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Laura

Laura

1944
Romance, Drama
1h 28m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 70.68% from 1641 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(1641)
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Rated 09 Feb 2016
92
84th
For as much as this movie is praised, I found the whole to be less than the sum of its parts. The script is definitely clever, and the supporting cast is superb, but the central roles of Laura and the detective disappoint - Gene Tierney just doesn't exude the near-supernatural charisma that she's meant to, and Dana Andrews is completely flat and emotionless, making their eventual romance less than compelling. Definitely worth watching, but not quite the masterpiece its reputation would suggest.
Rated 20 Jan 2010
96
99th
Superb mystery, owing at least as much to classical detective stories as to the later, hard-boiled ones. Waldo Lydecker is a marvelous creation, perhaps one of my favorite characters of all time, and Clifton Webb is spectacular in the role. The solution to the mystery, albeit wholly satisfying, is only a minor part of the pleasure of rewatching 'Laura'. Moreso, the joy derives from spending time with an ever-interesting gallery of suspects and from the wonderfully intricate plotting. Flawless.
Rated 28 Mar 2010
7
75th
I thought Clifton Webb was Vincent Price at first because I just assume Price was always an old man since he came out of the womb.
Rated 19 Jun 2017
84
93rd
If I had a nickel for every time I fell in love with a girl while imagining she was a corpse...oh God! Abort joke! Abort joke!
Rated 22 Jul 2008
100
98th
A fantastic film noir. Gene Tierney is easily one of the most breathtakingly beautiful actresses of her generation. The plot is engagingly labyrinthine, the characters memorable, and it has aged wonderfully.
Rated 26 Mar 2019
85
80th
There are some really wonderful shots present, and as a whole it's directed and acted well. It's a really clever script that isn't boring at all and makes you guess until the very end. It also does a good job of adding some depth to most of the central players. It's a great film noir but it didn't quite click with me to the same level as it did many others; still definitely worth a watch.
Rated 12 Dec 2006
93
98th
Tierney has never been better than here as the mystical Laura who captures the hearts of men and leads them astray. The mysterious aura that surrounds the film is in large part thanks to her, but also due to the magnificent visual touches from Preminger.
Rated 18 Feb 2007
4
70th
One of the better noirs I've ever seen; the Clifton Webb character is great, and I love all the supernatural touches. It's got this eerie vibe throughout, especially in the scene where Andrews goes and sits in Laura's room under that massive portrait of her. Really memorable.
Rated 23 Oct 2010
85
72nd
Tierney doesn't quite live up to her character (really wished they'd been able to get Dietrich), but on the whole it's a gripping, nuanced high-life noir.
Rated 02 Apr 2011
75
52nd
I'm a little surprised at how highly rated this noir is. The story is not very well constructed, and Dana Andrews' performance is rather comic, to the point that I actually laughed from time to time. Preminger's direction is great though, and so is the cinematography. I also very much liked Clifton Webb as the bitterly jealous aspiring lover.
Rated 16 Feb 2015
65
54th
While it contains some elements from the genre, I wouldn't call this much of a film-noir. It's a pretty decent murder mystery, though. It unfolds quite well, and although the reveal isn't too shocking, it is satisfying. However, I'm not sure it's particularly memorable. There's nothing wrong with the direction or the performances or anything - they're all perfectly competent. I've just seen better films in this genre from this era.
Rated 05 Jul 2020
80
67th
Don't understand all the Dana Andrews haters, I thought she worked.
Rated 12 Oct 2020
80
88th
An attractive Gene Tierney is killed in her prime! Who did it? Was it Clifton Webb with the creepy age difference? Was it an unrecognizable buff mustacheless and too earnest Vincent Price? Do we have an unreliable narrator in Dana Andrews? Nah, he's too bland even though we keep being told how awesome he is. Great atmosphere and flashbacks. Wonderful wardrobe. So-so ending. Fav scene: flashback of the Webb/Tierney romance starting with their meeting at the hotel---he plays such a pompous jerk.
Rated 15 Dec 2006
83
77th
Excellent noir with a great twist in the middle and constantly shifting suspicions. Good for a watch, would sit through it again if I caught it on TV, but it didn't rock my world or anything.
Rated 21 Feb 2007
82
85th
I really enjoyed the ethereal and almost supernatural touches to this noir. Also, Webb is fantastic.
