Laura

What is Film Noir?

I have asked that myself countless times not knowing what it means. Undefinable of the true meaning but nevertheless easy to describe. I can describe the typical Film Noir: A detective moving in the shadows, tailing a possible suspect that may or may not be innocent. Going to a phone booth, and calling his employer usually a Femme Fatal seeming innocent but sexy and dangerous at the same time with ulterior motives that may not be revealed to us right away and can prove fatal for our hero-- or antihero.

The first film noir that I saw was "The Maltese Falcon" when I was in college, I thought for a movie that old and many consider a classic it should  be worth watching. That was the second movie that I saw that starred the legendary Humphrey Bogart with a fantastic ensemble cast led by Sydney Greenstreet, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Gladys George, Ward Bond etc.

I admit it maybe a little bit dated but the time line adds more mystery and intrigue to it. After watching the film I was hooked, the stark camera angles, dark themes, plot twists, dubious characters, back-handed one liners, double entendre's and the light peeking through the darkness made me a fan for life.

The most recent Noir I have seen is a masterpiece and class of it's own: Laura.

Directed by Otto Preminger who had problems with the studio executive of the time Darryl Zanuck. The cast included the stunning Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Vincent Price and in my opinion the actor who held the film together and stole the show Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker who played one of the most unforgettable characters in Film Noir.

The film was started of course with a narration (which is common for Noir films) by Waldo himself amusingly in his bathtub about a murder of a young dame (ahem!) woman by the name of Laura. The ever dutiful detective Mark McPherson (typical Hollywood movie name) comes in the frame and interrupts Waldo and questions him about the murder. McPherson is of course the typical Noir detective, hard boiled, rough and lacking in manners (as expected from cops in that time) but persistent and resourceful and not in a subtle way.
I don't know if Preminger intended it but it's weird to have Waldo naked sitting on his marble tub with Mcpherson looking asking him questions. I thought it was funny when Waldo asked for a washcloth and his robe and McPherson gave a sarcastic smirk implying that he thinks Waldo might be homosexual (the actor Webb really was gay) considering he's not too conscious  being naked with another man you think he would find it inappropriate (he considers himself as a man of class and high stature).

The character of Laura is played with subtlety by Gene Tierney, she starts off  awkwardly when she introduces herself to Waldo who is a known newspaper columnist and radio personality. Waldo immediately brushes her off because of her lack of "good manners"while eating his luxurious meal, but Laura was just too nice and too desirable not to leave an impression on the effeminate Waldo. He immediately changes his mind and not only endorses but mentors her and turns her into a successful advertising executive.

Waldo and Laura's relationship is ambiguous enough because it was never implied that they really had a sexual relationship, from what I understood Laura was Waldo's companion but he hardly touches her on the film and not even an embrace for a man who is supposed to be head over heels over a lady.

Enter the conniving Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price) who was supposed to be the Lady Killer that every woman should watch out for (though I hardly see him in that role since he's not that really the Don Juan type).

He manages to con Laura into having a relationship and worse even into matrimony, this plot fuels the suspicion of who really killed Laura.
McPherson who I think is the most amateurish detective I have seen in all Film Noir is tasked to put the pieces together and find the killer. To his credit Mcpherson like all detectives is persistent and resourceful enough, but he lacks the natural wit of Philip Marlowe and the savvy of Sam Spade.

He chain smokes, sarcastically asks questions to antagonize people (Typical noir detective), plays his mini baseball board game instead of paying attention (he claims it keeps him calm) and has a backup on call everytime that bugs the house phone. We do not even see him report to his precinct or to his superiors about the status of the case but instead hang around Laura's apartment seeming more interested on the dead woman. In one scene he pours himself a drink and looks at Laura's portrait like a man who just lost his lover which I find strange and macabre. **SPOILER ALERT** That is until Laura reappears, unscathed and appears to have no knowledge of the grim situation that is happening in her life. This creates a more complicated situation as expected of a Noir film, the central character who is supposed to be dead but alive, a detective infatuated with her, and 2 suspects capable of anything as shown in their character. Waldo who is obsessive and Shelby  who will do anything to live a comfortable life.  

I thought it was really Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson) at first, the aunt who was also in love with Shelby but as it shows Film Noir is trickier and more crooked than a politician. The crime was eventually traced **SPOILER ALERT** back to the effeminate Waldo whom I practically ruled out as the suspect when he fainted upon seeing Laura alive and well.

But I guess that was what Preminger had intended, how can an effeminate dandy commit murder? I would never have guessed.
As I watch as the drama unfolds McPherson's unconventional methods does work, he leads people into thinking he will make an arrest and even as to go far as to charge Laura for the murder. His intentions were obvious because he knew she was not the suspect but is inclined to accuse her anyway just to make her reveal her feelings and say that she is not in love with Shelby anymore . This is obviously deliberate on his part because of his attraction to her which is really amateurish to say the least.

I even wondered if Laura was still in love with Shelby, will Mcpherson let her go or will he still charge her for murder? I really can't tell.In the end Laura does fall for the undeserving Mcpherson, they even kiss as he's about to leave her apartment and for a moment I became jealous of McPherson. Waldo in the meantime revealed as the suspect was shot in the end by one of Mcpherson's cohorts, Waldo's shotgun instead of shooting Laura blasts the grandfather clock he gave her. I felt sorry for Waldo in the end because I didn't want him to die, it is understandable for certain men to have an obsession but for them to also die for their sickness is unjustifiable but I guess that was what Preminger had intended to make it more realistic.

A fitting end to a great film worth watching many times and yes--- you can be obsessed with it.

Grade: A+