Laura: Over-Rated B Movie

I finally saw "Laura" from 1944. I've only been wanting to see it for 25 years. I enjoyed it, but it's hardly the classic it's often described as these days. The reputation it has acquired in the past few decades strikes me as completely overblown. I'd describe "Laura" as a very good B picture. It's superficial and formulaic. But it's put together so well that it's a thoroughly enjoyable entertainment. It moves along at a brisk pace, which is particularly refreshing given that no one in America seems to know how to edit films anymore.

"Laura" earned Otto Preminger his first Oscar nomination as Best Director. (He lost to Leo McCarey for "Going My Way," the sleep-inducing film starring Bing Crosby that inexplicably dominated the Oscars that year.) "Laura" did not get a Best Picture nomination, and I'm glad of that. But it did garner several smaller nominations, including for art direction, screenplay, and supporting actor (Clifton Webb). The only Oscar it won was for Best Cinematography, which strikes me as undeserved. I can see it receiving the nomination, but not to be named the greatest achievement in cinematography for the year. It must have been one helluva bad year for cinematography.

Gene Tierney plays the eponymous heroine in a charming but vapid way. The same can be said for Dana Andrews, a B actor if ever there was one, who plays a detective trying to solve a murder. There is a delightful plot twist in the middle of the film, where a murdered character suddenly reappears, saying she had been away for the weekend. So who is the person at the morgue? It's great fun trying to figure it out. But when the puzzle is finally solved, it's a bit anti-climactic.

"Laura" is recommended as a fun, crisp entertainment to enjoy on a lazy evening. It's available on Netflix-on-demand for instant viewing. Let the movie night begin!