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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
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.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Noir At It's Best,
By
This review is from: Laura (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!
5.0 out of 5 stars
View it several times and patterns start to show.,
By
This review is from: Laura (DVD)
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. He takes her under his wing and grooms her for corporate greatness. Later it looks like someone has bumped off Laura. Detective Lt. Mark McPherson is assigned to the case. Somewhere in the process of investigation he seems to have fallen in love with the dead Laura and wants to buy her portrait.Can we figure out who did it before Mark? This movie is all that they say it in and then some. Naturally it is not the book "Laura" by Vera Caspary. And due to media constraints some things are implied. The characters do not match the book description. They could not get a good portrait of Gene Tierney for the picture of Laura so they used a photograph and made it look like a portrait. I wonder where that photograph is today. First time viewing gives you the impression that Waldo Lydecker, is the manipulative person. Yes I know most of the characters are manipulative in nature. But second time viewing, low and behold; who manipulates Waldo from the very beginning and uses his connections to clime the corporate latter? Then pretty much snubs him. It was interesting to see Vincent price play a character (Shelby Carpenter) that is not in a spook movie. Look how confident Dana Andrews as Detective Lieutenant Mark McPherson, is in this movie. Also notice his high heal shoes. See him as a completely different character in "In Harm's Way" (1965), as Admiral 'Blackjack' Broderick. Also directed by Otto Preminger. The Razor's Edge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Film Noir on ice with a twist,
This review is from: Laura (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.
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