> REVIEW
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Laura (1944)
More than a woman…
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By Conor Hunter | February 2012
DIRECTOR: Otto Preminger
WRITER(s): Jay Dratler/Samuel Hoffenstein/Elizabeth Reinhardt/Vera Caspary (source)
Ranked as the fourth best mystery film of all time by the American Film Institute and described as a classic of the murder mystery and film-noir genres, Otto Preminger’s Laura returns to the silver screen courtesy of the BFI, nearly 70 years after it originally debuted.
Producer Otto Preminger famously clashed with studio executives, source novel writer Vera Caspey and original director Rouben Mamoulian over his choice of cast and decision to shift the focus of the film away from the eponymous Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney), towards newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb). Finally Preminger was allowed into the director’s chair bringing legendary cinematographer Joseph Lashelle alongside him and the rest is cinematic history.
The set-up is familiar. A girl has been found murdered and a detective (Dana Andrews) must interview the suspects to discover the identity of the killer. The convoluted plot soon unfurls, twisting and turning as one would expect from its genre. Yet, it’s the nature of these twists that makes Laura so engaging, especially the surprising mid-way denouement that sets up the second act.
What also sets the film apart is Preminger’s determination to shift the focus towards the authoritarian and aloof Waldo Lydecker, masterfully portrayed by Clifton Webb. Preminger goes as far as to have the rather effeminate Lydecker narrate, a role normally reserved for the film-noir detective. From the first moment we see Lydecker we’re aware that this is no ordinary film-noir protagonist, and Preminger and Webb come together to create a powerful portrayal of pride and obsession.
The film’s cinematography is a master-class in film-noir, applying German expressionism to camera angles, set design and extreme contrast in light and shadow to portray its characters’ rollercoaster of emotions.
However, the film is not without its faults. Preminger’s determined focus on Lydecker comes at the expense of the rest of the characters. In contrast with the hard-boiled whisky-swigging detectives of the contemporary noir films, Dana Andrews’ Mark McPherson is portrayed as a dull company man going through his daily routine.
Given that the film is named after her, one would have expected slightly more from Gene Tierney’s Laura as well. Her sole trait appears to be her beauty and her role is little more than an object of the male characters desires. Of course this is in no way a first for a Hollywood film, nor would it be the last, but given that film-noir, with it’s abundance of classic femme-fatales, had one of the most interesting range of female roles at the time, it is disappointing that Preminger’s portrayal of Laura is so flat.
Finally, a nearly unrecognisable Vincent Price appears as Shelby Carpenter, a loveable but dim-witted playboy. While there is nothing particularly wrong with Price’s performance, the clichéd character he is given suggests that he was fortunate to make his way into the horror genre.
Quibbles aside, Laura fully deserves the status bestowed upon it and despite adhering to cliché genre conventions, Preminger draws out an original and truly memorable character. A lot of what Laura does may seem predictable, but that’s simply because it has been imitated so many times over the past 68 years.
Script…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Arguably the film’s weakest point, yet in Waldo Lydecker, the narrative features a
complex and deeply engaging character, in contrast the supporting roles are sadly
forgettable. 4
Direction………………………………………………………………………………………..
Preminger masterfully utilises his cast and cinematography to convey his
passionate, powerful vision. 5
Verdict…………………………………………………………………………………………..
A film truly deserving of its classic status, recommended for noir, mystery and
cinema aficionados alike. 5
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