Spikeopath 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

BOUF This film was merely distributed by Warner Bros. One feels that had it been produced in-house, 15 years earlier, it would have been a snappy 65 minute number and all the better for it. The movie opens with some wide, exterior shots of Los Angeles traffic, and doesn't get a lot more interesting, except for a nice turn by Raymond Burr as a Lothario. The rest is a predictable, leisurely TV-type 'thriller' with Anne Baxter at her most simpering, waking up beside the dead body of a man she got drunk with. Ann Sothern tries to inject some fun, (fun wasn't Lang's strong suit) as does Jeff Donnel, while Richard Conte looks almost bored. (He's a curious actor, his eyes seem to betray a kind of constant sadness and anxiety, while here, he's at pains [!] to appear cool). The storytelling is adequate and there are a couple of excitingly edited moments, during a struggle, but Mr Lang did so much better in some of his other films. Who knows what pressure he was under to make this into bland entertainment, but bland it is.

thrashneon At first, I thought I was watching a forgotten pilot for a TV series -- "3 Single Dames"?..... then I thought I was watching an extended Chesterfield cigarette commercial. Holy smokes, talk about yer product placement!But, in the end, I enjoyed it because I'll watch and enjoy anything with Ann Sothern in it (even if she's just relegated to doing her Maisie thing in a supporting role).And man, that Prebble guy sure could hold his booze- matched her drink for drink, drove them home, *and* stayed sober! lol. Seems his objective wasn't seduction (she was already pretty much unconscious. Did he really think that shot in her coffee was required?)-- I think he was actually trying' to kill her with alcohol poisoning.

GManfred 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.