Only a Dream

I got Laura (1944) out of the library thinking it was The Uninvited. That's the one with Stella By Starlight, this is the one with the theme Laura.

It stars Dana Andrews as the detective investigating the death of young socialite Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney). He interviews Clifton Webb (Mr. Belvedere) in his bath. Webb is a columnist, a wit, a stylemaker and a prickly, effete eccentric - Webb at his Webbyest. He proceeds to tell Laura's story in flashback. She came to him as an aspiring ad woman, and he took her under his wing. He dressed her, styled her and introduced him to influential people. He became her constant companion. 

But Vincent Price came on the scene and wooed her - even though he was being kept by Laura's aunt. They were to be married until she was found in the doorway of her apartment, with her face shotgunned off. 

The more Andrews hears about Laura, the more intrigued he becomes, until he finds himself in her apartment, drinking and staring at a portrait of her. He is falling in love with a ghost. 

The twist is a great one - and I won't spoil it. You either know it or ought to get to enjoy it. The mystery is OK, maybe a little obvious. But the real attraction is Tierney, Webb and Price giving you the force of their personality. Andrews is a little less mesmerizing - after all, he's supposed to just an everyman in with this batch of crazies. Directed by Otto Preminger, you can bet it will be full of eccentrics. Of course, there is the problem of Laura having bad taste in her men. Andrews calls them a remarkable collection of dopes

We enjoyed it and plan to watch The Uninvited soon.