters in profile as they discuss their motives and alibis. Rather than cutting a scene down in a two-shot structure, alternating between McPherson’s question and the suspect’s answer, he allows us to observe them from an objective vantage point and judge their behavior. In larger settings, Preminger employs whip pans to transition from one character to the next, which allows for movement without telling the viewer where to look or how to feel about the characters. As a result, Laura ’s cinematography sometimes feels impersonal, as though the visuals give the viewer no clear indication about where our sympathy should lie. Moreover, much of the film’s action unfolds in well-lit interiors—Laura’s apartment above all—far removed from the moody shadows and expressive camera angles commonly found in film noir. Alternatively, David Raskin’s score accounts for much of Laura ’s noir flavor; it haunts the film like the idea of Laura haunts other characters. Written after receiving a Dear John letter from his wife, the music became a best-selling standard recorded by names like Nat King Cole, Charlie Parker, and Frank Sinatra. Raskin’s melancholy notes build substance into the affections, memories, and obsessions that turn into murderous impulses, tonally situating Laura into the film noir genre.

While Laura is often lumped into this stylized genre because of certain plot elements and its score, the film lacks many of the common characteristics associated with film noir. Perhaps if Laura had murdered Diane Redfern out of jealousy or, say, pinned the murder on Lydecker or Carpenter to escape their hold, then she would have been an archetypal femme fatale. As is, she remains wrongly accused, if central to the motivations of other characters. But she is hardly the duplicitous, seductive, and amoral woman often featured in film noirs. Further, McPherson isn’t the shady cop found in so many genre offerings. As far as we can tell, he is a decent detective with one central flaw: he allows himself to be emotionally invested in the case—a condition the story rewards when it hints that McPherson and Laura will end up together. If McPherson’s fixation had been a punishable moral crime in the film’s eyes, or those of the Production Code, there might have been another scene showing him reprimanded or Laura turning him down romantically. Instead, we believe they will end up together because the film believes his obsession is justified and his love is true. To be sure, there have been far more corrupted noir protagonists who walk the line between hero and antihero. Take Preminger’s Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950), where Andrews again plays a cop, but this time he goes to prison for killing a suspect while questioning him.

Though every character has their motivations, none is more obsessed than Lydecker, who cuts Laura down in their first introduction and builds her up again in his image. “Laura had innate breeding,” he explains to McPherson. “But she deferred to my judgment and taste. I selected a more attractive hairdress for her. I taught her what clothes were more becoming to her. Through me, she met everyone—the famous and the infamous.” Anticipating James Stewart’s Scottie in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958), Lydecker demonstrates the textbook behaviors of a stalker or controlling lover: he follows her, finds excuses to stroll past her apartment, showers her with attention and gifts, but he also expects her to conform to his idea of her. Laura’s willingness to bend to his vision feeds his ego, his only true love. Based in part on the famously snobby New Yorker theater critic Alexander Woollcott, Lydecker’s colorfully violent language in the screenplay (“If you come a little closer, my boy, I can crack your skull”) hints at his capacity for murder. In the end, Lydecker’s spell over Laura is broken. The film’s last shot rests on the clock Lydecker gave her, identical to one in his own apartment of course. Lydecker shatters it when he shoots at Laura and misses, just as officers gun him down. The symbol of Lydecker’s hold over Laura is destroyed.

Tierney was subject to a similar brand of destructive obsession in her life and career, and one wonders whether she made the connection between the character and herself. Critics, above all in The New York Times , often wrote about Tierney in terms of her appearance and regularly called out her surface beauty, privileged upbringing, and role as a debutante. A review of Bell Star (1941), in which she plays the title role of an American outlaw, notes that “her youth and fancy finishing school background betray her.” The review of Laura was just as unkind, stating Tierney “simply doesn’t measure up to the word-portrait of her character. Pretty, indeed, but hardly the type of girl we had expected to meet. For Miss Tierney plays at being a brilliant and sophisticated advertising executive with the wild-eyed innocence of a college junior.” More recent appraisals have acknowledged that Laura isn’t Tierney’s best performance. Roger Ebert was right when he observed that Tierney “never seems emotionally involved” in her role. Then again, perhaps Preminger intended Tierney to appear detached. Laura remains a character whose identity is assumed and assigned by those who regard her or her portrait. She’s almost as absent from the picture as the titular character from Hitchcock’s Rebecca , which charts the lingering impact of a woman’s memory.

Laura is a beautiful portrait, an image onto which, like Lydecker, Carpenter, and McPherson, the viewer projects meaning. Preminger and Tierney create a character whose beauty, success, and sophistication become surface traits that reduce Laura to a concept more than a flesh and blood human being. But as Laura transitions from a film noir charting a murder investigation during the first half, it centers us in the midst of a romantic mystery during the second half. McPherson, thus the viewer, like the others, has fallen for the fantasized idea of Laura, even as the character herself—her personality, her tastes, her sense of humor—remain elusive and undefined. Sadly, then, Laura , a film about how fantasies build up, blur, and dehumanize one woman, provides a lens through which we can understand Tierney’s life as a celebrity. Tierney gave a more nuanced performance in Leave Her to Heaven and a more affecting turn in Night and the City , but her presence haunts Laura well beyond the final shot. Onscreen, Tierney plays an icon who entrances everyone around her, but the performer’s life off-camera lends the role tragic insight that makes the film unforgettable.

(Editor’s Note: This review was commissioned on Patreon. Thanks for your continued support, Elizabeth! )

Bibliography:

Bogdanovich, Peter. Who the Devil Made It? Ballantine, 1997.

Hirsch, Foster. Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would be King . Alfred A. Knopf, 2007.

Janovich, Mark. “‘Vicious Womanhood’: Genre, the ‘Femme Fatale’ and Postwar America.” Canadian Journal of Film Studies , vol. 20, no. 1, 2011, pp. 100–114. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/24411857. Accessed 1 May 2021.

McNamara, Eugene. “Laura” as Novel, Film, and Myth . Edwin Mellen Press, 1992.

Naremore, James. “American Film Noir: The History of an Idea.” Film Quarterly , vol. 49, no. 2, 1995, pp. 12–28. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/1213310. Accessed 1 May 2021. Tierney, Gene. Self-Portrait . Wyden Books, 1979.

Related Titles

In Theaters

Recent Reviews

Challengers 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Infested 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Boy Kills World 1.5 Stars ☆ ☆
Patreon Exclusive: Tuesday 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver 0.5 Star ☆
Patreon Exclusive: Sasquatch Sunset 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Abigail 3.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Civil War 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
Patreon Exclusive: Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter 4 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
LaRoy, Texas 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Blackout 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Monkey Man 3 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆
Short Take: Baghead 2 Stars ☆ ☆
Patreon Exclusive: The Public Eye 2.5 Stars ☆ ☆ ☆

Laura (1944) – Blu-Ray Review

Framed initially as a murder mystery, the titular Laura—played by the effortlessly glamorous Tierney—has been found murdered, a young advertising executive surrounded by Manhattan high society. On the case is Mark McPherson (Andrews, carved out of whiskey and granite), a NYPD detective attempting to put two and two together with the help of waspish, elite columnist Waldo Lydecker (an Oscar-nominated, scene-stealing Clifton Webb) in a tale which inevitably twists, turns and ultimately becomes an entirely different case altogether, once Laura’s fate is revealed.

In many ways this makes Preminger’s picture a film of two halves. The first 45 minutes or so are pure Raymond Chandler, as McPherson lugubriously ebbs and flows amidst a sea of potential suspects (including a young, pre-horror icon Vincent Price as a fairly hapless male socialite), with Preminger maintaining the enigma of the case from his perspective. The last half is far more of a romantic drama, twisting Laura’s story (as we see more from Tierney) into a tale of dark obsession. In any other picture such a right-hand turn would mark the film’s downfall but Preminger’s tight direction absolutely sells it.

