Laura (1944) Testimonial
I’ll go ahead and get this out of way. I am obsessed with this film. It’s pretty new to my list of favorite films. Yet, although new, I’ve watched it four times and I’m actually watching it as I type up this entry. Let’s hope it doesn’t impede our discussion.
Directed by Otto Preminger, we have the Noir Film, Laura (1944) on topic for tonight.
I’ll include a link of a full synopsis at the end of the entry, but here’s a quick one courtesy of Turner Classic Movies:
A police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he’s investigating.
Straight to the point, yeah?
Now, just like with every film I encounter (and fall in love with) I have to Triple Threat it—meaning I have to watch three times, pretty simple. Everyone knows the familiar saying, Third time’s the charm. [a favorite cliché of mine, I must confess]! Yes, this Triple Threat is a rule for me however, with this film it turned out to be a privilege. After my first viewing I had the urge to watch it again.
Let’s back up to the very first time I watched. I have to admit, I am ashamed and a trifle bit annoyed with myself for watching it while at work on one of our rare busy days. For shame, Olive! I know, I know. But the experience from watching wasn’t dull in the least. FUN FACT: I am boy crazy. (Bear with me if you will) I am a sucker for a handsome face and deep voice. (Tall, dark, and handsome—another favorite cliché.) This description alone could very well describe this film in a nutshell. Tall, because it, admittedly, went over my head in my first viewing. Dark, because it was a classic Noir Crime Film in Black & White; shadows surrounding every shot beautifully. Handsome, pertaining to the lovely weaved dialogue. Handsome dialogue and a handsome leading man.
The meaning of the word slapped me in the face as the opening scene where we encounter Lieutenant Mark McPherson, played by the delicious (pardon my boldness) Dana Andrews. I was smitten! I remember saying out loud, “Well hello there you beautiful sexy beast.” (Okay, so I whispered it.) At this point, I had made up my mind, if the film wasn’t that great, I would watch it, just to watch him! (A fantastic attention getter, Otto.)
I have another confession—I am a little silly in the first viewing of films. I poke fun at bizarre connections I’m pretty sure I only make. For example, when Mark talks to Waldo Lydecker of how he wrote an article about a previous murder of a victim with the last name Harrington killed in the same manner as Laura Hunt. My silly thought came forth, “What does the murderer got against people with last names starting with H!” The answer? Nothing! I was way off. Throughout the first run—the entire time, I kept asking, “How the hell did Mark fall in love with Laura.” The tallness of the film; Mark all of a sudden was jealous, punching other men, and ended up kissing the dame.
The movie ended and I found myself asking again, “When and how had his love for this dead woman manifested?” There were no signs, clues, warnings— so obviously there wasn’t any straight out dialogue from Mark saying when he fell in love let alone saying was in love with her. However, I made myself realize that I was half conscious in a sense when watching it, I mean, I was at work for goodness sake. And I couldn’t help but giggle every time Lydecker said the word “very”.
A month went by and I had attended to correcting add multiple titles onto IMDb. I cruised through Netflix and saw Laura in my list. That question resonated within me once again. I knew I had missed not just some but all the clues! I went back to IMDb and quickly found the film seeing it had won an Oscar. It was time for my second run through of the film. This time I was in the quietness of my living/dining room laying on my body pillow in the middle of the floor with my boy Bear and Oliver slathered over me fast asleep. I sadly report, I didn’t get the answer to my question. Still drooling over Andrews, I instead focused on the facial expressions of Mark. Maybe I would see something. Indeed, I catch a glimpse here and there. But my focus was not clear at all. I was all over the place. It felt as if that month had put me back to my initial reaction as the one of my first viewing. I shouldn’t have waited such a long time in between viewings. Even the universe thought so as I remembered buying the LIFE magazine issue that came out about Film Noir. There on the cover was Mark and Laura (Dana and Gene)!
The very next night I shut all the lights off, took up my comfy zone on the body pillow and started the film again. I was going to get the answer to my question! I reminded myself that it was the 1940s and it was custom for them to speak fast and have an accent that the decade itself alone owed. So, I watched the expressions and listened carefully. I figured out it was the old geezer Lydecker that was tripping me up. He could stand as still as a statue but his mouth moved faster than the speed of a hummingbird’s wings. And what do you know. He spoke all the clues right out in the open. Mark helped in the small flicker of his eyes in response to Lydecker. For example, when Lydecker confront Mark on how he put in a bid on the portrait of (the presumed dead) Laura.
BINGO! Big ass clue…
And I never heard it until my THIRD time of viewing the classic film.
Third time is [definitely] the charm!
The clues were finally revealed to me of just how Lieutenant Mark McPherson and fell in love with Laura Hunt.
* He sat there and didn’t interrupt Lydecker’s retelling of how they met. He even stopped writing in that little black notebook.
* He basically lived in a “dead” girl’s house. Even had Bessie (Laura’s housemaid) working and doing what he asked as if he was master of the house.
* Sorry, gotta mention it twice— He was in her house all day and night. Reading and re-reading her letters and diary. Drinking all her liquor. Going through her vanity, smelling her perfume, looking in her closet. Then falling asleep (all this in one night). It was like he just wanted to be near her through all her possessions because she was already dead. [I wish the audience was able to see a few of the letters or diary entries.]
* Then the big clue I mentioned previously. In addition, with Lydecker basically doing a reverse interrogation on Mark about having dreams of Laura as his wife and having babies! Mark is such a hothead; him getting all mad, holding his (or rather Laura’s) whiskey glass like he was going to crush it in his grasp!
>SIDENOTE: He has the biggest hands I’ve ever seen on a man! I actually felt bad for Shelby (Vincent Price) and his solar plexus.
* The only dialogue that clearly stated the answer I was looking for: “You better watch out, McPherson, or you’ll end up in a psychiatric ward. I don’t think they’ve ever had patient who feel in love with a corpse.” — Waldo Lydecker. Mark, with a face like thunder, tossed back another shot of whiskey.
All in all, at least Mark McPherson was a real man who didn’t deny his feelings. That’s very rare these days (at least in my neck of the woods). And it only makes me love him all the more.
Well that is all for this Friday’s Fiery Forties and Fifties. I’m always taking suggestions on anything of the written and/or spoken word. So if you have a book, poem, movie, video, or art piece you would like me to give a testimonial about go to my facebook page:
Olive Juuiice Facebook Page
OR
The Written and the Spoken Word Facebook Page
Just click the blue button at the top of the page that says “Request a time”. Remember I have a theme for each day. So you have crazy amounts of choices out there.
Stay PeachyKeen!
OliveJuuiice
Sources:
http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/81004/Laura/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0037008/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Netflix (Laura is on there now, go watch!)