Description

Fritz Lang's scathing critique of fifties America's hunger for bloodshed and scandal. Classic Hollywood film noir with a feminine twist, "The Blue Gardenia" stars Anne Baxter (All About Eve) as Norah Larkin, a working girl who wakes up a murderess after passing out in the apartment of brutish playboy Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr). Branded "The Blue Gardenia" by a sensational columnist (Richard Conte), Norah dodges dragnets, informants and the cruel hand of fate as she struggles to conceal her involvement with Prebble and to remember the details of her ill fated night. As her hopes for justice fade, she decides to gamble her future on the journalist who transformed her into such a notorious public figure. Enhancing the melancholy mood of the film is the haunting theme song arranged by Nelson Riddle and performed to perfection by Nat "King" Cole. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

THE THREE BLONDE SISTERS
In my opinion, a film noir DVD library never would be complete without the movies directed by german director Fritz Lang in Hollywood in the 1940-1950 period. They simply have to be in it. THE BLUE GARDENIA is the first of these Fritz Lang movies to hit the DVD market thanks to Image. Starring Richard Conte, Anne Baxter, Raymond Burr and Ann Sothern, THE BLUE GARDENIA is about murder, trust and guilt.

Anne Baxter thinks she has killed Raymond Burr, the police knows she has killed him because a lot of evidences have been found on the scene of the murder and we know that she's guilty because we have seen the scene with our very eyes. So what ? Where's the suspense ? Nowhere, because there isn't suspense in THE BLUE GARDENIA. Fritz Lang is more interested in describing the behaviour of Anne Baxter who really doesn't act as if she doesn't want to be rediscovered. The director has read the complete works of Freud and is playing with his heroine tortured by guilt.

No extra features with this Image presentation except for a scene access. Too bad.

A DVD for your library.

Fritz Lang Lite -- more murder mystery than noir
No doubt hoping that a title reminiscent of the Alan Ladd/Veronica Lake hit The Blue Dahlia (itself a knockoff of the notorious 1946 Black Dahlia murder in L.A.), the minds behind this movie set Fritz Lang to directing Anne Baxter, Raymond Burr and Ann Sothern in this tame but stylish and watchable thriller. Baxter, on the rebound, agrees to date the boorish Burr. Having drunk lagoons of Zombies at the Polynesian palace that gives the film its name, Baxter tries to fend off Burr. When he's found dead, she remembers nothing.... Fans who know how shocking Lang's The Big Heat still is will find this entry rather tepid, but it's an effective murder story, with half a dozen moments of stunning noir photography and, better yet, with Ann Sothern as Baxter's roommate, smoking a cigarette with rubber gloves while she scrubs the dishes.

"Sudden death sells papers."
In "The Blue Gardenia" Norah Larkin (Anne Baxter) is a naive telephone operator who sits at home most evenings. Her fiance is stationed in Korea, so while Norah's two roommates enjoy their social lives, Norah turns down offers and stays home to read letters from Korea. Artist/playboy Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr) telephones one evening--he thinks he's calling one of Norah's roommates, but he gets a distraught Norah instead. Norah accepts Prebble's invitation to meet for dinner at the Blue Gardenia. After downing half a dozen Polynesian Pearl Divers, a very inebriated Norah accompanies Prebble to his home. The next day, Norah can't remember a thing, but newspaper headlines announce Prebble's murder--and a hunt begins for the mysterious blonde murderess now known as "the Blue Gardenia."

"The Blue Gardenia"--directed by Fritz Lang--is film noir, but it is also considered an entry in the sub-genre of newspaper noir. A great deal of the plot focuses on newspaperman Casey Mayo's unethical attempts to contact the murderess and get an exclusive story. Mayo (Richard Conte) will stop at nothing to sell the paper, and he capitalizes on sensationalism and the sleazy aspects of the murder. "The Blue Gardenia" is an interesting film as it has a few twists on some familiar themes--for example, the killer is a woman, and a male offers comfort (although it's a false offer). Plus Norah's reputation is at risk by even admitting she's stepped into a man's apartment--anyone who downs 6 Polynesian Pearl Divers is a real floozy in everyone's eyes. There's also an appearance of Nat King Cole singing Blue Gardenia. The initial set-up with Norah and her roommates was refreshingly original, and Anne Baxter gave a credible performance as the naive Norah. Unfortunately the plot denouement was contrived, hasty and far too simplistic. Film noir fans will enjoy the film for its novelties, but it's not one of the greats--displacedhuman

