This is one of the stranger film noirs you may ever see. Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews, THE LOVED ONE) is assigned to the murder case of beautiful Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney, NIGHT AND THE CITY). McPherson first interviews the gossip writer Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb, 1950’s CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN), who then accompanies him to interview socialite Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF) and Laura’s boy-toy fiancée Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price, THE FLY).
What’s fascinating about the film is the implausibility of the actions of many of the characters, but the film’s lack of caring. Would an investigator really take a murder suspect along for the ride to interview other suspects? When McPherson interviews Lydecker, the writer is in the bathtub, eventually getting out and asking McPherson for his robe. How many murder suspects appear fully nude (even if its off camera) to the detective?
Lydecker is a campy sort of fellow, who falls madly for Laura despite being quite older than her. In a flashback, Lydecker shows how he meets Laura, first rejecting her then becoming infatuated with her to the point of transforming her into a success. He claims to love her passionately, but we never see him touch her and he seems to not be any bit heterosexual. Then on the other hand we have Price as Carpenter, who plays the clueless, doting pretty boy like no other doting pretty boy you’ve ever seen. Then smack in the middle is an all-most caricature of a tough male detective by Andrews, who falls in love with Laura posthumously.
Because the film was made in 1944, I suppose it had to be subtler about its sexuality. Does Lydecker want to be Laura? Does Laura go for Carpenter because she knows Lydecker’s sexuality? The mysterious motivations of the characters make the film so unusual and fascinating at the same time. Then you add in the nourish twists and turns and one is captivated. This is the kind of film that you watch through and just like at first, but it sticks in your brain and makes you think about it for a week, revealing subtlety and nuisance that makes you want to rush out and watch it again.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
