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Product Description
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This silky smooth film noir pits gruff police detective Dana Andrews, stiff and blunt in his street-bred manners, against a cultured columnist and acidic wit (Clifton Webb at his prissiest) in a battle of wits during a murder investigation. The cop is a romantic hiding under a hard-boiled exterior who falls in love with the beautiful victim through the portrait that hangs in her apartment, when one lonely night he turns from the picture to see Laura walk through the door. It's not a ghost: both the cops and the killer mistook the mutilated corpse for the lady of the house. Gene Tierney, whose heart-shaped face mixes the exotic with the girl next door, brings the poise and calm of a model to her role as Laura, the object of every man's gaze and the target of a killer that missed once but is bound to try again. Laura, handsomely shot in dreamy black and white, is the first and best of Otto Preminger's cool, controlled murder mysteries. In the gritty world of film noir it remains the most refined and elegant example of the genre, but under the tasteful decor and high-society fashions lies a world seething in jealousy, passion, blackmail, and murder. Vincent Price costars as a blithe gigolo and David Raksin's lush theme has become a wistful romantic standard. --Sean Axmaker
Product Description
Nominated for five Academy Awards®, this stylish mystery thriller twists and turns with new suspects, new evidence and unexpected revelations. A wealthy journalist (Clifton Webb) becomes entranced with a beautiful young career woman named Laura (Gene Tierney). But shortly before her wedding to a dashing young playboy (Vincent Price), she is found murdered. Stirred by her portrait, the detective (Dana Andrews) assigned to her case finds that he, too, is strangely under Laura's spell.
Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I am thrilled to see that this outstanding film is due for DVD release. It is befuddling why it has taken this long--and why other truly great classic films (viz., Gaslight, Out of the Past, The Letter, Asphalt Jungle, High Sierra, Force of Evil, Dark Passage,The Sea Wolf, Magnificent Ambersons, Ace in the Hole) are still awaiting DVD issue. So much merdre gets released each week--it is truly astonishing that a film such as Laura has to take a number and wait. Well, that gripe aside--this is a taut thriller that is psychologically deep, witty, romantic,sexy, and suspenseful. How much more could one ask of a movie--that it solve the budget crisis? For an earlier reviewer who thought it ... that the Clifton Webb character leads the detective along, this device is part of the personality of Lydecker ("Lie", get it?), who is so narcissistic that he has to confess his perfection in both love and murder in order to appease his vanity, to be admired, to be known for the genius he believes himself to be--even be it for crime and a date with Ol' Sparky. He is constantly proving his superiority by insulting McPherson and Shelby and showing them up in Laura's eyes--so he thinks. He is a master manipulator, perfectionist, and control freak--even if it means implicating himself! So this bit of character development is completely in keeping with Lydecker's temperament and is what drives the story. Gene Tierney is incredibly gorgeous in this part, and Dana Andres is both muscular and tender--when he needs to be. Clifton Webb astonishes, with some of the best, most crackling dialogue ever composed---and just tons of snobbery!!! I'll score and watch this DVD the day it comes out!
By Mary
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews and Clifton Webb shine in this classic film noir tale of love, jealousy and deception. Highly recommended for fans of this genre and those who are not.
By Discboy
Format:DVD
This film is tricky. It harkens back to the days when film makers had to count on good writing and imaginative story lines. The cast works beautifully together and Clifton Webb is a riot and a rotter all in one go. Gene Tierney plays a saavy strong woman; so nice to see. And Dana Andrews is a great gum shoe.
If you like vintage films with unexpected twists, buy this film. I did, sight unseen, and I love it.
If you like vintage films with unexpected twists, buy this film. I did, sight unseen, and I love it.
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4.7 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
BUGGS BUNNY, BOOMERANG,NO WAY OUT AND LAURA AND IM SURE THE VCR WILL...
All movies were great, I give them all five star,because I love classic movies, I will purchase more classic movies in March 2013 Thank you for the good services
Rudy
Rudy
Published 3 months ago by Rudy Trottier
5.0 out of 5 stars
View it several times and patterns start to show.
Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), self-centered writer is having his lunch interrupted by a young lady Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) who is soliciting his endorsement of a pen. Read more
Published on July 20 2010 by bernie
3.0 out of 5 stars
ENTERTAINING FOR A COLD NIGHT.
It is a good movie as far as old movies go. The music is haunting. It is better than what is currently on TV in North America.
Published on Dec 31 2009 by D. Wallace
5.0 out of 5 stars
Classy classic
Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney), a glamorous ad executive, has just been murdered and Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is on the case. Read more
Published on Aug 15 2009 by Kona
5.0 out of 5 stars
A TRUE Classic
This film has everything that's good in the world of 'Tinseltown'.
Brilliance shines through in all departments involved in the making of this film. Read more
Brilliance shines through in all departments involved in the making of this film. Read more
Published on May 18 2009 by Roy Anderson
5.0 out of 5 stars
great film -- too bad about the DVD commentaries
What an excellent film. I love noir, and Laura rings nary a false note. I just viewed the 2005 DVD and the video is very sharp. Read more
Published on Jan 5 2007 by Flavius Treleaven
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loving Laura
It's hard to create an absent character, then feature them front-and-center without destroying all that mystery and power. Just look at "Rebecca. Read more
Published on Dec 23 2006 by E. A Solinas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five stars for the music alone!
The theme from "Laura" is one of the most haunting ever written, by David Raksin, relatively unknown, but forever memorialized through this melody. Read more
Published on Aug 26 2003 by Schuyler V. Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars
More contemporary than it appears
As I pen this, the DVD is not yet out. The 5-stars are for the movie itself. Anyone who has spent the 80's and 90's in an urban professional environment knows what is going on in... Read more
Published on July 11 2003 by Mavendetout
5.0 out of 5 stars
In love with Laura
My personal all-time favorite and widely considered to be one of the best film noirs ever made, I envy anyone who has yet to see this film. Read more
Published on July 4 2003 by Cathye Smithwick
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