Alright, I confess...I hadn't got any experience with Otto Preminger-movies before I saw Laura. But, if they're all as promising as this one...I'll soon become his biggest fan for sure! A fan of Vincent Price, I was already. That was my motivation to watch Laura in the first place. I wanted to see this favorite actor of mine in a good old-fashioned and intelligent tale of mystery and murder. I got what I expected PLUS a hell of a lot more!! Laura can be summarized by using one single word: BRILLIANT! Like no other film, Laura is the perfect proof that cinema can be the purest form of art. The dialogues are superb. Every line that's being said in Laura is a highlight, every facial expression made is a stunning one. Preminger's film is Film-Noir perfection. Period. First and foremost, the story of Laura impresses you bigtime. The script is extremely intelligent and it's always one step ahead of you. There were most movies desperately TRY to fool the audience ( and fail ),Laura pulls it off without any effort. The atmosphere and design just sucks you in completely and you're overwhelmed by every surprising twist. I'm not telling anything about the plot or storyline here. It would be a shame to spoil something about this masterpiece. See it for yourself and be astonished! I am willing to write one last word about the cast, though. Laura has the most entire charismatic cast I've ever seen! Gene Tierney was an obvious choice to play the title role, I may say. She's one of the most beautiful girls who ever appeared on the big screen. It's only normal that she's in the spotlights here. Heck, I even fell in love with her myself while watching her. Clifton Webb is terrific as the men-hating critic named Waldo. His constant sarcastic remarks are a joy for all senses. And - as I said before - Vincent Price is the one who's making this film complete. Laura was shot pretty early in his well-filled career but his talent is obviously there already. Even though he grew out to become a legendary horror-icon, he certainly proves here that he could handle all kind of characters.

Go and see Laura! See it now!! It's one of the greatest films ever made and the undeniable proof that classic cinema will always be the best. No matter who're they're trying to impress us with sound and visual aspects nowadays, nothing compares to the charm and intelligence of a good story!

I have often heard of this film referred to as being a "Film Noir" flick, but that is debatable. While the movie is about a woman who was murdered with a shotgun and does feature Dana Andrews as a snappy-talking cop, the movie seemed too polished (with lovely music and production values) and sophisticated to be true Noir. Now this ISN'T to say this is a bad film or it was overly sanitized--it just isn't exactly the gritty and dark film that true Film Noir seems to be.

The film is about the murder of a young woman and its subsequent investigation. The film actually has very few characters, but those who appear in the film did a wonderful job. Dana Andrews, as always, plays very capably as a detective who is perhaps too involved in the case. Vincent Price plays a somewhat sleazy and contemptible fiancé. Clifton Webb plays the most complex and strange character--a fastidious misanthrope ("hater of mankind") who, in some ways, seems both obsessively attached to her with perhaps a hint of homosexuality or asexuality. As I said, he was a truly complex and unusual man in the film--sort of like a crazed and even nastier version of "Mr. Belvedere". And, of course, there is Gene Tierney as "Laura"--a lovely and sophisticated woman who is the object of the three men's desire.

The plot is both intriguing and offers some dandy twists and character studies. Producer/director Preminger did a marvelous job with the script and was able to take a simple idea and make the most of it. A fine film--one of the better ones of the 1940s and, with the possible exceptions of LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN and THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR, the best thing Ms. Tierney ever did.

By the way, the new Fox DVD is exceptional. In addition to the film, the extras make it a real value. In addition to one additional scene, the DVD packs two shows from the excellent A&E Biography series narrated by Peter Graves--one on the tragic life of Gene Tierney and the other on Vincent Price. This is great, but in a perfect world there also would have been one on Dana Andrews (his private life is fascinating and pretty tragic also)--but I can't blame Fox, as the extras were already a lot more than I had hoped for.

Told in flashback mostly, "Laura" is quintessentially a taut and atmospheric romantic mystery, in which a New York detective is investigating the murder of a beautiful woman and falling in love with her image. The plot is moody, intriguing and well constructed. I will admit I did find the ending abrupt when I first saw it, but it has grown on me, and Otto Preminger's direction is stark and suspenseful. "Laura" is also stylishly filmed, with breathtaking black and white cinematography, and the drama is really helped by an elegant and sophisticated screenplay and a truly haunting score from David Raksin. The casting is absolutely perfect, with the gorgeous Gene Tierney at her most entrancing in the title role and Dana Andrews commanding and authoritative in the role of detective McPherson. Also impressive are Judith Anderson's vain and silly society dame, Vincent Price's southern-accented and smarmy(handsome too) fiancé and especially Clifton Webb as truly shifty columnist Wacko. One thing of note, the opening narrative line "I shall never forget the night Laura died" is one of those opening lines that will really stay with you forever. In short, "Laura" really is a classic and shouldn't be missed. 10/10 Bethany Cox