Jennifer Lott / 11.12.15 / DFM 140 / Laura

Film noir rose to popularity in the United States after World War II permanently altered

our perceptions of society and forced us to explore certain themes that had previously been

avoided in the film industry. Noir is known for both its aesthetic characteristics—deep focus,

claustrophobic framing, and high-contrast lighting—as well as its common themes—alienation,

isolation of the individual, and loneliness. All of these elements—and more—can be found in the

1994 film Laura by director Otto Preminger, a fantastical murder mystery that encapsulates—

and occasionally subverts—the essence of the film noir genre.

The film begins with the murder of a young woman by the name of Laura Hunt. The

detective assigned to the case, Mark McPherson, is a typical film noir detective. His cynicism,

hard-heartedness, and serious demeanor are evident from his first few moments on screen, when

he takes to interrogating the suspects, Laura’s friends and family.

One of these friends, Waldo Lydecker, an influential columnist—recalls his relationship

with Laura from its conception early on in the film. Through flashbacks, the audience catches

glimpses into Laura’s life leading up to her murder. These flashbacks establish Laura Hunt as the

typical noir film female. She is a working woman who, as she goes through life, charms the men

around her: through her relationship with Lydecker she advances her career and esteem; she has

a fiancé, but does not seem to be wholly committed to him or the idea of marriage; and even as a

dead woman, she is irresistible to the hard-hearted detective investigating her murder. A striking

portrait of herself which hangs above the fireplace in her apartment captures his heart and

establishes her status as the femme fatale.

It is very quickly evident that none of the suspects can be trusted. Laura’s aunt is very

obviously in love with her niece’s fiancé, Shelby Carpenter, and refuses to admit it. Shelby

himself lies several times throughout the movie in many misguided attempts to protect himself or

Laura. And Lydecker’s seemingly innocent admiration for the young woman masks a very

jealous man. These tensions are prime examples of the fundamental themes within the film noir

genre of pessimism, betrayal, secrecy, and overall deception.

One aspect of this film that makes it so striking within the noir genre is its framing. Every

shot is important, and every shot is framed purposefully, with absolutely no superfluousness. As

our detective becomes more and more infatuated with Laura, he spends more and more time in

her apartment, which lends itself to the frequent shots containing both he and the portrait, meant

to symbolize his infatuations, his feelings for a woman who is untouchable. Another example is

the clock, a seemingly innocent piece of furniture that appears in the background many times

only to become a very important part of the mystery.

In classic film noir fashion, halfway through the film the narrative very suddenly twists.

Laura herself appears, very much alive. It is quickly discovered that her coworker, Diane, is the

real murder victim, mistakenly identified as Laura. Now, the femme fatale who seemed to pose

no real threat on account of her supposed death, becomes a prime suspect in the murder case that

was once her own. And more secrets emerge: Diane was involved in an affair with Shelby,

giving both Laura and her fiancé a possible motive. Still, McPherson is infatuated with Laura,

and follows his heart rather than his head, determined to prove her innocence. One very distinct

trait of film noir mystery is that the detective rarely uses scientific method to solve the mystery,

but rather he relies on his emotions.

In the end it is revealed that Waldo Lydecker is the murderer who, overcome with

jealousy, mistook Diane for Laura and shot her. He believes that if he cannot have Laura for

himself, no one should. McPherson saves Laura, and as Lydecker dies and utters his last words

of devotion (“Goodbye, Laura. Goodbye, my love.”), the trope of the femme fatale is

unexpectedly subverted. A femme fatale traditionally does not become the damsel in distress,

and the noir ending typically does not leave the possibility of a satisfying romantic relationship

between our protagonist detective and the femme in question. At the end of Laura, however, it

seems that the title character is not the dangerous woman the audience assumed. Rather, the

circumstances surrounding her, which are resolved at the end, were the real danger, and while

her occasional secrecy drew suspicions, ultimately she is an innocent. This is not the traditional

femme fatale story. The ending lends itself to the possibility of a happy ending for Laura Hunt

and Mark McPherson.

Laura is a classic piece in film noir history. It contains everything that audiences desire

from the genre and more. Its aesthetics, plot, characters, and themes all satisfy the demands of

noir. This film continues to be one of the most widely acclaimed noir films. Its fantastical story

creatively twists audiences’ expectations to create a piece that highlights the noir aesthetic in the

best way possible.