CORE 152 IJ - Fall 01 - Notes for Laura

Sunday, October 14, Golden Auditorium (Little Hall), 8:30pm
Bring Paper and Pencil

Laura (1944)

Director:		Otto Preminger*, Rouben Mamoulian (uncredited)
Producer:		Otto Preminger (20th Century-Fox)
Screenplay:		Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt*; from the novel by Vera Caspary
Director of Photography:		Joseph La Shelle†
Art Direction:		Leland Fuller, Thomas Little, and Lyle R. Wheeler*
Music Score:		David Raskin
Music Director:		Emil Newman
Song:		“Laura”, lyric by Johnny Mercer, music by David Raskin

Principle Cast:
Gene Tierney		Laura Hunt
Dana Andrews		Mark McPherson
Clifton Webb*		Waldo Lydecker
Vincent Price		Shelby Carpenter
Judith Anderson		Ann Treadwell
Dorothy Adams		Bessie Clary

† Academy Award; * Academy Award Nomination

88 minutes. Investigating the murder of beautiful career girl Laura Hunt, Detective Mark McPherson questions her mentor, noted newspaper and radio personality Waldo Lydecker. It becomes clear that the caustic Lydecker regarded Laura not only as his finest creation, but also as his personal property, using his biting wit to stave off her many suitors—all but one. The single exception is Shelby Carpenter, to whom Laura was engaged at the time of her death, much to the chagrin of Lydecker and Ann Treadwell, an older woman in love with and supporting Shelby. As Mark continues his investigation, he, too, falls under the spell of the beautiful Laura, via the stunning portrait of the dead woman which hangs in her apartment. But who killed her? A jealous Lydecker, who perhaps could not stand losing her to the young Shelby? An enraged Shelby, who may have discovered Laura planned to call off the engagement? An aging and desperate Ann Treadwell, who could not stand losing Shelby to the young Laura? The intrigue is thick and the surprises are only just beginning...

Adapted from Silver & Ward, eds. (1992) Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style, 3rd Ed. Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press.

See the IMDb Laura page
for full cast and production details,
goofs, quotes, and more.

Some Discussion Questions:

In what ways, and to what extent, does this film fit into the stylistic category of film noir? Consider:
- plot,
- characters (not only their types, but also their emotions, motivations, and interrelations),
- visual elements (use of light and shadow, camera placement and movement, shot composition, framing, use of deep focus...), and
- sound
Also consider how the various elements listed work systematically to reinforce each other and convey a mood and a meaning in a sequence or in the film as a whole.
Come up with two or three adjectives each for: Waldo Lydecker, Mark McPherson, Laura Hunt, Shelby Carpenter, Ann Treadwell. Consider how the movie conveys the attributes you describe with the adjectives.
Compare McPherson to Neff and Spade as noir “protagonists”. How are they similar and different? Tie this to similarites/differences in the movies overall
Is there a femme fatale in this movie? If so, who is it? Compare to previous femmes fatales.
What is the significance of McPherson’s constantly playing with the baseball puzzle in the presence of Lydecker?
Is there an overall moral structure to this film, and if so, how is it displayed and fulfilled (or undermined)?
Discuss the similarities/differences in the endings of Laura, The Maltese Falcon, and Double Indemnity.