If you’re curious about whether “I Am the Night” is indeed “inspired by a true story,” I did a bit more digging into the tale of Fauna Hodel and her unfinished film “Pretty Hattie’s Baby” (spoiler alert – there’s nothing about the Black Dahlia or Dr. George Hodel).

“Pretty Hattie’s Baby” was filmed in Reno in 1990. When the shoot finished, the Reno Gazette-Journal published a letter from Fauna “Pat” Hodel thanking the city for being so generous to the cast and crew.

But on Sept. 17, 1992, the Gazette-Journal reported that the $7.5-million film was never finished because of “litigations and financial problems.” The story by Sandra Macias said that the legal problems were settled, but that Fauna Hodel was trying to raise $3 million to finish the movie herself. Fauna said that two days of filming remained, plus two months for editing.

On June 3, 1996, the Honolulu Advertiser reported that Fauna Hodel was staging “Working the Dream: The Fauna Hodel Story,” which featured her and some friends as well as clips from the unfinished film.

Again, no mention of the Black Dahlia or Dr. George Hodel.