LAURA

EVEN AFTER ONE KNOWS ALL THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF LAURA INCLUDING THE BIG SURPRISE MIDWAY THROUGH THE FILM, THIS IS STILL A MOVIE TO BE ENJOYED OVER AND OVER. IT HAS A FANTASTIC CAST, COMPREHENSIVE EVEN FOR FILMS OF THIS ERA AND PRETTY MUCH UNKNOWN IN CONTEMPORARY MOVIES. OTTO PREMINGER, WHO HAD A VERY INTERESTING IF UNEVEN FILM CAREER, WAS BROUGHT IN TO TAKE OVER THIS TROUBLED PRODUCTION AT THE LAST MINUTE. IT WAS HE WHO INSISTED UPON CASTING THE UNKNOWN CLIFTON WEBB IN A PIVOTAL ROLE. WEBB BECAME A STAR AS A RESULT. THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN GENE TIERNEY AND DANA ANDREWS --AT THEIR MOST BEAUTIFUL HERE--IS DAZZLING. IT'S PRETTY GOOD BETWEEN EXCELLENT VINCENT PRICE AND JUDITH

ANDERSON,TOO. WEBB DOMINATES AND STEALS EVERY SCENE HE IS IN AND THE REST OF THE LARGE CAST IS SUPER, EVEN THE SMALLEST PARTS. PREMINGER GOT SUPERLATIVE PERFORMANCES FROM ALL. THE MAIN MUSIC THEME BY DAVID RAKSIN HAS BECOME A CLASSIC STANDARD. A SIDE TRIVIA NOTE: PREMINGER HAD THE REPUTATION OF BEING A MONSTER WITH ACTORS REDUCING MANY TO TEARS. YEARS AFTER THIS FILM, I MET HIM AT A PRESS LUNCHEON AND FOUND HIM WITTY AND CHARMING; BUT, OF COURSE, I WAS ONLY INTERVIEWING HIM, NOT WORKING FOR HIM.