Laura (1944 film)
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| Laura | |
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 Theatrical Poster |
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| Directed by | Otto Preminger |
| Produced by | Otto Preminger |
| Written by | Novel: Vera Caspary Screenplay: Jay Dratler Samuel Hoffenstein Elizabeth Reinhardt |
| Starring | Gene Tierney Dana Andrews Clifton Webb Vincent Price Judith Anderson |
| Music by | David Raksin |
| Cinematography | Joseph LaShelle |
| Editing by | Louis R. Loeffler |
| Distributed by | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Release date(s) | October 11, 1944 |
| Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Laura (1944) is a American Academy Award-winning film noir directed by Otto Preminger and starring Gene Tierney as Laura, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, and Judith Anderson.
The movie was based on Vera Caspary's Laura, a popular 1943 detective novel, and it was adapted for the screen by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhardt and Ring Lardner Jr. (uncredited). The film's first director, Rouben Mamoulian, was fired early in the film's shooting due to creative differences with studio head Darryl F. Zanuck.
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[edit] Plot
Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) investigates the murder of a beautiful advertising director named Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney). He interviews acerbic newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), who relates how he met Laura. Lydecker became her mentor and used his considerable influence and fame to advance her career. McPherson also questions Laura's fiancé, Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price), her wealthy aunt, Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson), and Laura's loyal housekeeper, Bessie Clary (Dorothy Adams).
Through the testimony of her friends and the reading of her letters, McPherson comes to know Laura and slowly falls in love with the dead woman, particularly through her portrait. He becomes obsessed -- using the excuse of trying to solve the murder, he hangs around her apartment and is at one point accused by Lydecker of falling in love with a dead woman.
One night, he falls asleep under her portrait. He is awakened by the sound of someone entering the apartment. Laura appears, like a dream or a ghost. After recovering from the shock, McPherson determines that the murder victim was actually Diane Redfern, a model Laura had allowed to stay in her apartment.
McPherson is pleased to discover that Laura is as lovable as he had imagined. Now it becomes even more urgent to find out the identity of the murderer. He suspects that Lydecker is in love with her and, determined not to let her marry Carpenter, fatally mistook Redfern for her. McPherson warns Laura not to let anybody in after he leaves, but Lydecker gets in anyway. Lydecker is about to kill Laura when McPherson returns just in time.
[edit] Cast
- Gene Tierney as Laura Hunt
- Dana Andrews as Detective Lt. Mark McPherson
- Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker. The character appears to be based on columnist, broadcaster and New Yorker theater critic Alexander Woollcott, a famous wit who, like Waldo, was fascinated by murder (and who died in early 1943). Woollcott always dined at the Algonquin Hotel, where Laura first approaches Lydecker, and had a habit of typing in his bathtub, as does Lydecker.
- Vincent Price as Shelby Carpenter.
- Judith Anderson as Mrs. Ann Treadwell
[edit] Analysis
There are indications in the film that the story is something of a dream or a myth, which helps explain its impact and the way it moves beyond the standard murder mystery.
In particular, the theme of the image raises questions about the role of the movie (and the audience) as image creator. Various scenes conjure up Laura, or focus tightly on her face -- "is she only a dream?" In one powerful scene she is interrogated by Dana Andrews in a police interview room with close-up harsh lamps focused on her face.
Vertigo is perhaps the closest film to Laura in the noir genre, with a similar death and resurrection plot and an obsessive detective in love with a woman who may be a figment of his imagination.
[edit] Production
Otto Preminger's original idea for the film score was to use Duke Ellington's "Sophisticated Lady." David Raksin later composed the familiar score for "Laura" over the course of a weekend, after being inspired by a Dear John letter he received from his wife. The theme from Laura was adapted by Johnny Mercer (who wrote the lyrics), Dick Haymes, Woody Herman and Frank Sinatra, all of whom had hits. It has been recorded by various artists over four hundred times.
The famous portrait of Laura was in fact a photograph that the studio lightly brushed with paint. It was reused in the color film On the Riviera.
[edit] Awards
[edit] Academy Award win
- Best Black-and-White Cinematography, Joseph LaShelle
[edit] Academy Award nominations
- Supporting Actor, Clifton Webb
- Director, Otto Preminger
- Writing Adapted Screenplay, Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Elizabeth Reinhardt
- Black-and-White Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Lyle R. Wheeler Leland Fuller, and Thomas Little
[edit] Other honors
- 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".
[edit] External links
- Laura at Filmsite.org by Tim Dirks; contains plot details.
- Laura French review by Marc Autret (French).
- Information about the song.
- Lyrics to the song.
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