Product Details

• Format: Import, PAL
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 2 (Read more about DVD formats.)
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Universal
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000O0D0YY
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,570 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic Noir!, August 18, 2008

By	Hiram Gomez Pardo (Valencia, Venezuela) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This brilliant Noir literally launched the careers of Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd. When Johnny Morrison returns from the Naval duty, he finds his wife has cheated on him. Soo she is murdered and obviously before the eyes of the common sense he appears to be the first suspect. Now he and his vixen will have to put on clear his innocence.

An unforgettable classic.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Noir Masterpiece, October 12, 2007

By	Bobby Underwood "starlighthotel" (Bakersfield, California United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

The Blue Dahlia is perhaps the finest noir film of its kind as everything is absolutely perfect in the third of four films Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake would make together. Raymond Chandler wrote the original screenplay and George Marshall turned in his finest directing job in this screen classic. This film has the perfect blend of grit and gloss, romance and female treachery, and while the outlook of its anti-hero isn't quite as jaded as it would have been had Howard Hawks filmed this, it still packs a punch.

Lt. Morrison (Ladd) returns from WWII with his two buddies only to find his wife Helen (Doris Dowling) has been unfaithful; in your face unfaithful, and responsible for his son's death while he was away. He confronts her at a party and blows out in a storm, unaware that someone kills her with his gun only hours later. Joyce Harwood (Lake) meets him for the first time when she offers hm a ride in the pouring rain and an attraction between the two begins.

This film is everything others of its kind during the 1940's tried to be. The noir elements are blendid perfectly with romantic touches sprinkled here and there, creating a masterpiece in the genre. A scene as Johnny and Joyce cross paths a second time in a restaurant overlooking the sea is a particular standout, the romantic view brought back into dark focus when he overhears a bulletin on the radio alerting him he is being sought by the police for the murder of his wife.

Like Johnny, Joyce is running from something, and trying to help him takes her right back to The Blue Dahlia nightclub. Johnny's loyal war buddies are on hand to help him but the shell-shocked Buss (William Bendix) can't quite remember what he did the night Johnny's wife was murdered. The list of suspects begins to grow and includes a slimy hotel detective and the guy Joyce is all tangled up with, who just happens to be, of course, the owner of The Blue Dahlia. Lake's Joyce is softer than some noir heroines but still holds back information, just a shade less than being on the up and up.

This may be the most entertaining 100 minutes you'll ever spend watching a movie in this genre and is certain to be one of your all time favorites after you see it for the first time. Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake were the perfect screen duo. Johnny tells Joyce early on in the film that every guy has seen her somewhere before; meaning the girl we all see in our dreams. When things are all wrapped up Johnny stops her from driving away, reminding her of what he said. We know then as she does that she is Johnny's dream, and ours as well. This version is in region 2 for fans requiring such. A dream come true for Ladd and Lake fans and one you simply can't miss.