Classic Film Noir With A Feminine Twist
The acting by both Anne Baxter and Raymond Burr is exceptional and elevates this to one of my favorite film noirs. Baxter is the young innocent Norah Larkin who is crushed when she receives a 'Dear Jane' letter from her boyfriend in Korea. Devastated and alone, she is easy prey for the slimey Harry Prebble portrayed by Raymond Burr in his pre-Perry Mason period. After a drunken night, Norah can't remember anything except that she was fighting off advances from Prebble. The newspapers are filled with the story of his murder and the mysterious blonde who left a blue gardenia behind. Viewers watch Norah slip deeper and deeper into paraonia as she frantically tries to conceal her involvement yet remember the details of her ill-fated night. Adding to the outstanding cast are Ann Sothern and Jeff Donnell as her roommates and Richard Conte as the newspaper reporter who makes an open appeal for the Blue Gardenia killer to come forward and trust him. As the police web (led by TV's Superman George Reeves) tightens around her, Norah turns to the reporter to help her, but....suffice it to say the happy-ever-after ending is a little too quick and easy. However, this is definitely worth watching and as an added plus you will be treated to the melodic voice of Nat "King" Cole singing the title song throughout the movie.

Be Forewarned.
Having seen and enjoyed most of Fritz Lang's movies from his Berlin period, I bought this highly recommended DVD sight unseen. It was a great disappointment. Where to begin? The story is weak and predictable; the dialogue is very cliched; the acting--excepting Raymond Burr's wonderful performance as a sleazy artist--is unconvincing. Don't expect what the DVD label tells you--this is no "noir thriller" and it doesn't do anything to expose McCarthyism, despite Lang's pretentious comments. One nice touch: there is a brief 5 minute scene with Nat King Cole singing "Blue Gardenia" in what was becoming a new trend in early 1950's America: a Chinese restaurant. As a period piece, this film has some merit, but don't expect a well crafted noir film like the "Maltese Falcon", "Sunset Boulevard", or even "M" or "Dr Mabuse". ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Technicality, or where were you in 1942?
For those of you that will or want to screech about how technically incorrect this movie is, remember this movie was made and released in 1944. That means it was made and released during the Second World War. The U.S. government was loathed to confirm the fact that a sea battle even took place near Midway Island, let alone disclose what our force make-up was or what our or what it believed the enemies real battle looses were.

Additionally, in 1944 it was still unknown for certain what was results of the Torpedo Bombers attack. It wasn't until after the war that it was learned what actually happened. Although it is true that the Torpedo Bombers didn't get hits on the Japanese Carriers, the real point is that the TBF Squadrons took nearly 75% casualties in this battle, that if it wasn't for those brave men who gave their lives up at very-low altitude, the Dive Bombers coming in from 12 to 15,000 feet above the torpedo attacks may not have got the chance they needed to get through the Japanese air cover. Once again, it's also true that in 1944 none of this information was either known or if suspected, any where near releasable to the population as true.

Heck, one of our submarines reported sinking one of the 4 Japanese carriers and was actually credited with the sinking. That was until post war interrogations of the Japanese sailors that fought at Midway revealed they saw submarine torpedos hit a carrier during the air attacks and break up, without detonating.

By the way, the character portrayed by Dana Andrews was right to be worrying about Japanese radar. Because even though the Japanese didn't have radar on their ships at Midway, the United States Navy thought they might have radar and trained its Carrier Wings to expect its use. When you get right down to it, this film is as technically correct as the US Navy in 1944 could be.