Rated 04 Mar 2007
4
74th
A consummate, neatly packaged murder mystery elevated by a slight ethereal allure. That portrait of Laura, looming over the room where a handful of New York's high-and-mighty may or may not have killed her, is the very essence of the film. Set apart from the tropes of vicious women who prey on the whims of naive men, Laura's seduction is her grace (even from beyond the grave).
Rated 17 Jun 2007
93
82nd
A fantastically tense climactic final sequence with a curious question posed by Peminger at the halfway pointl. Solid performances, beautiful black-and-white cinematography and a solid script aid this film.
Rated 23 Oct 2008
38
23rd
A pretty lame mystery. The script and acting are bad and young Otto Preminger's novice directing doesn't help. I guess the whole fuss is about the high concept but unless you are easily impressed by hackneyed gimmickry I wouldn't bother.
Rated 22 Nov 2008
88
93rd
An elegant and haunting mystery, filled with obsession and doomed romance. The title character (captured in a gloomy portrait that is surely one of the great movie props) looms over the proceedings both on screen and off, Preminger building an almost supernatural atmosphere at times. The photography, with its fluid camera movement and rich black and white textures, is superb.
Rated 14 Feb 2009
4
55th
Extremely tight pace, the whole thing just flies by. Has its share of interesting & dull stylistic choices which Preminger would improve on in the years.
Rated 28 Feb 2009
80
88th
I wish I had Clifton Webb's flair for smart alec comments.
Rated 19 Aug 2009
92
85th
My favorite film noir of all time is The Killers with Burt Lancaster and the gorgeous Eva Gardner. But Laura has got to the be my second favorie. Gene Tierney is hot and Dana Andrews is so perfect as the detective.
Rated 11 Sep 2009
80
78th
one of the defining films in the film noir genre. need to see this again, though, to give it the writeup it deserves.
Rated 16 Nov 2009
84
72nd
My introduction to classic noir, and definitely a movie that has me excited to see more flicks in this subgenre. Casting is spot-on- Gene Tierney is both confident and gorgeous, Dana Andrews plays a great Detective, and it's fun to see Vincent Price in one of his early roles.
Rated 05 Feb 2010
92
89th
Preminger's best. Tierney is inexpressibly lovely, Andrews is appropriately haunted by her, and Clifton Webb gives the performance of his career. No other film has ever fused the gothic and the noir together more seamlessly or elegantly.
Rated 28 Jun 2011
70
71st
Tight little noir, but not exceptional.
Rated 17 May 2012
86
87th
Somehow this manages to be fun and creepy at the same time. I thought that all the secondary characters were fantastic, and the story unfolds in a very entertaining way.
Rated 28 Jan 2013
70
76th
I really enjoyed this film. It's simply a great murder-mystery story, with solid acting. The film has a great but creepy atmosphere, partly thanks to the beautiful, high contrast cinematography. Also, Gene Tierney is very beautiful in it.
Rated 04 Mar 2013
95
91st
A film noir that avoids the usual story of crooks and gangsters and instead focuses on the group of friends and competing love interests of the murdered lead character. As the lead detective learns more about the ill-fated Laura, he slowly falls for her charm and beauty, and the viewer does so right along with him. The whole thing is staged with great precision, thanks to a combination of Otto Preminger's direction, to the impeccable sets and cinematography and the unpredictable screenplay.
Rated 06 Jul 2014
70
59th
The guy who plays the old man is a hoot. He's also in a completely different movie from everyone else. You know things are serious when even Vincent Price holds back.
Rated 25 Aug 2016
90
93rd
The story has enough twists and turns to keep any audience on its toes, and the dialogue and atmosphere are outstanding. Although Laura herself is somewhat of an underwhelming character when she finally appears, the cast impress across the board, with Clifton Webb stealing the show as arrogant dandy Waldo Lydecker.
Rated 20 Nov 2018
8
78th
It's nice to know mankind hasn't made any forward progress, and love triangles are still as fucked up as they've ever been. Gaspar Noé is totally right when it comes to end credits; every movie should build straight to their climax, in this case the film's strongest segment, and just cap it off with ‘The End'.
Rated 29 Mar 2007
80
68th
This is a good one. Highly quotable dialogue
Rated 14 Aug 2007
74
84th
Score based on distant memory.