READ MORE: Opera – Blu-Ray Review

Admittedly, Laura would probably make a better stage play than a piece of cinema; Jay Drafler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Betty Reinhardt and (an uncredited) Ring Lardner Jr’s script (based on the novel of the same name by Vera Caspary) is peppered with superb, cutting and witty dialogue which comes at you thick and fast, but he has to work hard to keep the piece visually interesting. Thankfully the performances make the most of his work; Andrews the anchor, Tierney the heart, with Price slippery, the great Judith Anderson pitiful, and Webb utterly viperish as the standout turn. You’re left wanting more from these characters as the narrative unfurls to a swift but satisfying conclusion.

As ever with the re-release of a long-cherished picture, it’s the extras which determine plenty and Eureka have gone to town on this one. Two audio commentaries (including one featuring late composer David Raksin), two radio broadcasts from 1945 and 1954 (both starring Tierney), archival featurettes, deleted scenes and a collector’s booklet featuring a new essay by Phil Hoad. A great deal of love has been put into giving Laura quite a sumptuous Blu-Ray release.

The quintessential film noir, Laura is one to discover (or rediscover) and there may never have been a better time.

Laura is now available from Eureka Entertainment.

Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Drop us a comment Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Discover more from Set The Tape

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Type your email…

You must be logged in to post a comment.

MPAA Rating

Produced by, released by, laura (1944), directed by otto preminger / rouben mamoulian.

AllMovie Rating 10
User Ratings ( 0 )
Your Rating
Overview ↓
AllMovie Review Review ↓
User Reviews ↓
Cast & Crew ↓
Awards ↓
Releases ↓
Related ↓

Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Characteristics, related movies.

New Releases
Archival Posts
70s | 80s | 90s
Shorts | Trailers | Posters | Interviews
Apple TV+ Amazon
Criterion Collection
Historic Events
Queer Film/TV
Science Fiction
Southern Gothic
LA Music Scene
Music in Film
Film Festivals
Best European Film
Gotham Independent Film Awards
Film Independent Spirit Awards (FISA)
National Board of Review
About @TheBrownees
Media Requests
Subscribe to the Blog
Sample Page
Privacy Policy
Cinematographers
Classic Film Noir
Masterpieces

Best International Film
Documentary
The Best of the Best
Hitchcock and other great movie directors
Underappreciated
Le Festival de Cannes
Venice International Film Festival
Music Biography
Music Scene
Paramount Plus

Select Page

Laura (1944) Film Review A+

DIRECTOR: Otto Preminger

Bottom line: one of the reasons for firing laura’s” original director, rouben mamoulian, was his attitude towards clifton webb. his less-than-stellar treatment of the seasoned theatrical actor on the set because of his sexual orientation has become the stuff of hollywood lore. however, a more likely reason for his dismissal was the direction he was taking the material. remember, mamoulian is more famous for the films he didn’t make (was fired from) than those he did – in addition to “laura,” he was also fired from the sets of “oklahoma” and “cleopatra. ” zanuck then handed the film over to producer otto preminger. it was a stroke of sheer genius that will never be forgotten. the result is on e of the classic film noirs, blessed with a great score by david raksin. a star is born in gene tierney, and clifton webb strikes gold as waldo lydecker., like most of the great film noirs from the forties, the film begins with a narration and the narrative unfolds in a flashback.

“I shall never forget the weekend Laura died. A silver sun burned through the sky like a huge magnifying glass. It was the hottest Sunday in my recollection. I felt as if I were the only human being left in New York. For with Laura’s horrible death, I was alone. I, Waldo Lydecker, was the only one who really knew her. And I had just begun to write Laura’s story when – another of those detectives came to see me. I had him wait. I could watch him through the half-open door. I noted that his attention was fixed upon my clock. There was only one other in existence, and that was in Laura’s apartment in the very room where she was murdered” F ade in Narration by Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker

STREAMING: Amazon Prime and Apple TV+

65 Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code (1934-1967) Part One. – TheBrownees

65 Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code (1934-1967). Part Two. – TheBrownees

65 Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code (Table) – TheBrownees

45 Queer Films from 1967-1976: Queer Cinema Comes Out – TheBrownees

Classic Film Noir At Twentieth Century Fox – TheBrownees

https://thebrownees.net/my-70-all-time-favorite-original-movie-scores/

RETURN TO THE HOME PAGE

NYFCC Award for Best Supporting Actress.

by Patrick | Dec 3, 2021 | Awards Season , Critic Awards , NYFCC

In the fifty-four years since Dyan Cannon won the first won Best Supporting Actress in NY in 1969, fourteen of their choices have failed to get a nomination.

Best Final Movie Made by a Great Director

by Patrick | May 21, 2022 | Hitchcock and other great movie directors

Although Charles Laughton made only one and, therefore, final film, based on this film alone, he is of the Great Directors. Number One: Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (Sidney Lumet: 2007). Number Five: Family Plot (Alfred Hitchcock: 1976).

My 50 All-Time Favorite Horror Movies

by Patrick | May 14, 2022 | Hitchcock and other great movie directors

Here are my 50 all-time favorite horror movies from 1934 to the present.1. Psycho | 2. Midsommar | 3. The Exorcist | 4. The Shining | 5. Alien…

Nitram (2022) Film Review A+

by Patrick | Jan 3, 2023 | A+ , Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , Drama , Favorites , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Historic Events , Hulu , Masterpieces , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming , Underappreciated

As for Judy Davis she gives what is probably her most outstanding performance, which means it’s one of the greatest performances ever captured on film.

Happening (2022) Film Review A

by Patrick | May 14, 2022 | A , Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , Drama , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming

The weeks pass and Anne begins to “show'”. Time is running out. Any attempt at a back street abortion is becoming increasingly dangerous.

The Tale of King Crab (2022) Film Review A-

by Patrick | May 1, 2022 | A- , Action , Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , Drama , Epic , Favorites , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Genres (Musical-Western) , Mystery , Ratings: Movies and Television , Thriller , TV / Streaming , Underappreciated , Western

The directors are extremely cine-literate. However, their references never seemed forced and I basked in their cinematic vision.

Great Freedom (2021) Film Review A-

by Patrick | May 9, 2022 | A- , Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , Drama , Favorites , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Genres (Musical-Western) , Queer Film/TV , Queer Film/TV , Ratings: Movies and Television , Romance , TV / Streaming , Underappreciated

Meise directs what must be some of the most beautiful and heartfelt scenes ever captured on film between two men in love.

Till (2022) Film Review B+

by Patrick | Oct 11, 2022 | Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , B+ , Drama , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Genres (Musical-Western) , Historic Events , Queer Film/TV , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming

The 2023 Best Actress Oscar Goes To…Danielle Deadwyler in Till. And as she reaches the volta of her magnificent speech she does something extraordinary…

Babylon (2022) Film Review B-

by Patrick | Dec 25, 2022 | Action , Apple TV+ Amazon , Archival Posts , B- , Comedy , Drama , Epic , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Historic Events , Horror , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming

I had no problem sitting through the movie’s bloated 180-minute running because, through all of this nothingness, five actors manage to make lasting impressions

Jeanne Dielman (1975) Film Review A+

by Patrick | May 11, 2021 | 70s | 80s | 90s , A+ , Criterion Collection , Drama , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Masterpieces , Queer Film/TV , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming

In “Jeanne Dielman”, a feminist masterpiece, the everyday details of a caring mother contrast with her life as a prostitute.

