"The Blue Dahlia" is a slightly dated but interesting film noir. It has a pretty good mystery story that, while a bit too reliant on coincidence, also has some creative aspects. The cast is pretty good, and the atmosphere is classic 40's film noir.
Alan Ladd plays a World War II pilot who comes home only to find an unfaithful, unpleasant, drunken wife waiting for him. She has made a mess of her life while he was away, and it is no surprise that she soon turns up murdered. The husband is suspected, and is pursued by the police, with a mysterious blonde (Veronica Lake) also taking an unexplained interest in him. Ladd and Lake are pretty good in the leads, and William Bendix is very good in a difficult role as Ladd's shell-shocked pal. The film goes pretty heavy on the "noir" atmosphere, and now seems just a little dated or static, but the atmosphere does fit well with the story.
This will primarily be of interest to those who already like films of the era, but for those who do, this is an interesting story that you'll want to see.
Alan Ladd plays a World War II pilot who comes home only to find an unfaithful, unpleasant, drunken wife waiting for him. She has made a mess of her life while he was away, and it is no surprise that she soon turns up murdered. The husband is suspected, and is pursued by the police, with a mysterious blonde (Veronica Lake) also taking an unexplained interest in him. Ladd and Lake are pretty good in the leads, and William Bendix is very good in a difficult role as Ladd's shell-shocked pal. The film goes pretty heavy on the "noir" atmosphere, and now seems just a little dated or static, but the atmosphere does fit well with the story.
This will primarily be of interest to those who already like films of the era, but for those who do, this is an interesting story that you'll want to see.