IMDb RATING
6.9/10
6.4K
YOUR RATING
A telephone operator ends up drunk and at the mercy of a cad in his apartment. The next morning she wakes up with a hangover and the terrible fear she may have committed murder.A telephone operator ends up drunk and at the mercy of a cad in his apartment. The next morning she wakes up with a hangover and the terrible fear she may have committed murder.A telephone operator ends up drunk and at the mercy of a cad in his apartment. The next morning she wakes up with a hangover and the terrible fear she may have committed murder.
Fay Baker
- Switchboard Monitor
- (uncredited)
Robert Bice
- Policeman
- (uncredited)
Larry J. Blake
- Music Shop Clerk
- (uncredited)
Lela Bliss
- Miss Stanley
- (uncredited)
Gail Bonney
- Policewoman
- (uncredited)
Edward Clark
- News Stand Dealer
- (uncredited)
Papa John Creach
- Violinist
- (uncredited)
Mike Donovan
- Fingerprint Officer
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Fritz Lang and cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca developed a revolutionary dolly for the camera that allowed for sustained tracking shots and intimate close-ups while shooting this film. Lang preferred the practice of tracking into a close-up shot of an actor as opposed to cutting to a close-up in editing. He believed the tracking close-up captured more of the actors' intimacy and emotions.
- GoofsPerhaps unaware that his hands on the keyboard are visible in the mirror behind him, Nat 'King' Cole plays a strikingly different piano arrangement of "Blue Gardenia" than the one heard.
- Quotes
Sally Ellis: I didn't like Prebble when he was alive. But now that he's been murdered, that always makes a man so romantic.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Noir Alley: The Blue Gardenia (2017)
- SoundtracksBlue Gardenia
Written by Bob Russell and Lester Lee
Performed by Nat 'King' Cole
Arranged by Nelson Riddle
[Nat King Cole performs the song at the Blue Gardenia during Norah and Harry's date, then the song is played frequently in the movie thereafter]
Featured review
Some fatal evening
Absolutely love the genre 'The Blue Gardenia' fits under, one of my favourites and frequently re-visited. Fritz Lang was one of the greatest and most influential film-makers in his day, with his best films such as 'M' and 'Metropolis' being genre milestones. Hearing Nat King Cole's beautiful voice is always worthwhile. Plus the cast is full of always watchable and even good actors. This is the sort of story that sounds good on paper, but one that risks being silly and contrived when not done well.
'The Blue Gardenia' is above average and is worth watching, but it isn't in any way among the best work of anybody involved. A lot is done extremely well, but also there are some major issues that stop it from hitting bullseye with its potential. As far as Lang goes, 'The Blue Gardenia' is something of a minor work and doesn't always feel like him (despite him on paper sounding like the right director), but it is mildly recommended for everybody wanting to see all his films.
Beginning with the good things about 'The Blue Gardenia', it looks great. The photography is one of the film's biggest selling points, with a real eerily stark atmosphere. The lighting is also moody, editing transitions are smooth enough and the art direction isn't over-elaborate or cheap. The music is haunting without being over the top. Cole's title song is absolutely beautiful and as ever gorgeously sung. Lang's direction has moments of brilliance and he does direct with flair and competence on the whole.
Most of the cast do very well, with the standout being a terrific Ann Sothern, bringing sassy vim and colour to what is a grim story. Anne Baxter also compels in a haunted performance and Raymond Burr unsettles enough. Jeff Donnell is amusing. The film does start off very well, cute at times but with some nice tension too.
However, not everything works. Did find Richard Conte rather bland in a colourless role that doesn't suit him. The chemistry between him and Baxter felt under-cooked in a subplot that doesn't ignite or feel necessary. George Reeves could have done with more menace. The script could have been tighter and comes over as too over-heated when things get more desperate.
While Lang's direction does have moments of brilliance as said, where his trademark style is obvious, too much of it lacks distinction and imagination. The film starts off well and there is suspense, but that dissipates the more incredulous and credibility straining the film gets, which is the case of the final third. The worst aspect is the too suddenly introduced, contrived and too pat ending, where the incredulity is at its most obvious.
Summing up, worth a look but had room for improvement in some areas. 6/10.
'The Blue Gardenia' is above average and is worth watching, but it isn't in any way among the best work of anybody involved. A lot is done extremely well, but also there are some major issues that stop it from hitting bullseye with its potential. As far as Lang goes, 'The Blue Gardenia' is something of a minor work and doesn't always feel like him (despite him on paper sounding like the right director), but it is mildly recommended for everybody wanting to see all his films.
Beginning with the good things about 'The Blue Gardenia', it looks great. The photography is one of the film's biggest selling points, with a real eerily stark atmosphere. The lighting is also moody, editing transitions are smooth enough and the art direction isn't over-elaborate or cheap. The music is haunting without being over the top. Cole's title song is absolutely beautiful and as ever gorgeously sung. Lang's direction has moments of brilliance and he does direct with flair and competence on the whole.
Most of the cast do very well, with the standout being a terrific Ann Sothern, bringing sassy vim and colour to what is a grim story. Anne Baxter also compels in a haunted performance and Raymond Burr unsettles enough. Jeff Donnell is amusing. The film does start off very well, cute at times but with some nice tension too.
However, not everything works. Did find Richard Conte rather bland in a colourless role that doesn't suit him. The chemistry between him and Baxter felt under-cooked in a subplot that doesn't ignite or feel necessary. George Reeves could have done with more menace. The script could have been tighter and comes over as too over-heated when things get more desperate.
While Lang's direction does have moments of brilliance as said, where his trademark style is obvious, too much of it lacks distinction and imagination. The film starts off well and there is suspense, but that dissipates the more incredulous and credibility straining the film gets, which is the case of the final third. The worst aspect is the too suddenly introduced, contrived and too pat ending, where the incredulity is at its most obvious.
Summing up, worth a look but had room for improvement in some areas. 6/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Mar 8, 2022
- Permalink
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Gardenia - Eine Frau will vergessen
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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