Alan Ladd

[Dargo]

Up until the ending at least. Their changing the ending works against the plot. In the book it was Bendix that was the killer and the switch at the end just isn't believable to me. This Gun for Hire is my favorite of the Ladd/Lake pairings (I haven't seen Saigon, but it's not well regarded). I don't care much for The Glass Key. Too much time spent on Brian Donlevy. Dahlia is pretty good up until the end.

Wiki has a very informative and sometimes amusing entry on The Blue Dahlia, including how the movie came to be.
In Chandler's original script Buzz (what an appropriate name) was the killer, but the Navy didn't want to have a veteran
be the killer, so he was forced to change the ending. Will Wright was one of the suspects, a rather shifty, unscrupulous
type. But Bendix made such a strong impression that all the other suspects fade into the background, at least for me.
And of course......Ladd didn't like the fact that Doris Dowling was half a foot taller than he was, so they came up with
the usual tricks to diminish the difference.

Thanks for the story behind what I too (and as Hibi noted earlier) felt was a copout of an ending to this film.

(...had been wondering why it ended that way)

[jamesjazzguitar]

Up until the ending at least. Their changing the ending works against the plot. In the book it was Bendix that was the killer and the switch at the end just isn't believable to me. This Gun for Hire is my favorite of the Ladd/Lake pairings (I haven't seen Saigon, but it's not well regarded). I don't care much for The Glass Key. Too much time spent on Brian Donlevy. Dahlia is pretty good up until the end.

Wiki has a very informative and sometimes amusing entry on The Blue Dahlia, including how the movie came to be.
In Chandler's original script Buzz (what an appropriate name) was the killer, but the Navy didn't want to have a veteran
be the killer, so he was forced to change the ending. Will Wright was one of the suspects, a rather shifty, unscrupulous
type. But Bendix made such a strong impression that all the other suspects fade into the background, at least for me.
And of course......Ladd didn't like the fact that Doris Dowling was half a foot taller than he was, so they came up with
the usual tricks to diminish the difference.

Thanks for the story behind what I too (and as Hibi noted earlier) felt was a copout of an ending to this film.

(...had been wondering why it ended that way)

The Blue Dahlia was made very shortly after WWII ended and I believe this was a major reason the studio (Paramount), decided to appease the Navy\Armed Forces. If it was made even a year later, I doubt Paramount would have changed the story. Note that Crossfire was made and released less than a year after The Blue Dahlia and RKO didn't cover up that the killer was a WWII veteran. The vet (wonderfully played by Robert Ryan) was a racist, deranged war vet! The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

How WWII impacted returning vets was a trope of noir films so it can be found in many noir films that followed The Blue Dahlia.

[Dargo]

..The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

Yep, I got that impression as well here, James.

(...good to note, though)

[jamesjazzguitar]

..The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

Yep, I got that impression as well here, James.

(...good to note, though)

My favorite part of The Blue Dhalia is when Lake is driving Ladd and Ladd asks which direction, they should go in. Lake says flip a coin. Heads we go to Malibu, tails we go to Laguna. Ladd ask what happens if the coin lands on its side: We go to Long Beach!

Of course, us So Cal guys get this, but I assume it might have confused people outside of CA. None of those cities were well known outside of maybe Malibu due to that is where a lot of actors lived.

[Andree]

Thanks for the story behind what I too (and as Hibi noted earlier) felt was a copout of an ending to this film.

(...had been wondering why it ended that way)

The Wiki entry goes into more detail about the struggle Chandler had to come up with a new ending.

Yes, all signs point to Buzzzzzz until the last few minutes when all of a sudden the culprit turns out to
be........Pops Sleazebag. It sure did feel like a copout (unintentional pun).

[Andree]

Hugh Beaumont -- blandest, dullest actor ever. Just looking at him makes me sleepy.

THIS GUN FOR HIRE is my favorite Ladd/Lake pairing as well. I've never seen SAIGON but am not in any rush.

I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

True, but I have a soft spot for Hugh because I first knew him as Ward Cleaver on LITB, one of my favorite TV shows
(on FETV 11 to 12 in the morning). He certainly doesn't light up the screen. For whatever reason I just wasn't in the
mood to watch TGFH on this go around. Nuts? Only your headshrinker knows for sure.

[Andree]

The Blue Dahlia was made very shortly after WWII ended and I believe this was a major reason the studio (Paramount), decided to appease the Navy\Armed Forces. If it was made even a year later, I doubt Paramount would have changed the story. Note that Crossfire was made and released less than a year after The Blue Dahlia and RKO didn't cover up that the killer was a WWII veteran. The vet (wonderfully played by Robert Ryan) was a racist, deranged war vet! The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

How WWII impacted returning vets was a trope of noir films so it can be found in many noir films that followed The Blue Dahlia.

Yes, the timing was bad, though since there were probably other veterans who were nasty guys, maybe it was also
just bad luck for Paramount. I wonder if his rant about monkey music was seen as the racist statement back then
that it is today. Not to excuse it, but Buzz had a very short fuse in many instances, presumably due to his head injury.

I saw Robert Ryan on an episode of Wagon Train last night. He was married to Vera Miles. Lucky dog.

[Bronxgirl48]

I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

Well Bronxie, I'd say the ONLY way anyone could conceivably call you "nuts" here, would be by pointing out that Brian Donvey wasn't in 'The Blue Dahlia'.

(...as the kind of part Donlevy would've normally played in that film, was instead played by Howard da Silva)

Oops, I meant THE GLASS KEY, lol.

I like Howard. My two da Silva favorites: THE LOST WEEKEND and 1776.

[Bronxgirl48]

Hugh Beaumont -- blandest, dullest actor ever. Just looking at him makes me sleepy.

