The Blue Dahlia (1946)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

George Marshall

Writer:

Raymond Chandler (written by)

Release Date:

19 April 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Tamed by a brunette - framed by a blonde - blamed by the cops!

Plot:

An ex-bomber pilot is suspected of murdering his unfaithful wife.

Plot Keywords:

Pilot | Nightclub | Nightclub Owner | Drunkenness | Unfaithful Wife

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Alan Ladd	...	Johnny Morrison - Lt.Cmdr., ret.
Veronica Lake	...	Joyce Harwood
William Bendix	...	Buzz Wanchek
Howard Da Silva	...	Eddie Harwood
Doris Dowling	...	Helen Morrison
Tom Powers	...	Capt. Hendrickson
Hugh Beaumont	...	George Copeland
Howard Freeman	...	Corelli - Motel Operator
Don Costello	...	Leo
Will Wright	...	'Dad' Newell
Frank Faylen	...	Man Recommending a Motel
Walter Sande	...	Heath - Gangster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dick Elliott	...	Motor Court Owner (scenes deleted)
Milton Kibbee	...	Night Hotel Clerk (scenes deleted)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Certification:

UK:A | Norway:16 (1947) | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Finland:(Banned) (1947-1953) | Finland:K-16 | USA:Approved (PCA #10874)

Filming Locations:

Encino, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Elizabeth Short got the nickname “The Black Dahlia” from a bartender at a Long Beach bar she frequented. The Blue Dahlia (1946) was playing at a theatre down the street, and the bartender got the name wrong. Elizabeth picked up on that and kept the nickname, adding a flower to her hair to complete the transformation. She was murdered the next year (1947).

Quotes:

'Dad' Newell: Let me see. I seem to have misplaced your name for he moment.
Buzz Wanchek: Where were you keepin' it?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Soundtrack:

That Ain't Right

Engaging Early Noir

Although riddled with improbabilities, Raymond Chandler's tough story and script is well served with a glossy look and the hard-edged performances drawn by director George Marshall from a superior cast. THE BLUE DAHLIA concerns a recently discharged military man Johnny Morrison (Alan Ladd) who returns home to find his wife Helen (Doris Dowling) has been as unfaithful as the day is long--and is presently carrying on with club owner Eddie Harwood (Howard da Silva), over whom her hold is not entirely romantic. After stomping out into the rain, Morrison learns Helen has been murdered, and must race to prove his innocence before the coppers pick him up.

Ladd would give considerably more sophisticated performances in his later years, but he strikes all the right ultra-tough chords, and although Veronica Lake is a rather wooden actress she is remarkably beautiful and as a team the pair has considerable chemistry. The standouts in the cast, however, are Da Silva, who gives the role of the heavy a surprising interpretation, and William Bendix, who plays Ladd's war-wounded buddy to great effect.

THE BLUE DAHLIA lacks both the moodiness and grittiness of truly great film noir, so it is not in the first rank of the genre--but it is no less enjoyable for that. The film cracks along at a rapid pace with plenty of action and a surprise twist or two that will keep you guessing to the very end. Ladd and Lake fans will love it, and any one who likes the hardboiled style will be in for a real treat. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer