[Revisit Review]
The moment where Otto Preminger's Laura goes from being a good murder mystery to a great one is the scene where Laura, the victim whose murder has set the film in motion, suddenly re-materializes. Suddenly Mark McPherson, the New York City police detective investigating her death, has the ultimate weapon: the supposed murder victim herself. It's a twist so brilliant that if it had occurred in a film released a few decades later it might have been heralded as a masterpiece of meta-fiction. After all, how absurd is the idea of a murder victim tagging along on their own murder investigation? Roger Ebert wisely pointed out that most of Laura consists of people standing around in rooms talking to McPherson. What keeps the film from growing tedious is how each character is dirty, rotten liar in their own fashion. But not everyone is good at it. I've heard complaints that Dana Andrews performance as McPherson was too flat and monotone. But I find that Andrews' performance was so lifeless that it transforms the detective into a caricature in his own right.
9/10
I just saw it for the first time on TCM- and I agree with you that it's a great film noir/drawing room mystery. I also find it to be a great camp classic in the same sense as you previously put Saboteur into- every character is a fun caricature of themselves that the audiences have fun with these 'dirty, rotten liars'. In his review, Roger Ebert cites James Naremore, quoting " Where Laura is concerned, the camp effect is at least partly intended--- any movie that puts Clifton Webb, Judith Anderson, and Vincent Price in the same drawing room is inviting a mood of fey theatricality." I'd add two more actors who add their own sense of camp- Gene Tierney's sweet-natured yet dependable role and Dana Andrews' no-nonsense detective. Even the servant, Bessie, is a terrific caricature of the servant role. Laura might be the only film that is enjoyable as a serious murder mystery and a campy fun film at the same time. :) Thanks for recommending a classic!
ReplyDeleteIt's always a pleasure, Matt!
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