Tag Archives: Laura

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 53

Posted on January 26, 2016 by lmharnisch

Note: This is the last of the “Laura” posts I had in reserve from last year, when I went on sabbatical. It was a fun project, but my focus on the Dahlia project prevents me from doing any more. Reading … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 52

Posted on January 22, 2016 by lmharnisch

One important aspect about the script for “Laura,” beyond the filming of the movie, is the complicated agreement that Twentieth Century-Fox had with David O. Selznick in sharing the contract of Jennifer Jones, who was originally cast in the lead … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 51

Posted on January 21, 2016 by lmharnisch

The final shooting script for “Laura,” dated April 18, 1944, with additions as late as July 1944. On Monday, Nov. 1, 1943, Twentieth Century-Fox head of production Darryl F. Zanuck issued his stinging critique of Jay Dratler’s draft of “Laura.” … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 50

Posted on January 20, 2016 by lmharnisch

“Memo From Darryl F. Zanuck,” edited by Rudy Behlmer. On Nov. 1, 1943, Darryl F. Zanuck, the Twentieth Century-Fox head of production, issued a stinging critique of Jay Dratler’s first draft of “Laura.” In this post, we will look at … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 49

Posted on January 19, 2016 by lmharnisch

“Memo From Darryl F. Zanuck,” selected and edited by Rudy Behlmer.   Jan. 19, 2016, update: When I began my “sabbatical” last year, I had a backlog of a few unpublished posts on the making of “Laura.” At the time, … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 48

Posted on January 14, 2015 by lmharnisch

“Oklahoma!” directed by Rouben Mamoulian, plays for 2,212 performances on Broadway. Let’s take a brief detour and look at what else was happening in the early 1940s that would affect the production of “Laura.” In March 1943,  Ring Lardner Jr., … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ – The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 47

Posted on January 13, 2015 by lmharnisch

Jay Dratler in a photo from the jacket of his novel “The Pitfall,” listed on EBay at $245. In his discussion of the making of “Laura” in “Behind the Scenes,” film scholar Rudy Behlmer quickly dispenses with Jay Dratler, who … Continue reading →

Posted in 1937, 1938, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, Film, Hollywood, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 46

Posted on January 8, 2015 by lmharnisch

Joseph “Jay” Dratler in a photo from the cover of his 1947 novel “The Pitfall,” listed on EBay at Buy It Now for $245.   Joseph “Jay” Dratler, who received the first screenwriting credit on “Laura,” is a somewhat obscure … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 45

Posted on January 7, 2015 by lmharnisch

The cover of the shooting script for “Laura,” with the names of screenwriters Jay Dratler, Ring Lardner Jr., Samuel Hoffenstein and Betty Reinhardt.  Although he did not receive credit, Jerome “Jerry” Cady rewrote the last portion of the script with … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 44

Posted on January 6, 2015 by lmharnisch

Let’s begin this series of posts on the making of “Laura” with the sale of the screen rights to Twentieth Century-Fox in June 1943 and check in with all our major figures. The Making of “Laura” Part 1 | Part … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 43

Posted on December 30, 2014 by lmharnisch

When we watch “Laura” today, all we see is the finished film: The fluid camera work and complex lighting, the elegant production design, the fashionable costumes, the sharp dialogue and the generally first-rate performances, especially by Clifton Webb. Nothing betrays … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 42

Posted on December 24, 2014 by lmharnisch

An image from the Broadway play “In Time to Come,” directed by Otto Preminger, listed on EBay as Buy It Now for $32.75. In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, World War I, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 41

Posted on December 23, 2014 by lmharnisch

Otto Preminger makes his film debut as an actor in 1942 in “The Pied Piper.” Preminger said in a 1970 interview in On Film: “Although I’m Jewish, I can look like a Nazi if I shave my head.” The film … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 40

Posted on December 18, 2014 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as the director of “Laura” to take a meandering look at the making of the film, which was released in Los … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 39

Posted on December 17, 2014 by lmharnisch

  In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as the director of “Laura” to take a meandering look at the making of the film, which was released in … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 38

Posted on December 16, 2014 by lmharnisch

In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as the director of “Laura” to take a meandering look at the making of the film, which was released in Los … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 37

Posted on December 11, 2014 by lmharnisch

Detective Mark McPherson (played by Dana Andrews), confronts Shelby Carpenter (played by Vincent Price) about a shotgun that might be the murder weapon. In case you just tuned in, I’m using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian … Continue reading →

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‘Laura’ — The Making of a Film Noir Classic, Part 36

Posted on December 10, 2014 by lmharnisch

Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) confronts a sleeping Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) in “Laura.”   I have been using Louella Parsons’ May 15, 1944, item on Rouben Mamoulian being replaced as the director of “Laura” to take a meandering look … Continue reading →

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Taking a Sabbatical in 2015

Posted on December 9, 2014 by lmharnisch

A lesson about time: Laura Hunt’s antique clock has an unfortunate encounter with Waldo Lydecker’s shotgun in “Laura.” As I have said here before: So many stories, only one Larry Harnisch. In September, I put aside a long series of … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, 1947, Black Dahlia, Film, Hollywood, LAPD | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Daily Mirror Reader Survey

Posted on September 26, 2014 by lmharnisch

Here’s a quick question as we head into October: I can keep doing the posts on the making of “Laura.” Or I can cover the unsolved killing of Georgette Bauerdorf (Oct. 13, 1944). But I cannot do both. Which would … Continue reading →

Posted in 1944, Black Dahlia, Books and Authors, Film, Hollywood, Homicide | Tagged , , , , , | 41 Comments