THE BLACK DAHLIA
US, 2006, 120 minutes, Colour.
Josh Hartnett, Scarlet Johanssen, Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Fiona Shaw, John Kavanagh.
Directed by Brian de Palma.
For almost sixty years, the brutal and gruesome murder of prostitute and would-be actress, Mary Elizabeth Short, (nicknamed by the media The Black Dahlia, after the Alan Ladd film The Blue Dahlia) has intrigued Californians and crime readers around the world. Film-makers and novelists have also been fascinated by the case itself and its characters, as well as the police investigation.
In 1975, an effective telemovie explored the case, its background and investigation, Who is the Black Dahlia? Lucie Arnaz was Mary Elizabeth Short. A large supporting cast of veteran screen actors also appeared, including Efrem Zimbalist Jr as the investigator, and Macdonald Carey, Gloria de Haven, Tom Bosley, Mercedes Mc Cambridge.
Now, novelist James Ellroy has revisited the scene of one of the best of the LA police investigation films, LA Confidential. However, the action is set in the aftermath of World War II, in 1946-47, five years or more before LA Confidential. Ellroy has taken notice of how effective the speculations of Polanski’s Chinatown were, that behind crime were corrupt police and corrupt businessmen who were shaping the city’s growth by crooked means and were also touched by more personal moral depravity.
There is a solution offered here, but it is a fictional one, plausible in the Chinatown vein.
The release of the Black Dahlia coincided with the release of another Hollywood mystery death film, that of superman actor, George Reeves in 1959: Hollywoodland. It treads something of the same ground but is set in a sunnier, post-Chandler kind of suburban LA. The two films have a lot in common with Hollywoodland having an edge as the better and more effective film.
The Black Dahlia is directed by Brian de Palma, who showed how well he could do spectacular crime thrillers in the 1980s with his Scarface and The Untouchables. As with The Untouchables, he is able to bring art styles, costumes and décor, atmospheric colour and music score together to immerse the audience in the era.
And he has a good cast. Josh Hartnett is not the greatest of emotional actors on screen which means that he is an interesting choice to play the detective who solves the case (though he has to become involved in scenes of passion where, despite his good intentions, he is not exactly convincing). Aaron Eckhart has shown in many films, especially In the Company of Men and Thank You for Smoking, that he can do genial but slippery characters. The femme fatale is Hilary Swank, rather different from her recent roles. She is the spoilt and amoral rich girl. The (comparatively) nice girl is Scarlett Johansson who is made to look a replica of Lana Turner at the time.
The plot is definitely murky and has some insights into police workings and procedures. It has the overtones of the film noir of the times – and the plot is complicated indeed.
But that is what crime aficionados like.
1. The world of James Ellroy, literary, crime fiction? The films made of his books, LA Confidential? Adapting the book for the screen? Los Angeles in the 40s and 50s? The feel, the crimes, police work, social corruption?
2. The Los Angeles settings, the muted colour, the buildings, homes, the affluent areas, the poor areas, the different neighbourhoods, the crime scenes? The musical score, the songs? Cole Porter’s ‘Love for Sale’ and the choreography in the club?
3. 1946 and 1947, the facts, the fiction? The actual murder of Mary Elizabeth Short? Speculations of guilt in the vein of Chinatown?
4. The structure of the film: the introduction, Fire and Ice, the contest between the two? Bucky and his voice-over, the facts, the commentary? The contrast between Bucky and Lee, their meeting, partners, the investigations, the murder, their getting the job? The shooting of Baxter? Lee’s obsession? Bucky making the contacts? The role of Kaye, being in the centre? Their different tracks? The climax in Lee’s death, the confrontation of the family, Bucky solving the mystery?
5. Bucky as hero? Ambiguous, the scenes with his father, caring for his father, getting the money through the boxing bout, being able to support him in a home for the elderly, his father shooting the pigeons, his Alzheimer's, the model plane, the sadness of his being in the home? Bucky and his ability to fight, big fish in a small pond, his reputation? The battle in the streets with the sailors, his physical skills? Encountering Lee, Lee’s reputation? The build-up to the fight, the political purposes, the proposal? The brutality of the fight, Kaye and her watching? The brutal bouts, the KO? The result, their popularity, the passing of the law about the police? Bucky and his meeting with Kaye, her support, his puzzling over her? The mystery, the attraction, sharing everything with Lee and Kaye, going to the movies, the meals, the celebration of New Year? The issue of sexuality and her not being Lee’s mistress? The bonds, Lee and Bucky working together, their trying to get Nash? The murder, the shooting of the black man? Bucky and his chasing the man in the street, coming back to find the dead men? The murder scene for Mary Elizabeth Short? Bucky and his relationship with Russ Millard, seeing him as a father confessor? The clues about the Black Dahlia murder, the reports in the paper? At the crime scene? The friends, the girlfriend, finding her in the park, the interrogation? His going to the lesbian club, fascinated by Madeleine? With the box of matches – and his lending them to Lee? The irony of what this would lead to? Going with Madeleine, at home, the dinner, his being insulted by the parents, the bizarre family, Martha’s sketch? The sexual relationship with Madeleine? Kaye and her jealousy, following him to Madeleine’s? The build-up the release of Dewitt, Kaye being afraid, the background of the robbery, Kaye being one of his girls, Bucky seeing the initials burnt into her back? Mending the bathroom, finding the cash? The truth about the robbery, Lee taking some of the money and hiding it, supporting Kaye? His fears about Dewitt getting out? Finding the studio, the set, his realising the similarity to the film that he had seen, linking the Linscotts with the film, with Mary Elizabeth Short’s death? His visit, the blood-soaked mattress? His going to the family, confronting the family, shooting the works of art, the irony of Martha giving the information to Lee, the mother and her relationship with George, her behaviour at the table, her manic behaviour, telling the truth, the fact that she had killed the Black Dahlia, her shooting herself? Her husband, the shady deals, the guilt? Being blackmailed by Lee? Madeleine and the confrontation, her protecting her father, always wanting her name out of the papers? Her confidence, defying Bucky to shoot her? His shooting her? His return to Kaye – the happy ending but ambiguous?