Rated 01 Mar 2008
84
74th
# 320
Rated 26 Apr 2008
70
57th
Otto Preminger direct with style and confidence, shaping a sturdy film noir one can digest with relaxation.
Rated 26 May 2008
70
82nd
Good film.
Rated 02 Jul 2008
85
79th
An excellent film noir. Great look, great dialogue, and Gene Tierney shoots Dana Andrews one of the best glares I think I've ever seen in a film.
Rated 19 Dec 2008
85
70th
304
Rated 09 Apr 2009
94
89th
You know what that detective calls women, he calls them dames.......interesting and highly recommended with a great ending!
Rated 30 Apr 2009
95
96th
If you don't like this movie you suck. Shit rules.
Rated 13 Jan 2010
86
72nd
288
Rated 09 Jun 2010
9
93rd
Brilliant study on obsession. Clifton Webb is so awesome and the tension throughout the film, and especially towards the end, are palpable. The music is definitely a product of its time and can be invasive at times but doesn't really take you out of the film. Also Gene Tierney is so damn hot.
Rated 19 Jun 2010
100
95th
watched: 2010, 2013, 2015, 2020
Rated 05 Nov 2010
83
89th
Beautiful cinematography, sizzling performances. The story is classic basic whodunnit and does feel a little one-dimensional, since everyone is equally suspected and very few clues offered. I would have liked to see more facts and evidence, maybe more locations. Even though the characters are interesting, the film is so talky that they run out of things to say. Still, notable for some great shots by Preminger, and Gene Tierney's haunting heroine who entrances everyone, even in painting form.
Rated 26 Mar 2011
70
44th
An interesting Noir that was good not great.I didn't find either the plot or the acting all that compelling.I've seen or read enough of this type of story to see were it was going almost from the beginning so the twist didn't come as a shock to me.
Rated 16 Apr 2011
75
77th
Excellent noir with the focus on the themes of obsession and jealousy. It starts off a bit slowly, with a lot of exposition and explanation of the back-story, but it really picks up after the big twist halfway through. The whodunit elements are nicely crafted; I had my money on virtually every character at one point or another, and even then the ending still came as a surprise. My only minor complaint is the score, which is overly sentimental and melodramatic. Everything else is great.
Rated 12 Jun 2011
82
71st
A silly, almost nonsensical but also very witty and intriguing noir. The performances from the leads are probably the best thing about it, with the story coming a close second. I did find myself confused a few times but I was always interested. Creates a certain spooky atmosphere too, almost supernatural. A great watch, even if it does drag slightly here and there.
Rated 18 Oct 2011
85
92nd
cinayet, katil kim, dedektif, polisiye (Laura isimli kadin öldürülür. cinayeti sorgulayan dedektif, kadinin patronu ve duygusal yakinligi olan kisiyi, evlemke üzere oldugu adami ve bu adamla iliskisi olan teyzesini sorgular. Cinayet umulmadik bir sekilde cözülecektir. Laura ölmemistir. Ölen o gece sevgilisin eve getirdigi mankendir. Öldüren ise Laura'nin kiskanc patronudur. cok iyi.
Rated 30 Nov 2011
85
70th
#310
Rated 06 Dec 2011
80
55th
Vincent Price goddamnit. I get the feeling that, had I seen this movie in 1944, when the twists had not already been played out, this would be closer to a 99.
Rated 20 Feb 2012
73
63rd
good yarn
Rated 02 Apr 2012
75
79th
Liked a lot, but I don't know what to think about the dreamlike quality of the second part of the film. Masterful storytelling, though..
Rated 21 Apr 2012
99
97th
Extraordinary, multi-faceted noir has a mystery at its core, but is far more interested in exploring the seedy relationships between its characters -- especially scene stealers Webb and Price, whose motivations and true natures remain teasingly elusive. Tierney and Andrews may be merely adequate leads, but they provide a solid centre for the colourful secondary characters. Anderson is also wonderful in a vague riff on her character in REBECCA. Classy direction by Preminger as always.
Rated 19 Jun 2012
85
59th
Honestly, a rather odd movie. You really don't expect the story to end up where it does. But it's still pretty good, with nice performances from the whole cast but especially Clifton Webb. But I do think that there are other noirs far more deserving of the status that this one has.