There Was A Crooked Man (1970) Film Review B+

by Patrick | Sep 21, 2021 | 70s | 80s | 90s , Action , Apple TV+ Amazon , B+ , Comedy , Drama , Favorites , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Genres (Musical-Western) , Hitchcock and other great movie directors , Queer Film/TV , Ratings: Movies and Television , TV / Streaming , Underappreciated , Western

Hume Cronyn and John Randolph are our happy and well-adjusted gay couple. Yes, they fight and bicker all the time. However, they are clearly madly in love with each other.

Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) Film Review A+

by Patrick | Jan 23, 2022 | 30s | 40s , A+ , Apple TV+ Amazon , Cinematographers , Comedy , Drama , Favorites , Film Reviews , Genres (Action - Music Scene) , Genres (Musical-Western) , Masterpieces , Queer Film/TV , Queer Film/TV , Ratings: Movies and Television , Thriller , TV / Streaming

In “Kind Hearts and Coronets”: Alec Guinness has fun playing all eight (or nine) of the unfortunate D’Ascoynes, including Lady Agatha D’Ascoyne. The photograph shows Dennis Price with Joan Greenwood who plays that little minx Sibella.

Eight Legendary Foreign Actresses Who Did Not Make It In Hollywood.

by Patrick | May 22, 2023 | The Best of the Best

They were the darlings of the art house circuit. Their work in a language other than English is some of the greatest ever captured on film. But Hollywood…

Steely Dan/Donald Fagen: Rated

by Patrick | Jan 25, 2022 | LA Music Scene , Music & Art

Rated: the Dan’s seven classic albums released between 1972 and 1980. Rated: Donald’s “The Nightfly” as continuum with “Aja” and “Gaucho”.

The Best Songwriters from the Golden Age of Hollywood – Part Two – The Great Lyricists.

by Patrick | Jul 18, 2023 | Awards Season , Music & Art , Music in Film , Oscar

Irving Berlin tops the list with 21 songs, followed by Johnny Mercer with 19, Sammy Cahn with 16, Ira Gershwin with 14, and Johnny Burke with 10.

The Great Cinematographers of Hollywood’s Golden Age

by Patrick | Jun 5, 2023 | Awards Season , Cinematographers , Classic Film Noir , Oscar

Hal Mohr** is the only person to have won a competitive Academy Award without being nominated for it. Mohr was allowed to keep his Oscar and won a second.

200+ Great Actors & Actresses Who Have Never Been Nominated.

by Patrick | Oct 26, 2022 | Awards Season , Oscar

200 Great Actors and Actresses Who Have Never Been Nominated: Marilyn Monroe, Kim Novak, Edward G. Robinson, Fred MacMurray, Mia Farrow, Ellen Barkin…

Subscribe for the latest reviews right in your inbox!

Laura (1944) Classic Movie Review 91

I ain’t afraid of cops. I was brought up to spit whenever I saw one.

Welcome to today’s show, Laura (1944), my name is John. As always you can subscribe to the show on iTunes or follow the links to social media in the podcast show notes. You can also go to classicmovierev.com to read notes, bios, and other random movie thoughts. Remember this show is completely free and independent. All I ask is that you jump over to iTunes and give me a review.

This is a very unusual film that is classified a Film-Noir . The story follows a detective as he falls in love with a murdered woman. Director Otto Preminger added some odd homoerotic tension and many key noir elements are missing.

Let’s jump right in with the actors.

ACTORS – Laura (1944)

Dana Andrews was cast in the role of Det. Lt. Mark McPherson who falls in love with a dead woman. Andrews was first covered in In Harm’s Way (1965).

Vincent Price played the role of Shelby Carpenter, a southern huckster that was engaged to the murdered woman. Price was first covered in The Last Man on Earth (1964).

Gene Tierney played the role of top advertising executive Laura Hunt. Tierney was born in New York in 1920. Tierney had a wealthy family which resulted in her having a first-rate education, including a finishing school in Switzerland.

Tierney returned to the USA and was performing on Broadway by 1938. Her very first role consisted of carrying a bucket of water on stage prompting a critic to state “Miss Tierney is, without a doubt, the most beautiful water carrier I have ever seen!” In 1940, Darryl F. Zanuck saw Tierney in a play and she signed a contract with 20 th Century Fox.

Tierney’s first released film was the Return of Frank James (1940) followed by the release of Hudson’s Bay (1941). The next year she starred in The Shanghai Gesture (1941), Sundown (1941), Tobacco Road (1941), and Belle Starr (1941). Next, she was in the comedy Rings on Her Fingers (1942). Directed by Otto Preminger, Laura (1944) is largely considered to be one of Tierney’s best films. Tierney received an Oscar nomination for Leave Her to Heaven (1945). In one of my favorite films, The Razor’s Edge (1946) she played the spoiled rich girl Isabel Bradley to a tee. Clifton Webb co-starred with her in this film as well. Tierney was wonderful in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947).

Big roles such as Night and the City (1950), The Mating Season (1951), Close to My Heart (1951), Plymouth Adventure (1952), Personal Affair (1953) and The Left Hand of God (1955) continued for Tierney through the mid-1950s. A failed marriage, a disabled child, and some disastrous love affairs lead to depression and a hiatus from films. Tierney returned for Advise & Consent (1962) and was as great as ever. However, the demand was gone. Her last feature film was The Pleasure Seekers (1964). Tierney died in 1991 shortly before her 71 st birthday.

Clifton Webb played the role of Waldo Lydecker, mentor to Laura and snotty columnist and radio host. Born in 1899, Webb was trained as a youth to act and dance. He left school at 13 to study music and painting. At the age of 19, he was a professional ballroom dancer. By his mid-20s he was on Broadway, the London stage, and silent movies. It took Webb a while to be in talkies because he refused to audition. His first sound film was Laura (1944). He appeared again with Gene Tierney in The Razor’s Edge (1946). Webb’s portrayal of Elliot Templeton was masterful. However, like in Laura (1944), he may have been playing a character that was close to type.

Staying close to type he was in a series of Mr. Belvedere movies. A couple of his more interesting roles include Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) with Myrna Loy and Mister Scoutmaster (1953).

Webb lived with his mother until she died at the age of 91. He died 6 years later in 1966 at the age of 76.

Judith Anderson played socialite and sugar momma Ann Treadwell. Dame Judith Anderson. Anderson was born in Australia in 1897. She started acting there before moving to New York in 1918. She did well in America and was a top Broadway actress from the 1930s through the 1950s.

STORY – Laura (1944)

This movie begins by showing the portrait of Laura (Gene Tierney) hung over the fireplace as the credits roll. When the credits end the voice of Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb) reading well-written prose about the death of Laura. He says he was the only one who knew her and he was just about to write her story when a New York City police detective Mark McPherson ( Dana Andrews ) is shown waiting in the living room of the upscale apartment. The detective looks at a large clock and the narrating voice says there is only one other and it’s in Laura’s apartment.

Waldo calls McPherson into the bathroom, where he is lounging in the tub while he types on his typewriter. Waldo moves the typewriter and exposes himself to McPherson. When Waldo stands up McPherson gives him a much-debated look. We won’t find the answer here. Waldo is impressed when he finds out the McPherson is a hero and captured a killer.

McPherson asks about a column Waldo wrote and said a person was murdered by a shotgun blast of buckshot, the same manner Laura was killed. When McPherson gets ready to leave, Waldo wants to tags along. Waldo says murder is his favorite crime. McPherson asked if he was in love with Laura. Waldo doesn’t really answer.

The pair travels to the very nice apartment and met Laura’s very rich socialite aunt Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson). Eventually, McPherson asks Ann how she feels about Laura’s fiancé Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price). He then asks if Ann is in love with Carpenter. Ann has been giving Carpenter money and spending a lot of social time with him. Waldo makes wisecracks the entire time.