6. Lee? Fire, genial, his reputation, getting murderers, the Dewitt robbery – and the irony of the truth? The fight in the streets, befriending Bucky, their being partners, training for the fight, his relationship with Kaye, rescuing her, protecting her, educating her? Their life together? The bout, his determination, the KO? Taking Benzedrine? Working with Bucky to get Nash? Nash and his terrible reputation, the irony of his committing other murders while Lee was preoccupied with the Black Dahlia? The Baxter killing, Lee saving Bucky’s life? The Dahlia crime scene, the matchbox with the information, the audience not knowing what was happening behind the scenes and puzzling about Lee’s obsessiveness, his shrine to the Black Dahlia, Kaye’s story about the death of his sister, his outburst while watching the pornography? The fight with Kaye, Dewitt’s coming out of jail, her throwing him out? His going to Bucky’s father’s flat? The build-up to the meeting, with Dewitt, his death? And the revelation of the truth?
7. Russ Millard, genial, the father confessor to the police, to Bucky? The other police authorities, Lee’s behaviour at the screening of the pornography, his insulting people, the official demanding his reply? Lee’s not doing it? The background of police work in Los Angeles at the time?
8. Kaye, her story, from the Midwest, coming to Los Angeles, with Dewitt, prostitute, his initials burned into her back? The bank robbery, Lee rescuing her, living with her, paying for her studies, her style? Her artwork? Her calling Bucky Dwight? The bonds between them, sharing everything together, the movie and her holding both their hands, the meals? Her glamour? Her fears about Dewitt, Lee and his obsessiveness, her throwing out his stuff, wanting the bathroom fixed, the irony of the truth about the cash, her following Bucky to Madeleine’s? His returning to her?
9. The Linscott family, the family story, Scott’s background, migrants to the United States, the father marrying his wife for money, the two daughters, their wealth, the silent films, buying the sets from Mack Sennett, building fire hazard housing (and the indication that there would be an investigation)? His link with the pornography, his friendship with George, George’s painting? The dinner, the insults, his wife’s behaviour, the hysteria? The calm, the sketch? The wife and her madness, snobbery? Martha and her sketching and joking? Madeleine and her embarrassment?
10. The Black Dahlia, the background of the film The Blue Dahlia, the press, the body, the autopsy and opinions, the information about her death, the mystery? The squad and its investigation? Discovering her identity, Bucky’s visiting her father and her father’s harsh judgment on her? His access to the screen tests, watching them, the character that emerged, the lies she told, her ability to manipulate, emotional, acting? Lee and his obsession with her? Bucky and his interest? Their watching the pornography, Lee’s overreaction? Her life, her friendship with Lorna, the lesbian relationship, the gradual revelation of the connections with Madeleine? The clubs, the performances?
11. Madeleine in herself, the rich family, pampered, the mad mother, the indulgent father, George? The rivalry with Martha? Her wanting to have a wild reputation – but out of the headlines? Her story about going to the club, the lesbian scene, her relationship with Mary Elizabeth, the relationship? At the club, running away, the meeting with Bucky, the attraction, the sexual relationship? Inviting him to the meal, her behaviour during the meal? The audience finally finding out the background, Lee and his blackmail, Madeleine protecting her father? It revealed that she was the shadowy figure who stabbed Lee?
12. A 2006 film with a retrospect of sixty years earlier in Los Angeles? The boom before World War Two, the aftermath of the war, the country town becoming a city? The city that is Los Angeles, its neighbourhoods, the background of film-making, people coming west in order to find a career, failing, getting caught up in pornography and prostitution? The role of the police? Decent police, ambiguous police, corrupt police? The corrupt businessmen in Los Angeles – and the extent of their evil, their work and business, extension into relationships, sexuality, violence?