I saw 'A Wing and a Prayer' at least 30 times on board US Navy ships and on TV since 1946. I bought the VHS copy I'm reviewing now about two years ago. If you like classic war movies made during WWll, this is one of the best. It's a fine film, with excellent acting.

a wing, a prayer and a snooze
Not the greatest WW II movie I've ever seen. During that time Hollywood could throw practically anything on the screen and people would come to watch it. This has the usual cast of 4-Fs acting brave, and Don Ameche, usually a laughing boy in lighthearted musicals, is particularly ludicrous as a tight lipped officer who sternly goes around making hard decisions that have to be made. Why couldn't he at least have sung one song to Betty Grable? Aside from these quibbles, this movie is good because it is about a more interesting, innocent time in America when Americans were naturally patriotic and patriotism wasn't a product of corporate America.

Technical Inaccuracies But Highly Entertaining
Most of the reviewers of A WING AND A PRAYER focus on the historical background that led up to the battle of Midway. It is quite true that when this film was released in 1944, much of the data that Americans now take for granted was not available or well-known. However, when critics harp on the background of the film rather than on its cinematic virtues, I think that some injustice is done. Putting aside the technical lapses--and I grant there were more than a few--the film itself did what its producers wanted. It roused the patriotism of America in a way that is still vastly entertaining today. Director Henry Hathaway got the most out of a sterling cast led by Don Ameche and Dana Andrews as Navy officers who every day had to balance the brute exegencies of war against its inevitable human cost. For a film about war, there is remarkably little war in it. Most of the action is the drama resulting from human interaction. Unlike most navy war films of the time, A WING AND A PRAYER tried to show the behind the scenes mechanics of war more than the bang-bang of anti-aircraft. It is this concentration on how to get a carrier fleet ready for the business of war that lends this movie its undeniable aura of plausibility. Pilots and crew are shown facing the stress of pre-combat with not all of them surmounting it. It is not until the end that American planes get busy shooting at the Japanese. There is a quite effective scene in which the captain, played by veteran character actor Charles Bickford, plays the radio broadcasts of combat over the ship's PA system. As the crew hears the shouts of men and the clangor of planes, the crew is mesmerized by the vicarious sounds all around them. A WING AND A PRAYER is one of the less heralded WWII films that chose to focus more on the events leading up to combat than on the combat itself. For those who have personal experience of combat, this movie rings as resonant a bell as any other movie that emphasizes the opposite.

War Classic is a must for your library.
You'll find some war footage I haven't seen elsewhere! Film is one to savor the life aboard a carrier in WWII.

Technicality, or where were you in 1942?
For those of you that will or want to screech about how technically incorrect this movie is, remember this movie was made and released in 1944. That means it was made and released during the Second World War. The U.S. government was loathed to confirm the fact that a sea battle even took place near Midway Island, let alone disclose what our force make-up was or what our or what it believed the enemies real battle looses were.

Additionally, in 1944 it was still unknown for certain what was results of the Torpedo Bombers attack. It wasn't until after the war that it was learned what actually happened. Although it is true that the Torpedo Bombers didn't get hits on the Japanese Carriers, the real point is that the TBF Squadrons took nearly 75% casualties in this battle, that if it wasn't for those brave men who gave their lives up at very-low altitude, the Dive Bombers coming in from 12 to 15,000 feet above the torpedo attacks may not have got the chance they needed to get through the Japanese air cover. Once again, it's also true that in 1944 none of this information was either known or if suspected, any where near releasable to the population as true.

Heck, one of our submarines reported sinking one of the 4 Japanese carriers and was actually credited with the sinking. That was until post war interrogations of the Japanese sailors that fought at Midway revealed they saw submarine torpedos hit a carrier during the air attacks and break up, without detonating.

By the way, the character portrayed by Dana Andrews was right to be worrying about Japanese radar. Because even though the Japanese didn't have radar on their ships at Midway, the United States Navy thought they might have radar and trained its Carrier Wings to expect its use. When you get right down to it, this film is as technically correct as the US Navy in 1944 could be.

I saw 'A Wing and a Prayer' at least 30 times on board US Navy ships and on TV since 1946. I bought the VHS copy I'm reviewing now about two years ago. If you like classic war movies made during WWll, this is one of the best. It's a fine film, with excellent acting. ... Read more