Shelby comes in makes excuses for being at Ann’s apartment. Waldo says Laura was not definite about marrying Shelby. Waldo, Shelby, and McPherson go to Laura’s apartment to get a key for Laura’s cabin. McPherson breaks Shelby’s alibi and finds out that he planted a key to the cabin in Laura’s drawer. Shelby and Waldo almost get into a fight.

That night Waldo and McPherson eat out at an Italian restaurant and Waldo takes the tale back five years to his first meeting with the naïve young Laura. He sternly rebuffs her. Later he finds Laura at her office and apologizes. He then starts mentoring her and help her meet the right people to make her a star in the advertising field. Waldo picked her hairstyle and the clothes she wore. They eat out every night except Tuesdays and Fridays when they cooked at home. After a time Laura began canceling her regular visits. Waldo stalked her house and found out the man she was seeing was Jacoby the artist that drew the portrait. Waldo destroyed him in his columns and every other man she became interested in.

One night at a party she met Shelby who is from Kentucky. His redneck charm wins over Laura. Shelby admits he has no money and she gives him a job at the advertising agency. One of the models that Shelby uses is Diane Redfern. As Laura and Shelby become closer Waldo becomes more jealous. Waldo has Shelby investigated and tries to turn Laura against him. Waldo tells Laura that Shelby is also seeing Diane Redfern. Waldo finally shows Laura a cigarette case that she had given Shelby that was later pawned by Diane Redfern. When he breaks her down, Waldo says he is doing all of this for her.

Waldo and Laura go to the apartment of Ann and find Shelby dining with Ann. Laura slaps the cigarette case down and storms out. Waldo says on Friday of the murder Laura has lunch with Diane Redfern. Laura called Waldo and says she is going to the country to sort things out.

Back on the current timeline, McPherson begins hanging around Laura’s house, reading her letters, diary, and drinking her booze. McPherson calls the liquor supplier and asks if she ever bought Black Pony Scotch. The housekeeper Bessie Clary (Dorothy Adams) comes in for her interview and gives McPherson the business for messing with Laura’s stuff. Bessie says Laura was a real fine lady. He asks her about the Black Pony. She says she found the full bottle on Saturday before the police came and the bottle had not been there when Bessie left on Friday. Bessie also washed the glasses.

Around this time Shelby, Waldo, and Ann show up and he offers them a drink of the Scotch. Shelby refuses the drink saying he is not a day drinker. Ann and Waldo begin to talk about the estate and Waldo tries to reclaim a vase, the matching clock, and a fire screen. McPherson won’t let Waldo take anything and he sends the three away.

That night McPherson goes back to Laura’s apartment. He continues to rifle through her stuff, stare at her picture, and search her bedroom. Waldo shows up and starts giving McPherson grief for invading Laura’s stuff. Waldo also reveals that McPherson has put in a bid for the portrait of Laura. Waldo says McPherson may have fallen in love with a corpse.

McPherson falls asleep under the portrait of Laura. The door opens and in walks a very much alive Laura who demands to know why the man is in her home. He tells her about the murdered girl in her apartment. When Laura changes out of her wet clothes, she finds one of Diane Redfern’s dresses in her closet. McPherson interrogates Laura about her whereabouts and alibis. McPherson finds out that Shelby has a key to her apartment. He also says the murdered woman was wearing Laura’s nightgown and slippers. McPherson orders her not to leave the house or call anyone.

As soon as McPherson is out Laura calls Shelby. They meet and then split up. McPherson follows Shelby and the other officer follows MacPherson. Shelby goes to Laura’s cabin and takes the shotgun off the mantle. McPherson catches him in the act. McPherson tells Shelby that he was in trouble because he knew who the murdered woman was. He says he took Laura’s key from the office and took Diane to the house. He says after three hours the doorbell rang and he asks Diane to answer the door. He heard the shot and then ran to Diane and never saw the shooter. Shelby was not sure if Laura did it and he was only trying to keep Laura’s name clean. McPherson also finds out the Laura lied about her radio at the cabin not working.

In the morning McPherson comes to see Laura with a big of breakfast to cook. Bessie comes in and freaks out when she see Laura. They then decide that Bessie should cook for them. Shelby shows up and is happy to see Laura. McPherson starts in on Shelby when Waldo arrives at the door. When he sees Laura he is visibly shocked and then faints. McPherson decides not to arrest anyone and Waldo plans a party for Laura.

At the party, Ann starts giving Shelby grief and tries to get him back. Shelby is riding high as he thinks Laura needs him. Oddly, McPherson is at the party. Shelby reveals that he went to the cabin to get the shotgun/murder weapon to protect Laura. Laura goes to the bedroom and talks with Ann. Ann says Shelby is right for her and McPherson is right for Laura. McPherson gets a call and announces he will bring the killer in that day.

McPherson arrests Laura for the murder. Waldo says he will use his column and his other resources to defend Laura. Shelby is dumbly indignant. McPherson says he wished Shelby had opened the door and gotten shot. Shelby grabs McPherson who returns a punch to Shelby’s midsection sending him to the ground where Ann is ready to pick him up.

McPherson asks Laura about the radio and she says she hired a handyman when she left the country. But McPherson is more concerned with Shelby and Laura’s engagement being back on again. Under interrogation, Laura says she does not love Shelby. He lets her go saying that she was never arrested and that he just needed to be sure about her.

McPherson goes to Waldo’s apartment and breaks in. He looks at Waldo’s clock and finds out it has a hidden compartment. Back at Laura’s home, Waldo is working on smearing McPherson’s reputation. Waldo says he and Laura will be back together soon.

McPherson goes back to Laura’s apartment. Laura sends Waldo away and he says he will be discussing great lovers on his show in 15 minutes. McPherson goes to the clock and finds the murder weapon in the secret compartment. McPherson tells Laura that Waldo was the killer and hid the gun after Shelby fled the apartment.

Waldo is hiding in the hallway of the apartment the same way he did the night he murdered Diane. When McPherson leaves to arrest Waldo, Waldo comes back to the apartment to kill Laura saying that if he can’t have her no one will.

At the stoop, McPherson finds out from the police sergeant that Waldo never left the building. The police bust in as Waldo attempts to shoot Laura. One of the police sergeants guns Waldo down. Waldo’s last words are Goodby, Laura. Goodbye, my love.

This very strange Film-Noir lacked many of the classic elements such as harsh lighting. The hero was a cop and not a private eye. The lead female was not a femme fatale . Most of the scenes lacked movement and usually, it showed two or more people standing in a room talking. There were heavy homoerotic themes in the movie. But somehow it can still be recognized at fitting into the Film-Noir category.

Mrs. Classic Movie Reviews usually watches all of the movies with me. While I was reading New York Times reviews from 1944 and more recent Roger Ebert reviews she casually stood up at the end and said, “You know that movie is just a remake of Phantom of the Opera. Damn!

World-Famous Short Summary – Don’t judge McPherson for falling in love with a picture. You’ve fallen in love with a character from a movie.

Beware the moors

You also might be interested in

Saint Joan (1957) Classic Movie Review 29

Stay where you are, woman. A dead saint is always[...]

Tower of London (1939) Classic Movie Review 85

You’re more than a king, more than a man. You’re[...]

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) SM

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) Classic Movie Review 173

I missed a bus once and I was lucky. I[...]

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/classic-movie-reviews-snark/id896015807?mt=2

Podcast Archive
Social Media
My Fiction Books

Type and press Enter to search

Photos & Videos

Film Details

Articles & Reviews

Brief Synopsis

Cast & crew, otto preminger, gene tierney, dana andrews, clifton webb, vincent price, judith anderson, photos & videos, technical specs.

