The Blue Dahlia (1946)

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

Director:

George Marshall

Writer:

Raymond Chandler

Stars:

Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, William Bendix

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alan Ladd	...	Johnny Morrison
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
Don Costello	...	Leo
Will Wright	...	'Dad' Newell
Frank Faylen	...	Man Recommending a Motel
Walter Sande	...	Heath

Storyline

When Johnny comes home from the navy he finds his wife Helen kissing her substitute boyfriend Eddie, the owner of the Blue Dahlia nightclub. Helen admits her drunkenness caused their son's death. He pulls a gun on her but decides she's not worth it. Later, Helen is found dead and Johnny is the prime suspect.

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Plot Keywords:

on the run | nightclub owner | hotel detective | amnesia | murder of wife | 

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Taglines:

Three famous finds from "The Lost Weekend" to thrill you again!

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Genres:

Crime | Film-Noir | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The pressure of having to finish the screenplay combined with the curve ball of having to write an entirely new ending was too much for Raymond Chandler. He quickly came down with a severe case of writer's block. According to a near-legendary story, screenwriter Raymond Chandler offered to finish the screenplay by working drunk: in exchange for sacrificing his health to produce the requisite pages on time, Chandler was permitted to work at home (a privilege rarely granted to screenwriters) and was provided two chauffeured cars, one to convey the completed pages to the studio and the other for his wife. Chandler turned the script in on time. Many now believe the "drunkenness" was simply a ruse by Chandler to wrangle extraordinary privileges from the desperate studio.

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Goofs

Joyce tells Johnny that the tide is out. Clearly the tide it all the way in, completely covering the beach.

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Quotes

Johnny Morrison: [after being picked up] You gotta have more sense than to take chances with strangers like this.
Joyce Harwood: It's funny but practically all the people were strangers when I met them. I'm going to Malibu. Is that any use to you?
Johnny Morrison: What's in Malibu?
Joyce Harwood: Houses, people. I have some friends there.

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Connections

Referenced in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

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Soundtracks

That Ain't Right
(uncredited)
Music by Bernie Wayne
Used instrumentally

User Reviews

The black Dahlia

Johnny Morrison (Alan Ladd) and his two friends (including a good and funny William Bendix) are coming back in town after serving in the navy during WWII. While his two friends find a place for themselves, Johnny returns to his home to see his wife and his son he hasn't seen for years. There, his wife is having a party with a dozen of friends in which her lover, Eddie Harwood, is also invited. After an argument, during which Johnny threatens his wife with his gun (after learning that she is unfaithful, alcoholic and that their son is dead by her fault), he leaves the place and his gun, judging that she is not worth a killing, to find a hotel for the night. That same rainy night, she is killed with Johnny's gun. For the Police, he becomes the first suspect of this crime.

I've heard a lot about this movie (a classic of film noir with the legendary couple Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake) without being able to see it for years. I just saw this movie tonight at the Oak Street Cinema in Minneapolis. Overall the movie is good thanks to a good plot (the scenario is signed Raymond Chandler, not quiet a coincidence). At first, I found the acting very poor and dated. Especially during the argument between Alan Ladd and his wife (played Doris Dowling). This was quiet a surprise for me because I met this actress in Othello (in which she has a small part) directed by Orson Welles, a director who generally hires only good actors. But as soon as you get into the story, the acting and the dialogues get better and you really want to know the name of the murderer (really I could not guess it!). After the plot, the scenes between Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake are what make the movie worth to remember. Frustrating enough for the most romantic of us, you won't see them kiss each other during this movie, even at the end (this was probably not allowed on screen at the time when the movie was made). It is also hard to tell if the Dahlias in the movie were actually blue since it was filmed in black and white. Finally, yes, Veronica Lake is very beautiful.

This is good entertainment, I recommend it with a 7/10.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 June 1946 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Blue Dahlia

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles City Hall - 200 North Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,700,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1