Rated 05 Jan 2013
40
97th
"A masterfully complex -- and frequently campy -- portrait of all-consuming romantic self-delusion." - Nick Schager
Rated 29 Jan 2013
60
69th
A well crafted mystery but that's about it. It's everything it tries to be but could have afforded to be a bit more ambitious. As it is I could appreciate how well it was made but didn't really care for any of the characters or what happened to them.
Rated 07 Apr 2013
77
96th
A whodunnit that dragged me in, not so much from the story itself but more for its characters; decent plot, superb dialogue, good and great performances, an elevating score...and Gene Tierney - just wow, that's some screen presence. *Preview*: #13#, exp-4*, story, reviews!, R4.
Rated 30 Apr 2013
100
97th
The definition of Film Noir!
Rated 18 Jan 2014
55
15th
well, that was completely uninteresting.
Rated 03 Jun 2014
69
41st
I was underwhelmed by this. I didn't find really anything it did to be superlative, and instead found the film just kind of unremarkable. The acting is all decent, but for a noir it just didn't seem to interest me much.
Rated 11 Oct 2014
97
98th
Noir at its best and brightest.
Rated 10 Dec 2014
5
70th
very enjoyable detective movie with some great dialogue. thankfully the 130 year age gap was handled in a much better way than most classic hollywood fare. 1000th feature film i've rated apparently.
Rated 16 Jan 2015
86
82nd
***spoiler alert*** guys, waldo lydecker is homosexual, that's why he is so obsessed with laura. ***spoiler alert***
Rated 23 Oct 2015
100
0th
"Do you think these dysfunctional personalities are essential to film noir?" "Absolutely!" http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/11/episode-36-films-noir-of-otto-preminger.html
Rated 06 Dec 2015
83
81st
Solid noir with a great whodunnit aspect to it, but really when you're watching a noir you're in it for the snappy comebacks, and this has some ridiculously great ones. Webb in particular has so much fun with his lines, and everyone else does a good job too.
Rated 12 Dec 2015
82
74th
Every character wears an equally suspicious mask and sparks with intrigue. It's only fitting that when Gene Tierney shows up she doesn't live up to the image her suitors paint. This is essential watching for any Twin Peaks obsessive - "Next he'll produce photographic evidence of his dreams".
Rated 25 Feb 2016
16
88th
Star Rating: ★★★★1/2
Rated 28 May 2016
54
18th
It might be impressive if you hadn't read the book. But if you know the book, it is really a botched attempt. The sad part is, the actual book is very suitable for a good adaptation. I hope that someone else tries it again soon.
Rated 17 Sep 2016
73
49th
If you took a shot how many times McPherson asked a question, you'd be dead by the midpoint of the film. I didn't buy how everyone fell head over heels with her, but the story was interesting.
Rated 25 Feb 2018
60
27th
Waldo Lydecker: "In my case, self-absorption is completely justified. I have never discovered any other subject quite so worthy of my attention."
Rated 27 Mar 2018
80
68th
Satisfyingly suspenseful Agatha Christie-esque whodunit, with believable and surprising plot twists and beautiful noir photography. Preminger's low-key directorial style compliments the film's deep subtext and ambiguous meanings, which invites exploration of its themes of sexuality, gender, obsession and crime.
Rated 28 May 2018
70
71st
A very good classic noir, it has some very fluid and sharp dialogue, but some parts of the love story are a bit naive.
Rated 11 Jun 2018
70
35th
Fun performances and great visuals but the story is pretty contrived, even by pulpy thriller standards.
Rated 28 Jun 2018
90
78th
It crumbles at the end, but it is still an evening well-spent. Clifton Webb and Vincent Price are worth the time, and it even manages to land a bit of solid suspense for jaded viewers. Also fun: one of the main characters spends half of his screen time playing with the 1940s equivalent of a fidget spinner.
Rated 05 Feb 2019
70
57th
çarpıcı diyaloglar, tam gelişmemiş olsa da takıntı gibi temalar üzerine belirgin biçimde kurulmuş bir hikaye örgüsü, standart noir motifi aksine femme fatale olmayan bir kadın karakter...
Rated 14 Mar 2019
93
91st
92.50
Rated 14 Apr 2019
80
99th
Lovely little murder mystery. Focused to so few characters and basically Gene Tierney as bait. Mainly for the viewer. A truly captivating and natural performance from the beauty. She really was Laura (1944).