While investigating the brutal murder of Laura Hunt, New York police lieutenant Mark McPherson calls on erudite columnist Waldo Lydecker, a close friend of the dead woman. Waldo knows of Mark from his heroic battles with gangsters, and Mark points out that Waldo once wrote a story about a murder committed with a shotgun loaded with buckshot--the very way that Laura was killed. Claiming to be intrigued by crime, Waldo asks to accompany Mark on his investigation, and the two men call on Laura's aunt, the wealthy Ann Treadwell. Mark inquires about Ann's relationship with Laura's fiancé, Shelby Carpenter, citing evidence that she has been giving him money. Just then, Shelby, a charming Southerner, arrives and says that he and Laura were to have been married that week, but Waldo insists that when Laura canceled their dinner date on the night of the murder, she had not yet decided whether to go through with the wedding. Shelby accompanies Mark and Waldo to Laura's apartment, where the murder occurred, and after Shelby reluctantly hands over the key to Laura's country home, Waldo accuses him of the murder. Later, Waldo takes Mark to a restaurant and recalls how he met Laura five years earlier: Waldo is dining alone at the Algonquin when he is approached by Laura, an eager young employee of an advertising agency. Laura asks Waldo to endorse a pen for her company, and is hurt and disillusioned when he rudely dismisses her. Unable to get her out of his mind, Waldo later goes to see Laura at the agency, where he apologizes and agrees to the endorsement. They become friends, and under Waldo's tutelage, Laura rises in her profession and society. Although their relationship is platonic, Waldo is jealous of her suitors, and uses both his column and his influence over her to keep any rivals for her affections at bay. One night, at one of Ann's parties, Laura meets Shelby, who confesses that his family has been bankrupt for years. Laura gives him a job at the advertising agency, and they soon become romantically involved. Waldo has Shelby investigated and informs Laura that her fiancé is seeing a model, Diane Redfern. Laura is furious at Waldo's interference and dismisses the accusations until he produces a gold cigarette case that she gave Shelby, saying he retrieved it after Diane pawned it. Back in the restaurant, Waldo tells Mark that Laura had lunch with Diane the day of her death, and had planned to go to her country home for a few days. The following night, Mark, who is growing obsessed with Laura, returns to the apartment and continues searching through her personal effects. Waldo stops in and says he knows Mark has secretly put in a bid for Laura's portrait, and chides him for falling in love with a corpse. After Waldo leaves, Mark falls asleep under the portrait. He awakens to the sound of someone entering the room, and looks up to see Laura standing before him. Laura, who has been isolated in the country, is stunned when Mark shows her a newspaper story about her "murder." Laura then discovers one of Diane's dresses in her closet, and Mark concludes that the murder victim, whose face was damaged beyond recognition, was actually Diane. Mark questions Laura, brightening when she says she had decided not to marry Shelby, and instructs her not to leave the apartment or use the phone. As soon as Mark leaves, however, Laura calls Shelby, unaware that the police have tapped her phone. Shelby and Laura meet briefly, and Mark follows Shelby to Laura's country home, where he finds him removing a shotgun from a rack. Shelby claims that he had brought Diane to Laura's apartment to talk, but when Diane answered the door and was shot to death, he panicked and fled. Later, at a party to celebrate her return, Laura asks Shelby why he went to the cottage, and when he replies that he went to hide the shotgun, she realizes with horror that Shelby believes she is the murderer. Mark takes Laura into custody in front of her guests, but after questioning her at the police station, is convinced of her innocence. After taking Laura home, Mark searches Waldo's house and discovers a hollow compartment in his grandfather clock. He then goes to Laura's apartment and announces that her gun was not the one used in the murder. Resentful of the growing bond between Laura and the handsome detective, Waldo insults Mark, and Laura coolly sends her old friend away. Mark examines Laura's clock, which is a duplicate of the one in Waldo's home, and finds a shotgun hidden inside. He tells Laura that Waldo killed Diane, thinking it was Laura, and hid the gun in the clock after Shelby ran out. After kissing Laura goodnight, Mark locks her in and leaves, and Laura prepares for bed, unaware that Waldo has come back into the apartment through the service entrance. Waldo enters Laura's room and is about to shoot her when Mark and his men break in. Waldo is shot by the police and dies with Laura's name on his lips.

Dorothy Adams

James Flavin

Clyde Fillmore

Grant Mitchell

Kathleen howard, lee tung foo.

Harold Schlickenmayer

Harry strang, lane chandler, frank la rue, buster miles.

John Dexter

Alexander sacha, dorothy christy, aileen pringle, terry adams, jean fenwick, yolanda lacca, forbes murray, nestor eristoff, kay linaker.

Cara Williams

Gloria marlen, beatrice gray, kay connors, frances gladwin, william forrest, lloyd ahern, lucien ballard, bonnie cashin, jay dratler, paul s. fox, leland fuller, edwin hammeras, samuel hoffenstein, joseph la shelle, harry m. leonard, thomas little, louis loeffler, emil newman, frank polony, david raksin, betty reinhardt, frances richardson, bob saunders, fred sersen, edward snyder, murray spivack, vinton vernon, e. clayton ward, lyle wheeler, photo collections.

Hosted Intro

Best Cinematography

Award nominations, best art direction, best director, best supporting actor, best writing, screenplay, the essentials-laura.

Pop Culture 101-Laura

Trivia-laura - trivia & fun facts about laura, trivia-laura - trivia & fun facts about laura, the big idea-laura, behind the camera-laura, critics' corner-laura, critics' corner-laura, laura on dvd.

How singularly innocent I look this morning. - Waldo Lydecker

I ain't afraid of cops. I was brought up to spit whenever I saw one. - Bessie Clary

OK, go ahead and spit if that'll make you feel better. - Mark McPherson

Love is eternal. It has been the strongest motivation for human actions throughout history. Love is stronger than life. It reaches beyond the dark shadow of death. - Waldo Lydecker

Yeah, dames are always pulling a switch on you. - Mark McPherson

When a dame gets killed, she doesn't worry about how she looks. - Mark McPherson

Will you stop calling her a dame! - Waldo Lydecker

The film was begun by Rouben Mamoulian, but Otto Preminger, who initiated the project as producer and took over the direction, brought on a new cameraman and scrapped all of Mamoulian's footage.

The character of Waldo Lydecker appears to be based on the columnist, broadcaster, and "New Yorker" theater critic Alexander Woollcott, a famous wit who, like Waldo, was fascinated by murder. Woollcott always dined at the Algonquin Hotel, where Laura first approaches Waldo.

Darryl F. Zanuck was opposed to casting Clifton Webb because of his known homosexuality, but Preminger prevailed and the 54-year-old Webb, making his first screen appearance since the silent era, was nominated for an Oscar.

The portrait of Laura is, in fact, a photograph done over with oil paint.

The original choice for the role of Laura was Jennifer Jones, who turned it down

The film as we see it now is without its original ending. Apparently, the shooting scene at the end of the movie was originally filmed from a different angle, and an ending was scripted wherein the whole story turns out to have been nothing but a dream. However, this ending didn't work and was deleted from the final product; also, Preminger reshot the shooting scene from a different angle.

