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Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

The Blue Gardenia is directed by Fritz Lang and adapted to screenplay by Charles Hoffman from the short story "Gardenia" written by Vera Caspary. It stars Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, Ann Sothern, Raymond Burr and George Reeves. Music is by Raoul Kraushaar and cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca.Norah Larkin (Baxter), after receiving some horrible news, ends up drunk and at the mercy of a Lothario in his apartment. The next morning she wakes up with the distinct feeling she may have committed murder.More solid than anything spectacular, this minor Lang is never less than interesting. The Blue Gardenia of the title is a nightclub, one where Nat King Cole no less, sings the title song. However, it's the local newspaper that is the key element of the story, the place of work of ace journalist Casey Mayo (Conte), who gets in deep with the story and of course that means Norah as well.There's some sparky dialogue as the story ticks away, with Sothern (sadly underused) wonderfully waspish, the murder mystery element remains strong enough, while there's dark at work as well (Burr is effectively on a mission to date rape). However, the pairing of Lang and Musuraca should be a dream team, but although there's the odd flash of noir visualisations during night sequences, you can't help but lament more wasn't provided for Musuraca to weave his magic.A good show from the cast helps ease the pain of the script's inadequacies, especially as regards the not very clever final revelations. So all in all, it's more a case of a mystery melodrama with noir touches than anything thrilling, and really it's one for Lang fans to tick off their to see lists, not to be visited again. 6.5/10

"The Blue Gardenia" is a low budget thriller in which two young women (who are both named after flowers), two letters and two rather slimy bachelors, all have a significant impact on what transpires. At the centre of the story is a young woman who, as a result of making an unwise decision at a particularly vulnerable time, finds herself propelled into a nightmare. Unfortunately, the only avenue of escape open to her is very risky and requires her to put her trust in someone of whom she's uncertain.Based on a short story by Vera Caspary (who also wrote "Laura", which was made into a successful movie by Otto Preminger), this melodrama about the events surrounding a murder, soon develops from its light-hearted beginning into something far darker and more tense.Norah Larkin (Ann Baxter) is a telephone operator who shares an L.A. apartment with two of her friends from work. On her birthday, after the wisecracking Crystal Carpenter (Ann Southern) and the pulp-fiction loving Sally Ellis (Jeff Donell) have gone out, Norah spends the evening alone with a glass of champagne and a letter from her boyfriend who's a soldier in Korea. Shortly after reading the letter that informs her that she's been dumped, the telephone rings and Harry Prebble (Raymond Burr), under the misapprehension that she's Crystal, asks her out for dinner. In her confused and emotional state, Norah decides to accept the invitation and meets Harry at "The Blue Gardenia" nightclub.Harry's a predatory womaniser who gets Norah drunk on cocktails and takes her home to his apartment where he tries to force himself on her. In her panic, Norah grabs a poker and swings it over her head before hitting Harry as hard as she can. Next morning, when she wakes up, she can't remember what happened on the previous night. A little later, when she learns that Harry's been murdered, she becomes convinced that she's killed him and that some items (a lacy hanky, a blue gardenia and a pair of shoes) that she left behind at his apartment will quickly make her the prime suspect.Casey Mayo (Richard Conte) is a high profile newspaper columnist who takes an interest in the case and publishes an open letter entitled "Letter To An Unknown Murderess". In his letter, he invites the murderess (who he calls "The Blue Gardenia") to give his newspaper her exclusive story in return for top class legal representation which the newspaper will arrange. Norah, who is living in a constant state of fear, recognises that this seems to offer the best way forward but is also anxious about whether the columnist's offer is sincere or whether it's simply a ploy to get a sensational story for his newspaper.A clue to the mystery about what happened on the night of Harry's murder is given early on in the film but this, in no way, detracts from the absorbing nature of the story or the enjoyment which is further enhanced by the inclusion of Nat "King" Cole's performance of the title song and Nicholas Musuraca's marvellous cinematography. The scene in which Norah goes to Casey Mayo's office late at night is a real high point with its use of deep shadows, deep focus and neon lights etc. Interestingly, this was the first of three movies that Fritz Lang made relating to newspapers (the others being "While The City Sleeps" and "Beyond A Reasonable Doubt").

In The Blue Gardenia, Anne Baxter's feeling low and depressed because her GI fiancé in Korea has given her the brushoff. Against her better judgment she goes out with Raymond Burr, full time artist and full time wolf. A few Polynesian Pearl Divers in the local bar which might have been spiked and Anne's not doing so good. But good enough to hit Burr with a fireplace poker and somehow make her way home like Cinderella with both shoes missing.George Reeves taking a break from Superman plays the Los Angeles homicide detective gets a little unwanted help from Richard Conte, a Walter Winchell like newspaper columnist who's no doubt thinking of the black dahlia murders in LA a few years because a Blue Gardenia's been left at the crime scene and Nat King Cole both sang it live and on record in the film.In the meantime Baxter's mood swings are being noticed by her roommates Ann Sothern and Jeff Donnell. And Conte's got his own investigation going into the Blue Gardenia murder. It all makes for one interesting and murky film in the tradition of Fritz Lang.Anne in a sense does a reprise of her Oscar winning performance from The Razor's Edge as a woman being trapped in tragedy. She blamed herself for her family's death in The Razor's Edge and she may or may not have killed Burr. The only difference is that an arrest might lead to an expiation of sin of a sort.Fritz Lang made a specialty in harassed and harried protagonists getting themselves into some real jackpots whether it was Henry Fonda in You'll Only Live Once, Edward G. Robinson in Scarlett Street and The Woman In the Window, and we can even count Peter Lorre in M. These are people who in fact were guilty. For the first time however Lang's harried protagonist is a woman and Anne gives a great performance.One scene I really loved is one with Almira Sessions as a brain dead housekeeper who finds Burr's body and then proceeds to clean up the crime scene. After all as she explains to Reeves this is her job and what she's paid to do. The fact she's destroyed all forensic evidence doesn't seem to impress her in the slightest.On the other hand had she done like a normal person would have and not touched anything, the forensics would have cleared the whole thing up and we wouldn't have a movie.

Was expecting more from the list of credits, including Fritz Lang as Director and from a story by Vera Caspary, who wrote "Laura". Also Anne Baxter, who had an Oscar and a nomination to her credit. Ann Sothern was her sassy self and Raymond Burr was an excellent heavy. In retrospect, he would be an unlikely candidate for his role if the picture were made today, as his homosexuality would have made him an unlikely "lounge lizard", the lounge being 'The Blue Gardenia'.One of the highlights was the great Nat 'King' Cole singing the title song. The solid but uncharismatic Richard Conte was miscast as the reporter looking for a scoop. A disappointing effort all around from a film that starts out strong but falls flat with a contrived ending. A pseudo-film noir, it is more of a melodrama and a routine one at that.