NFR Project: “Laura”
Dir: Otto Preminger
Scr: Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Betty Reinhardt,
Ring Lardner Jr.
Pho: Joseph LaShelle
Ed: Louis Loeffler
Premiere: Oct. 11, 1944
88 min.
For a famous film noir, Laura is rather stodgy (even though it won the Oscar for best cinematography). One of director Otto Preminger’s earlier films, it is a mystery set in the high society of New York. A young woman, Laura, has been found murdered in her apartment. A detective (Dana Andrews) investigates. There are several suspects: a playboy (Vincent Price), a columnist (Clifton Webb), a society lady (Judith Anderson).
The detective broods beneath Laura’s portrait, becoming obsessed with her. Suddenly, Laura (Gene Tierney) reenters her apartment! So now the questions become: who was murdered? And who wants Laura dead?
The one enlivening part of the film is Clifton Webb’s portrayal of Waldo Lydecker, a bitter old queen. His performance is coded as homosexual, and Webb plays it to the hilt. His dark witticisms enliven the plot and help to keep us guessing. Safe to say we will not reveal the murderer here; it is all rather contrived and unbelievable. David Raskin’s theme for the movie became a standard.
The NFR is one writer’s attempt to review all the films listed in the National Film Registry in chronological order. Next time: Meet Me in St. Louis.
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