The film opens with a voice-over narration by Clifton Webb as "Waldo Lydecker." The poem "Vitae Summa Brevis," by Ernest Dowson, is quoted by Waldo later in the film. Vera Caspary first wrote her story as a play, Ring Twice for Lora , in 1939, then adapted the play into a novel entitled Laura . The novel was serialized in Collier's (17 October-28 November 1942), under the title "Ring Twice for Laura." In a 1971 article in Saturday Review (of Literature) , Caspary recalls that Otto Preminger read the manuscript of the novel and expressed interest in collaborating with her on a revised version of the play, which he would then produce. They did not agree on the dramatization, however, and Caspary reworked the play with George Sklar in 1942. This stage version opened in London in 1945, and on Broadway on June 26, 1947. Preminger first worked on the screenplay with Jay Dratler, then brought in the team of poet Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt. In his autobiography, Preminger claims that "Hoffenstein practically created the character of Waldo Lydecker for Clifton Webb." A modern source suggests that Hoffenstein based the character of the acerbic columnist on critic Alexander Woollcott, a fellow member of the Algonquin Round Table. According to information in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Arts-Special Collections Library, writers Ring Lardner, Jr., Jerome Cady, Robert Spencer Carr, George Bricker and Philip Lewis were at various times hired to do script revisions, but the extent of their contribution to the released film has not been determined. However, according to a modern source, a copy of a script given by Preminger to a friend included Cady's name on the top of pages containing the final portions and original ending of the film. In his autobiography, Preminger related how he reestablished his relationship with Twentieth Century-Fox when he convinced studio production chief Darryl F. Zanuck to purchase the rights to the novel. Preminger and Zanuck had not spoken since 1937, when Preminger was replaced as the director of the Twentieth Century-Fox film Kidnapped (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931-40 ; F3.2279). Their bitter feud damaged Preminger's Hollywood career, and he did not make another film until 1943, when Twentieth Century-Fox executive William Goetz, who was running the studio during Zanuck's military service, allowed him to direct Margin for Error (see below). According to Preminger, Zanuck "accused Goetz of treachery" when he returned and told Preminger, "You can produce [ Laura ] but as long as I am at Fox, you will never direct." Finding a director proved difficult, however. In a modern interview, Preminger said that both Walter Lang and Lewis Milestone turned down offers to direct Laura , citing a lack of enthusiasm for the script. In her Saturday Review (of Literature) article, Caspary claims that John Brahm was asked to direct the film but declined. A February 24, 1944 Hollywood Reporter news item named Irving Cummings as director. Rouben Mamoulian eventually agreed to direct the film. In his autobiography, Preminger recalled that Mamoulian "didn't like the script any more than the others who had turned it down but he had no other jobs in sight and needed the money." Preminger's relationship with Mamoulian was stormy from the start, as the director changed sets and costumes without consulting Preminger, and asked him not to come to the set. Upon viewing the disappointing dailies, Zanuck fired Mamoulian about two weeks into production and made Preminger the director. (Fourteen years later, Preminger would again replace Mamoulian, as director of Samuel Goldwyn's Porgy and Bess .) Zanuck and Mamoulian originally wanted Twentieth Century-Fox contract player Laird Cregar for the role of "Waldo Lydecker," but Preminger argued that Cregar was too well known as a heavy and would give away the plot. A August 3, 1943 Los Angeles Times news item reported that Eva Gabor would portray "Laura Hunt," and that George Sanders, John Sutton and Monty Woolley were under consideration for the part of Waldo. According to Preminger's autobiography, Zanuck originally wanted John Hodiak for the role of detective "Mark McPherson," and a October 28, 1943 Hollywood Reporter news item stated that the studio was negotiating with George Raft for the role. Jennifer Jones was cast in the title role, under an agreement with David O. Selznick that called for her to make one picture a year for Twentieth Century-Fox. When Jones failed to report for work on April 24, 1944, Twentieth Century-Fox threatened legal action. In a statement published in Hollywood Reporter on May 3, 1944, Daniel T. O'Shea, executive director of Selznick Studio, claimed that Twentieth Century-Fox had refused to submit a copy of the script for approval. O'Shea asserted that his studio's contract with Twentieth Century-Fox stipulated that Jones's film assignments be "consistent with her standing" as a recent Academy Award winner for The Song of Bernadette (see below). His statement continued, "Eventually [Twentieth Century-Fox studio executive Joseph M.] Schenck conceded to both Mr. Selznick and myself that the role in Laura was not worthy of Miss Jones' position, and that his studio had not seriously intended that she do it." Twentieth Century-Fox filed suit against Jones, however, and a May 14, 1944 New York Times article observed that "for the first time a specific monetary value has been placed on an Academy 'Oscar.' The studio is suing the actress for $613,600, and according to the complaint $500,000 of this represents a loss to the company because the picture is deprived of the services of Miss Jones, 'an Academy Award winner.'" The suit was later settled, and Jones went on to make Cluny Brown for Twentieth Century-Fox in 1946. Photographs were shot in the Algonquin Hotel of the table at which Alexander Woollcott had habitually dined, as well as of the headwaiter who served him. These photographs were used to build a replica of the hotel's dining room on the studio lot, for the scene in which "Laura" first encounters "Waldo." Artist Azadia Newman, Mamoulian's wife, was commissioned to paint the portrait of Laura with which the detective becomes entranced, but it was not used in the final film. In his autobiography, Preminger wrote, "When I scrapped Mamoulian's sets, the portrait of Laura went with them." According to Preminger, "portraits rarely photograph well, so I devised a compromise. We had a photograph of Gene Tierney enlarged and smeared with oil paint to soften the outlines. It looked like a painting but was unmistakably Gene Tierney." Modern interviews with Preminger, Tierney and composer David Raksin reveal that George Gershwin's "Summertime," from the opera Porgy and Bess , and Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady" were Preminger's early choices for the film's theme song. A modern source adds that Jerome Kern's "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" was also considered. Raksin wrote the theme music for Laura , which has since been recorded many times, frequently with lyrics added later by Johnny Mercer. According to modern sources, Raksin took the assignment after both Alfred Newman and Bernard Herrmann declined to compose the score. An May 8, 1944 Hollywood Reporter news item reports that Vincent Price was to sing "You'll Never Know" in a party scene, but the song was not included in the released film. Laura received an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Black and White) and was nominated in the following catagories: Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor (Clifton Webb) and Best Art Direction (Black and White). In both its review and a feature article, New York Times referred to Laura as Broadway star Webb's film debut, but he had appeared in several films in the 1920s. A June 19, 1990 Hollywood Reporter news item reports that two minutes of footage that had been cut from the film were restored when Laura was released on laser disc. In the deleted footage, which was part of the viewed print, Waldo described how he selected Laura's clothing and hairstyle, making her an extension of himself. The news item explains that Twentieth Century-Fox "was worried that declaration would offend World War II soldiers overseas with its depiction of decadent luxury and non-military obsessions happening on the home front." Laura was broadcast on Lux Radio Theatre on February 5, 1945, with Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Vincent Price reprising their screen roles and Otto Kruger replacing Webb, and on February 1, 1954, with Tierney, Victor Mature, Joe Kearns and Carleton Young. Laura was adapted twice for television. On October 19, 1955, it was broadcast on The 20th Century-Fox Hour on CBS-TV, starring Dana Wynter, George Sanders and Robert Stack. The one-hour telecast was later released in England as a feature film. On January 24, 1968, David Susskind produced Laura as an ABC Color Special. The program featured a new adaptation by Truman Capote and starred Sanders, Stack and Lee Bouvier.

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States Fall November 1944

Released in United States March 1979

Released in United States on Video March 3, 1993

Ring Lardner Jr wrote most of Clifton Webb's dialogue. Rouben Mamoulian was removed from the project after 18 days of filming.

Selected in 1999 for inclusion in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry.

Released in United States March 1979 (Shown at FILMEX: Los Angeles International Film Exposition (The 50-Hour Mighty MovieMarathon: Mystery and Suspense) March 14-30, 1979.)