Rated 27 Sep 2019
6
65th
Some good elements,but didn't really grab me the way some other noirs of the time did
Rated 30 Oct 2019
60
28th
This is quite a pleasant watch with interesting characters. I like how characters try to read one another, to get the better of them. There are one or two twists and its a good watch.
Rated 27 Feb 2021
6
32nd
Really stylish and beautiful. I could see why everyone was so obsessed with Laura. The character, that is.
Rated 27 Feb 2021
6
55th
Clifton Webb earns the spotlight with his portrayal of Walter. Is he secretly gay or secretly straight? Is he jealous of the men in Laura's life or just jealous of Laura? It's hard to figure out how much of Tierney's magnetism is due to her acting vs. her sheer looks... in any case, any time she was on screen I had a hard time focusing on much else. On the other hand, Dana Andrews is helplessly dull here. I think we're meant to perceive him as stoic, but he just seemed bored out of his mind.
Rated 03 May 2021
80
54th
A fine noir detective story. All the characters are morally grey, almost to the point of annoyance, but the buildup to the end and its sudden conclusion was satisfying
Rated 11 May 2021
81
94th
Well, this was fantastic. All the actors did a marvelous job, the direction was excellent and the score was solid. However, it's the dialogue that was the standout.
Rated 12 Jun 2021
70
41st
Good second act, though the movie feels like it's missing a third (interesting that the obvious dream interpretation remains as subtext) with a comically abrupt ending. I hated the sardonic, self-consciously "witty" dialogue. Way too many scenes of that asshole Waldo being an asshole and everyone thinking it's simply delightful. Bon mot!
Rated 05 Jul 2021
50
28th
I watched this on a long-haul flight a few years ago (only seen it once) which no doubt impacted my viewing experience. I remember enjoying Price's performance (he's always superb) and the ending. I might need to watch it again in more favourable conditions (my rating might increase on doing so).
Rated 06 Oct 2021
80
88th
As a stagey noir from another collaboration of Otto Preminger and Vera Caspary, Laura owns its success to the book adapted from. The director is aware of the value of the material at hand and plays safe here. I can't say Laura is a noir at its finest since there is not enough meat to make us feel attached to the characters psychologically. Whereas, it's typical to sympathize with antiheroes in noirs. But as a "whodunit" movie, it can't get better than this.
Rated 04 Nov 2021
80
78th
One of the noir classics, built up by a strong cast and a ridiculously complicated murder mystery, peppered with the usual pulp quips. Laura remains a cypher the entire movie, but her circle of friends -- all of whom practice lying as a hobby -- falls into pretty simplistic stereotypes.
Rated 05 Nov 2021
80
73rd
You have a love triangle, plenty of twists, and great Vincent Price performance in Laura, which all serve to create a tight noir. I'm not sure this breaks any new ground but it is solid in its intrigue.
Rated 05 Feb 2022
71
94th
F*cking Waldo
Rated 10 May 2022
85
5th
mhmmm. good, and mysterious ig
Rated 06 Jul 2022
85
90th
From Otto Preminger of Anatomy of a Murder: A gem of a noir of the murder mystery variety, with twists and turns and good ole Vincent Price of all folk. A narrative neatly woven, with melodrama that sits right in with the style instead of upsetting the stomach. A watch that whizzes by at 90 minutes, ever engaging, with colourful characters and endless quips. ~ "You seem to be completely disregarding something more important than your career: my lunch." ~
Rated 03 Sep 2022
60
44th
As a mystery film, "Laura" does pretty well, particularly after the midpoint twist, in the sense that the guilty party is anyone's guess, something that surely keeps the proceedings interesting. Nevertheless, as so often happens, the chase is better than the catch; the mystery might have been intriguing, but it's not great, as evidenced by the mundane payoff. As a romantic drama, "Laura" lacks the patient character-building that would keep it from turning into an ordinary, unrealistic melodrama.
Rated 09 Jan 2023
75
64th
Lots going on for a sub-90 minutes and so few characters.
Rated 19 Feb 2024
15
3rd
An early Preminger, and he hasn't found his chops yet. Opening with a weak attempt at establishing ambiguous circumstances, what I felt instead was a somewhat rambling series of conversations between despicable people. The whole film is set around these, excepting the characterless leading woman and detective. The script could have used some serious revision.

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