ira joel haber-cinemagebooks: February 2023

Last of February mixed on cardboard

Laura 1944

"And you see Laura the face in the misty light". An atmospheric high gloss noirish thriller from 20th century fox,that has the look and feel of what New York City maybe felt like in the early 40's even though it was filmed on the studio's back lot. Lavish apartments, deep beautiful cinematography that won an Oscar that year, a lush score by David Raskin that later had lyrics added and became a big song chart hit.

Set in a hot summer in the city The movie opens with this great voice over line from Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker "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.

There is a horrible murder of a beautiful young ad agency executive that brings a hard police detective Mark McPherson played by a hard Dana Andrews to investigate. On his way to solve the case he falls in love with the young dead woman via the beautiful painting of her that prominently hangs on wall wall of her apartment. He spends sleepless nights there reading her letters and diary hoping to find out who did away with her. As he searches he also drinks and one night he dozes off and awakes to a great surprise for him and for the audience. I will say no more about that.

The dead lady is played by the ravishing Gene Tierney and we meet her via flashbacks into her short life narrated by the bitchy rich flashy newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker who had a deep relationship with her. Played with relish by Clifton Webb who got an oscar nomination for his acting we first meet him when Andrews comes to his over done apartment to question him and finds him taking a soak in a bathroom worthy of a Roman emperor.

The interview is pins and needles and is uncomfortable and uncommon for the conservative 1940's. Just the nature of the setting is unusual and the banter between the two is brittle and smart as is the entire screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt that is based on the short story and novel by Vera Caspary. The main flashbacks happen later on in the film when over a spaghetti dinner at Laura and Waldo's favorite restaurant, he tells Andrews how they met and how tense their relationship was at first later growing into a strong dependent one. Lovers or friends that is left up to the viewer, but judging by Webb I would say just friends. Waldo introduces Laura to the crème de la crème of New York's high society and they are soon a fixture on the scene of fashion and glamour with Laura/Tierney wearing great clothes and gowns by Bonnie Cashin.

There are other headlights on the road including romantic ones for Laura most of which are ruined by Webb in fits of jealousy. But one romantic light played very well by Vincent Price as a sleezy playboy who is available to the highest bidder including Laura's sophisticated aunt played with great flair by the wonderful Judith Anderson stays lit in spite of Webb's nasty intrusions. Originally Rouben Mamoulian was slated to direct but he was removed and replaced by Otto Preminger who was just starting his Hollywood career and got an Oscar nomination for his directing. I've seen this film at least 6 times and never get tired of it, and the dvd put out by Fox Film Noir is smooth and stunning in the transfer.