Your Browser is Not Supported

To view this content, please use one of the following compatible browsers:

Safari v11+

Firefox Quantum

Microsoft Edge

Movie Reviews Simbasible

MOVIE REVIEWS

Laura (1944)

Laura review, laura is a 1944 noir film directed by otto preminger and starring dana andrews and vincent price . it is one of the most well regarded noir films for good reasons., it follows mark, a detective investigating the murder of a beautiful and highly successful woman. it then of course turns out to be a complicated murder mystery with a lot of twists and turns. it is an incredibly well crafted movie with a nice beginning, thrilling ending and the middle parts which are the best, full of carefully established shots and details. i found the mystery intriguing, but it works as noir wonderfully thanks to a lot of atmospheric thrills with great cinematography. and it has a smart and meticulous approach to it with very well developed characters, superb use of flashbacks and well realized relationships between the characters., mark is a great central character with excellent screen presence and a realistic depiction. laura is also excellent, ann is memorable and bessie is a typical, but sympathetic maid character. shelby has his moments, but it is waldo who is the best with very well depicted calculated manner and his character is explored best with his well explained reasoning and relationship with other characters., the acting is one of the finest aspects in laura. dana andrews is really good with great charisma, voice and even humor. he brought a lot to the table and his character i liked a lot. vincent price is also very good as is gene tierney. but clifton webb is superb and although i am not familiar with his other work, he proved his greatness here, delivering a powerhouse performance. the acting is terrific across the board., now, there are a few small problems i’ve had with the movie. first off, the story may seem ordinary, but just at first. secondly, dorothy adams gives such a weak performance in the role of bessie with an over-reliant emphasis on over-acting. i know that the role is written in such a way, but it was still highly unnecessary. and the third problem i have with laura is its mystery and twists. i literally predicted 90 per cent of the plot twists and turns along with the murderer. it was kind of obvious to me who the murderer is and what would happen, but that maybe more because of me having seen a lot of movies than for the predictability of the plot. but those are all minor flaws in this otherwise superb movie., it is an incredibly well directed film. otto preminger did a superb job. but it is above all such a deftly edited and paced movie with never a rushed or prolonged scene. everything in this movie is so beautifully calculated and executed. the photography is very good and i liked the humor that is present at times and is so good. it was refreshing but sophisticated and at times quite funny. and the whole film is incredibly sophisticated with such an astonishing dialogue, clever and witty. the character motivations and relationships are well handled and the acting is magnificent. it is a technically superb movie, there is no doubt about it. and i liked the romantic aspects as well. and although somewhat predictable, laura is still a very well crafted mystery with great technical aspects and both a brain and a heart., it came out in 1944 and although nowhere near the quality of ‘ double indemnity ‘, it is still one of the very best films of that year. and i also think it is one of the best noir films. it is not one of the very best, but still one of the better ones i’ve watched., laura is such a great noir film with a well crafted plot, sophisticated dialogue, superb acting across the board and well depicted relationships and motifs of the characters. it may be predictable at times, but it is still an incredibly well directed and shot movie with a lot to offer and it is one of the finest noirs out there., my rating – 4.5, more stories.

FILM DECADES

Matchstick Men (2003)

Spa Night (2016)

Blue ruin (2014), leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published.

You may have missed

Woody Woodpecker

The Lone Stranger (1942)

Donald Duck

Donald’s Lucky Day (1939)

Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse and the Beanstalk (1947)

We will keep fighting for all libraries - stand with us!

Internet Archive Audio

This Just In
Grateful Dead
Old Time Radio
78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
Audio Books & Poetry
Computers, Technology and Science
Music, Arts & Culture
News & Public Affairs
Spirituality & Religion
Radio News Archive

Flickr Commons
Occupy Wall Street Flickr
NASA Images
Solar System Collection
Ames Research Center

All Software
Old School Emulation
MS-DOS Games
Historical Software
Classic PC Games
Software Library
Kodi Archive and Support File
Vintage Software
CD-ROM Software
CD-ROM Software Library
Software Sites
Tucows Software Library
Shareware CD-ROMs
Software Capsules Compilation
CD-ROM Images
ZX Spectrum
DOOM Level CD

Smithsonian Libraries
FEDLINK (US)
Lincoln Collection
American Libraries
Canadian Libraries
Universal Library
Project Gutenberg
Children's Library
Biodiversity Heritage Library
Books by Language
Additional Collections

Prelinger Archives
Democracy Now!
Occupy Wall Street
TV NSA Clip Library
Animation & Cartoons
Arts & Music
Computers & Technology
Cultural & Academic Films
Ephemeral Films
Sports Videos
Videogame Videos
Youth Media

Search the history of over 866 billion web pages on the Internet.

Mobile Apps

Wayback Machine (iOS)
Wayback Machine (Android)

Browser Extensions

Archive-it subscription.

Explore the Collections
Build Collections

Save Page Now

Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.

Please enter a valid web address

Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape

Laura (1944) Dir: Otto Preminger, Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson.

Video item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.

Graphic Violence
Explicit Sexual Content
Hate Speech
Misinformation/Disinformation
Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata

Laura is a 1944 American film noir produced and directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb along with Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel Laura by Vera Caspary.

In 1999, Laura was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The American Film Institute named it one of the 10 best mystery films of all time.

Find out more about the movie here .

plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews

74,136 Views

544 Favorites

DOWNLOAD OPTIONS

In collections.

Uploaded by Mo Chou on March 25, 2020

SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)

IMAGES

Laura (1944)
Movie Review: Laura (1944)
Laura (1944)
Laura (1944)
Laura (1944) review
Laura (1944)

VIDEO

TCM Comments on Laura (1944)
Review • Analysis • Explained 🧐 Laura (1944)
1944 LAURA (LAURA)
Laura
IMG 9170 Laura 1944
Laura