THIS GUN FOR HIRE is my favorite Ladd/Lake pairing as well. I've never seen SAIGON but am not in any rush.

I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

True, but I have a soft spot for Hugh because I first knew him as Ward Cleaver on LITB, one of my favorite TV shows
(on FETV 11 to 12 in the morning). He certainly doesn't light up the screen. For whatever reason I just wasn't in the
mood to watch TGFH on this go around. Nuts? Only your headshrinker knows for sure.

lol I am a little nutty when all is said and done, at least that's what I was told because when I was a young'un one of my true loves was Moe Howard.

Hugh Beaumont, yeah I can understand the nostalgic television connection. Did you know that Hugh is in THE SEVENTH VICTIM? The weak link in those classic Lewton noir horror films were the good guys/girls who were portrayed rather simplistically and Beaumont worked perfectly in that area, lol.

[Hibi]

Up until the ending at least. Their changing the ending works against the plot. In the book it was Bendix that was the killer and the switch at the end just isn't believable to me. This Gun for Hire is my favorite of the Ladd/Lake pairings (I haven't seen Saigon, but it's not well regarded). I don't care much for The Glass Key. Too much time spent on Brian Donlevy. Dahlia is pretty good up until the end.

Wiki has a very informative and sometimes amusing entry on The Blue Dahlia, including how the movie came to be.
In Chandler's original script Buzz (what an appropriate name) was the killer, but the Navy didn't want to have a veteran
be the killer, so he was forced to change the ending. Will Wright was one of the suspects, a rather shifty, unscrupulous
type. But Bendix made such a strong impression that all the other suspects fade into the background, at least for me.
And of course......Ladd didn't like the fact that Doris Dowling was half a foot taller than he was, so they came up with
the usual tricks to diminish the difference.

All kidding aside, I like Alan Ladd, though he did seem to make a lot of mediocre flicks after his 1940s heyday. I've
always found Veronica Lake very attractive and likable in movies like The Blue Dahlia, even if she was something
of a handful in her personal life. I agree about The Glass Key. Lots of dull spots between the action.

Yes, agree about Bendix, he makes such a strong impression he blows all the other suspects out of the water so the ending is really a surprise but the reasoning behind it pretty dumb (but par for the course back in those days). Yeah, Ladd did a lot of mediocre projects after he left Paramount in the early 50s.

[Hibi]

I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

Well Bronxie, I'd say the ONLY way anyone could conceivably call you "nuts" here, would be by pointing out that Brian Donvey wasn't in 'The Blue Dahlia'.

(...as the kind of part Donlevy would've normally played in that film, was instead played by Howard da Silva)

LOL!!! Good one!

[Hibi]

Wiki has a very informative and sometimes amusing entry on The Blue Dahlia, including how the movie came to be.
In Chandler's original script Buzz (what an appropriate name) was the killer, but the Navy didn't want to have a veteran
be the killer, so he was forced to change the ending. Will Wright was one of the suspects, a rather shifty, unscrupulous
type. But Bendix made such a strong impression that all the other suspects fade into the background, at least for me.
And of course......Ladd didn't like the fact that Doris Dowling was half a foot taller than he was, so they came up with
the usual tricks to diminish the difference.

Thanks for the story behind what I too (and as Hibi noted earlier) felt was a copout of an ending to this film.

(...had been wondering why it ended that way)

The Blue Dahlia was made very shortly after WWII ended and I believe this was a major reason the studio (Paramount), decided to appease the Navy\Armed Forces. If it was made even a year later, I doubt Paramount would have changed the story. Note that Crossfire was made and released less than a year after The Blue Dahlia and RKO didn't cover up that the killer was a WWII veteran. The vet (wonderfully played by Robert Ryan) was a racist, deranged war vet! The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

How WWII impacted returning vets was a trope of noir films so it can be found in many noir films that followed The Blue Dahlia.

Yes, all a matter of timing.

[Hibi]

..The Bendix character was also racist, but it was mostly hidden: E.g. his hate of monkey music. Code for black bebop music that was becoming the rage after the war.

Yep, I got that impression as well here, James.

(...good to note, though)

My favorite part of The Blue Dhalia is when Lake is driving Ladd and Ladd asks which direction, they should go in. Lake says flip a coin. Heads we go to Malibu, tails we go to Laguna. Ladd ask what happens if the coin lands on its side: We go to Long Beach!

Of course, us So Cal guys get this, but I assume it might have confused people outside of CA. None of those cities were well known outside of maybe Malibu due to that is where a lot of actors lived.

I enjoy their banter in this film. Especially during the car scenes.

[Andree]

lol I am a little nutty when all is said and done, at least that's what I was told because when I was a young'un one of my true loves was Moe Howard.

Hugh Beaumont, yeah I can understand the nostalgic television connection. Did you know that Hugh is in THE SEVENTH VICTIM? The weak link in those classic Lewton noir horror films were the good guys/girls who were portrayed rather simplistically and Beaumont worked perfectly in that area, lol.

Now that you've mentioned it I do recall Hugh Beaumont being in The Seventh Victim . In a group of eccentrics, somebody
has to play Mr. Average. Hugh appeared on occasion on TV shows after LITB. He aged fairly well and has that distinguished older
man look.

[Andree]

Yes, agree about Bendix, he makes such a strong impression he blows all the other suspects out of the water so the ending is really a surprise but the reasoning behind it pretty dumb (but par for the course back in those days). Yeah, Ladd did a lot of mediocre projects after he left Paramount in the early 50s.

Will Wright was usually just a mean persnickety old goat, nasty but not usually fatal. I suppose a working actor has to take
roles, whether good or bad. But he really tailed off.