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IMDbPro

The Blue Dahlia

  • 19461946
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
9K
YOUR RATING
Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, William Bendix, and Doris Dowling in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
Watch Trailer
Play trailer2:25
1 Video
50 Photos
CrimeFilm-NoirMystery
An ex-bomber pilot is suspected of murdering his unfaithful wife.An ex-bomber pilot is suspected of murdering his unfaithful wife.An ex-bomber pilot is suspected of murdering his unfaithful wife.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
9K
YOUR RATING
    • George Marshall
    • Raymond Chandler(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Alan Ladd
    • Veronica Lake
    • William Bendix
    • George Marshall
    • Raymond Chandler(original screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Alan Ladd
    • Veronica Lake
    • William Bendix
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 98User reviews
    • 46Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:25
    Watch Trailer

    Photos50

    Veronica Lake and Howard Da Silva in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    William Bendix in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Veronica Lake and George Marshall in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, William Bendix, and Howard Da Silva in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake in The Blue Dahlia (1946)
    Alan Ladd and Doris Dowling in The Blue Dahlia (1946)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alan Ladd
    Alan Ladd
    • Johnny Morrison
    Veronica Lake
    Veronica Lake
    • Joyce Harwood
    William Bendix
    William Bendix
    • Buzz Wanchek
    Howard Da Silva
    Howard Da Silva
    • Eddie Harwood
    Doris Dowling
    Doris Dowling
    • Helen Morrison
    Tom Powers
    Tom Powers
    • Capt. Hendrickson
    Hugh Beaumont
    Hugh Beaumont
    • George Copeland
    Howard Freeman
    Howard Freeman
    • Corelli
    Don Costello
    Don Costello
    • Leo
    Will Wright
    Will Wright
    • 'Dad' Newell
    Frank Faylen
    Frank Faylen
    • Man Recommending a Motel
    Walter Sande
    Walter Sande
    • Heath
    Bea Allen
    • News Clerk
    • (uncredited)
    Harry Barris
    Harry Barris
    • Bellhop
    • (uncredited)
    George Barton
    • Cab Driver
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Bayless
    • Bar Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Edward Biby
    Edward Biby
    • Restaurant Patron
    • (uncredited)
    Nina Borget
    • Mexican Waitress
    • (uncredited)
      • George Marshall
      • Raymond Chandler(original screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Just after the fight scene between Alan Ladd and the two thugs who kidnapped him, one of the thugs is seen soaking his broken leg in a round tub. That wasn't in the original script; the actor had actually broken his leg filming the fight and, without consulting screenwriter Raymond Chandler, director George Marshall rewrote the script to have the character break his leg as well.
    • Goofs
      During the scene in the Blue Dahlia manager's office between Leo and Eddie, the moving shadow of the boom mic is visible on the wall above Eddie whilst he is seated in the armchair.
    • Quotes

      Joyce Harwood: Well, don't you even say 'Good night'?

      Johnny Morrison: It's good-bye, and it's tough to say good-bye.

      Joyce Harwood: Why is it? You've never seen me before tonight.

      Johnny Morrison: Every guy's seen you before somewhere. The trick is to find you.

    • Connections
      Featured in Alan Ladd: The True Quiet Man (1999)
    • Soundtracks
      The Blue Dahlia
      (uncredited)

      Music by Bernie Wayne

      Used instrumentally

    User reviews98

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Good noir, good performances
    "The Blue Dahlia" is a flower and a nightclub, both of which figure in the plot of this 1946 film starring Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, William Bendix and Howard da Silva. There's plenty of the busy, somewhat chaotic post-war atmosphere in this movie as war pals Johnny Morrison (Ladd), Buzz Wanchek (Bendix) and George Copeland (Hugh Beaumont) return from service. While the brain-damaged Buzz and Copeland get an apartment together, Morrison returns to his beautiful wife (Doris Dowling) whom he finds has been living a wild, party-filled existence and cheating on him with club owner Eddie Harwood (da Silva). Hurt and angry, Morrison, trying to get a cab in the rain, is picked up by none other than a beautiful blond named Joyce, who he does not know is actually Mrs. Harwood. After parting company, they both stay at the same inn without realizing it. The next morning, Morrison hears on the radio that his wife is dead, and the police are looking for him. On the run, and with some help from Joyce, Morrison tries to find out who really killed his wife.

    This is a pretty good noir with a solid, effective performance from Ladd and excellent work by both Bendix and da Silva. There are plenty of suspects, too - viewers will have their pick. Though "The Blue Dahlia" is a decent noir, it's the frenetic post-war energy that makes it watchable rather than the story, which as one reviewer here pointed out, has the strange coincidence of Johnny being picked up by Mrs. Harwood. The other odd thing to this viewer, anyway, is the fact that the Bendix character is so obviously brain-damaged from the war (he has a plate in his head), yet no one seems to really pick up on it, or at least acknowledge it, until later in the film. He's told to pull himself together and allowed to drink. Meanwhile, loud music drives him nearly insane, and he suggests getting on a bus, not remembering he just got off of it.

    The Veronica Lake role is criticized - it's true she doesn't have much to do; it's also true that not many people liked working with her; and that she wasn't the world's greatest actress (Raymond Chandler called her Moronica), but she and Ladd made a great, if short, team, and she was always beautiful to look at and listen to.

    All in all, worth watching for one of the great noir teamings and some good performances.
    helpful•9
    0
    • blanche-2
    • Jul 22, 2007

    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 1, 1946 (United Kingdom)
      • United States
      • English
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Fairmont Miramar Hotel Santa Monica - 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 36 minutes
      • Black and White

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