COMMENTS

Laura movie review & film summary (1944)
Advertisement. The movie basically consists of well-dressed rich people standing in luxury flats and talking to a cop. The passion is unevenly distributed. Shelby and Laura never seem to have much heat between them. Waldo is possessive of Laura, but never touches her.
Laura
Rated: 4/4 • Feb 12, 2022. Rated: 3.5/4 • Mar 14, 2021. In one of the most celebrated 1940s film noirs, Manhattan detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) investigates the murder of Madison ...
Laura (1944)
Laura: Directed by Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian. With Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price. A police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he is investigating.
Laura (1944)
10/10. A classic film noir-well directed and stylishly filmed with a gorgeous Gene Tierney. TheLittleSongbird 9 February 2010. Told in flashback mostly, "Laura" is quintessentially a taut and atmospheric romantic mystery, in which a New York detective is investigating the murder of a beautiful woman and falling in love with her image.
Laura (1944 film)
Laura is a 1944 American film noir produced and directed by Otto Preminger.It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb along with Vincent Price and Judith Anderson.The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel Laura by Vera Caspary. Laura received five nominations for the Academy Awards, including for Best Director, winning for Best ...
Laura [1944] Review
Otto Preminger's Laura (1944) is ranked no. 4 in the American Film Institute's (AFI) list of the greatest films in the 'mystery' genre. But viewers expecting a tough, indecipherable secret would be somewhat disappointed. In fact, apart from the half-way twist much of the 'mysterious' elements would remain predictable for modern-day ...
Laura: Noir of Identity and Illusion
Hardly the seductress, Gene Tierney's Laura stands as an odd figure among the women of noir. A review by Thomas M. Pryor in The New York Times at the time of release described Tierney as a let down after the film's buildup of her role . In retrospect, this "negative" point is actually a strength as no woman could match such an idealisation.
Review: Laura
March 17, 2005. At the cynical heart of Otto Preminger's Laura is a murder, yet labeling this elegant 1944 noir classic a whodunit is to ignore its masterfully complex—and frequently campy—portrait of all-consuming romantic self-delusion. Laura (Gene Tierney) is a wealthy, mysterious beauty whose death-by-shotgun instigates an ...
Review: Laura (1944)
Laura Rating Director Otto Preminger Screenplay Jay Dratler, Smauel Hoffenstein, Betty Reinhardt (Novel: Vera Caspary) Length 88 min. Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson MPAA Rating Approved Buy on DVD Soundtrack Poster Source Material Review One of the finest aspects of the legendary film noir Laura is its cinematography. The […]
Laura (1944): Preminger's First Masterpice, Oscar Nominated Melodrama
With time, Otto Preminger's "Laura" gets richer in texture, deeper in meaning, and more problematic than most noir films of the 1940s. An intense meditation on the nature of love and control, "Laura" tackles such taboo issues as voyeurism, fetishism, and necrophilia, a whole decade before Hitchcock's masterpiece, "Vertigo," which bears some thematic resemblance to the 1944 film ...
Laura (1944) Starring: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb
Laura is a fine example of 1940's film noir. Released in 1944, directed by Otto Preminger, and featuring a very successful title song written by David Raksin and Johnny Mercer, Laura is a classic movie in every sense of the word. The story involves the murder of a beautiful New York advertising executive and the men in her life who suddenly find themselves suspects.
Laura Movie 1944
The Laura movie 1944 has all the following typical film noir style characteristics: - An Imperfect protagonist - A Femme Fatale - Witty Dialogue - Dramatic lighting or 'dark film' - Storyline told via flashback The Laura movie manages to bring in the above characteristics and still have a happy endi
Review
A complex psychological thriller masquerading as a film noir, 1944's Laura is about three men who are bewitched by a woman so ethereally, transcendentally beguiling that it is entirely appropriate that, when director Otto Preminger takes the curtain up, Laura (Gene Tierney) is already dead.. What follows is a basic whodunit pulled in various unusual directions.
Laura (1944) Review
1944 was a vintage year for film noir, producing two of the genre's undisputed classics, Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity and Otto Preminger's Laura.Investigating the apparent murder of a beautiful socialite, hardboiled police detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is a sharp contrast to the effete intellectuals and snobs that comprise his list of suspects (including columnist Clifton Webb and ...
Laura (1944)
Laura is both a compelling murder mystery and a dark satire on male attitudes towards women. The two principal characters Waldo Lydecker and Mark McPherson are about as different as they would be - the one is a self-opinionated intellectual, the other a laconic muscle man. Yet they both have a craving for the female sex which has the power to ...
Laura (1944)
Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson. Rated. Unrated. Runtime. 88 min. Release Date. 10/11/1944. Laura opens on a portrait of Gene Tierney, an actress Darryl F. Zanuck called, "The most beautiful woman in film history.". Tierney's tragically short career was often judged by her appearance and privileged ...
Laura (1944)
Otto Preminger's movie is film noir, encapsulating much of what makes that sub-genre so beguiling. Framed initially as a murder mystery, the titular Laura—played by the effortlessly glamorous Tierney—has been found murdered, a young advertising executive surrounded by Manhattan high society. On the case is Mark McPherson (Andrews, carved ...
Laura (1944)
Find trailers, reviews, synopsis, awards and cast information for Laura (1944) - Otto Preminger, Rouben Mamoulian on AllMovie ... the film was ultimately credited to director Otto Preminger and cameraman Joseph LaShelle (who won an Oscar for his efforts). At the outset of the film, it is established that the title character, Laura Hunt (Gene ...
Laura (1944) Film Review A+
A silver sun burned through the sky like a huge magnifying glass. It was the hottest Sunday in my recollection. I felt as if I were the only human being left in New York. For with Laura's horrible death, I was alone. I, Waldo Lydecker, was the only one who really knew her.
Laura (1944) Classic Movie Review 91
Laura (1944) is a very unusual film noir featuring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Vincent Price. The cop falls for a dead woman. My Fiction Books; Book Reviews; Film-Noir; Neo-Noir; Pre-Noir; Future Classics; Fests; ... Mrs. Classic Movie Reviews usually watches all of the movies with me. While I was reading New York Times reviews from 1944 ...
Laura (1944)
Laura (1944) -- (Movie Clip) I'm A Natural Born Suspect Betrothed Shelby (Vincent Price), whom we've just met, and snooty columnist friend Waldo ... (17 October-28 November 1942), under the title "Ring Twice for Laura." In a 1971 article in Saturday Review (of Literature), Caspary recalls that Otto Preminger read the manuscript of the novel and ...
Laura (1944)
Laura Review. Laura is a 1944 noir film directed by Otto Preminger and starring Dana Andrews and Vincent Price. It is one of the most well regarded noir films for good reasons. It follows Mark, a detective investigating the murder of a beautiful and highly successful woman. It then of course turns out to be a complicated murder mystery with a ...
Laura (1944) Dir: Otto Preminger, Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews
Laura is a 1944 American film noir produced and directed by Otto Preminger. It stars Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb along with Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. The screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt is based on the 1943 novel Laura by Vera Caspary. ... Reviews Reviewer: karlymouse - favorite ...

Movie Reviews

Roger Ebert

Now playing

Mary & George

Sheila O'Malley

Riddle of Fire

We Were the Lucky Ones

Simon Abrams

Marya E. Gates

Laura (1944)

25 Years Later, Alexander Payne’s Election Remains as Relevant as Ever

Sharp Writing, Excellent Cast Keep Spy Thriller The Veil Engaging

Take Another Trip to the End of the World with Sony’s Stellar Blade

He's Got Something Going On: David Proval on Mean Streets, and Acting for Martin Scorsese

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Email not verified

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

Movies / TV

Where to Watch

What to Know

Audience Reviews

More Like This

Laura (1944)

Did You Know?

Photo & Video

Related Items

Recently Viewed

Laura [1944] Review – An Exceptionally Stylized Noir Mystery

Related to Laura: 5 Must-See Movies of Otto Preminger

Also Read: The Representation of Women in Film Noir

Laura (1944) Trailer

Links: Imdb , Rotten Tomatoes

Similar Posts

The Whale (2022): Release Date, Plot, Cast, Trailer, And Everything We Know

Faces Places [2017] – A Joyful and Wistful Journey of a Preeminent Artist

Dear Zindagi [2016] : A Love Letter to Life

Titans (Season 4) Episode 10: Recap & Ending, Explained – How Do The Titans Save Everyone From Sebastian’s Video Game?

A Song for You [2021]: ‘NYAFF’ Review – An Important Song Sung From the Margins

Sleep Tight (2011) Review: Sick. Twisted. Nightmarish.

Laura : Noir of Identity and Illusion

Review: Laura (1944)

Source Material

Share this:

One response to “Review: Laura (1944)”

Movie Review

Starring ▸ ▾

Laura Movie 1944 - A film noir that actually has a happy ending

This post is all about the Laura movie 1944

How is the Laura movie 1944 a film noir?

Laura Movie 1944 Synopsis

Laura Movie 1944 Cast

Dana Andrews

Clifton Webb

Vincent Price

Laura Movie 1944 - The film noir style imperfect Protagonist

Laura movie 1944: The film noir style femme fatale

Laura Movie 1944 - Film noir style witty dialogue

Laura Movie 1944 - Film noir style dramatic lighting

I shall never forget the weekend Laura died…the film-noir style flashback

What happened to the portrait of Laura?

This post was all about the Laura movie synopsis

Hitchcock Movie Review: Rear Window

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

IMDb information

Star Ratings

Most Popular

Laura (1944) Directed by Otto Preminger , Rouben Mamoulian

Film Credits

The Definitives

Essay by Brian Eggert November 13, 2021

Related Titles

Recent Reviews

Recent Articles

Laura (1944) – Blu-Ray Review

Drop us a comment Cancel reply

Discover more from Set The Tape

MPAA Rating

Synopsis by Hal Erickson

Laura (1944) Film Review A+

DIRECTOR: Otto Preminger