Laura is a 1944 film noir which tells the story of a police detective, investigating a woman's murder, who falls in love with her portrait. It stars Gene Tierney as Laura, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price and Judith Anderson. Adapted from Vera Caspary 's novel by Jay Dratler , Samuel Hoffenstein , Elizabeth Reinhardt and Ring Lardner Jr. (uncredited). It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian (uncredited) and Otto Preminger.

It won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, and was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Clifton Webb), Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Director (Otto Preminger) and Best Writing, Screenplay. The score, notable for its haunting title theme (which has since become a jazz standard recorded over 400 times), was written by David Raksin.

In 1999 the film was deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Plot: Laura begins with cop Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) investigating the murder of a beautiful advertising director Laura Hunt. McPherson interviews newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb), who relates how he fell under Laura's spell and used his influence and fame to advance her career. McPherson also questions Laura's fiancé, Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price); her wealthy aunt, Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson); and Laura's loyal housekeeper, Bessie Clary (Dorothy Adams). Through flashbacks McPherson comes to know Laura (Gene Tierney), and slowly falls in love with her portrait image.

Quote for the movie:

"I shall never forget the weekend Laura died. A silver sun burned through the sky like a huge magnifying glass. It was the hottest Sunday in my recollection. I felt as if I were the only human being left in New York. For Laura's horrible death, I was alone. I, Waldo Lydecker, was the only one who really knew her."

External links

• Laura at Movie Tome