Vertigo

Vertigo
Vertigo

Friday, March 21, 2014

Under the Spell of LAURA (a retro review)


Based on the novel by Vera Caspary and adapted by various scribes, Laura started modestly as mystery yarn released in 1944 and has grown in stature as a haunting, film noir classic.  It was begun by veteran director Rouben Mamoulian (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) with a young producer, Otto Preminger.  Due to creative differences, Mamoulian was replaced by 20th Century Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck, and Preminger took over directorial reins and made significant changes in casting and story.

The horrific murder of Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) triggers an investigation headed by cynical detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews).  Among a rogues gallery of suspects is Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb, priceless in a star making turn), an acerbic, caustic writer, Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price), a charming playboy, and Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson), a socialite.  Told in a series of flashbacks, Laura ascends the world of advertising and garners the admiration and desires among the men in her life.  McPherson becomes intrigued and fascinated by her even in death.  As he searches for more clues in her apartment, he finds himself strangely drawn to her lifelike portrait until one fateful night when his world changes forever.  


What a marvelous cast.  While it lacked a bonafide superstar, the film more than compensated with a roster of wonderful character actors and supporting players at their best.  First and foremost, the priceless Webb was already 53 years old with this breakout role and earned an Oscar nomination.  He subsequently had a distinguished career playing eccentric, loveable leads in such films as Cheaper by the Dozen (which was remade starring Steve Martin), Sitting Pretty (the original Mr. Belvedere before a TV version), and a very credible version of Titanic. Gene Tierney was a stunningly beautiful actress who would grace memorable films as in her Oscar nominated role in Leave Her to Heaven and the classic, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.  Dana Andrews starred in many films over a couple decades including The Best Years of Our Lives and The Crowded Sky (a direct inspiration for the parody Airplane.). You see Vincent Price in a strong role before he made his mark as the king of horror films (House of Wax, Pit and Pendulum).  Judith Anderson was versatile among theater, film, and television in a career spanning a majority of the twentieth century ranging from Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca to Star Trek III: The Search for Spock as a Vulcan! 

What seals Laura’s reputation forever is the romantic pull of not just a gorgeous femme fatale (Tierney), but a dead one at that! The story captivates your attention with its romantic longing and seedy mystery interspersed with humorous moments and unique twists. It’s also filled with sharp dialogue particularly the crackling lines spouted by Webb and ends with what must be one of the most famous last lines in movie history.  The film’s point of view employs the occasional use of voiceover, and one could imagine director Martin Scorsese being inspired by that device to use in some of his films (Good Fellas, The Wolf of Wall Street). 

Technical achievements excelled for what was essentially a B-movie.  Joseph LaShelle won a much deserved Oscar for his imaginative, black and white cinematography which displayed camera movement seldom seen up to that point (even though earlier German cinema had already pioneered the language of film noir).  The film deserves to be seen in a movie theater setting.  I was fortunate to watch this projected on a screen, uncut; it makes a huge difference. 

What has significantly contributed to the legend of this film is its memorable theme music by composer David Raksin.  What other title from film noir’s heyday boasts such a romantic score?  (I don’t count Chinatown or Body Heat which were post-period homages.)

Although Preminger would subsequently have his moments in the sun with films that notoriously courted controversy (Anatomy of a Murder, The Man With the Golden Arm), none of the other principals behind or in front of the camera would ever surpass their success with Laura.  Movie watchers may recognize distinct parallels in plot to a 1981 Burt Reynolds action film, Sharky’s Machine. 

The fact that Laura plays so well in the modern era is a testament to its unique storyline, great characterizations, and a confluence of technical acumen.  The film had a total of five Oscar nominations including one for Preminger.  In 1999, it was added to the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress.  A supreme example of the old studio system at its finest and a highlight of American film noir, Laura is one of the best films from Hollywood’s golden age.  Love that painting!

**** of ****stars

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