5 Fun Facts About Laura (1944)
Otto Preminger’s Laura (1944) is one of Hollywood’s great film noirs, with its intriguing mystery, memorable performances, and haunting musical score. Starring Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, and Judith Anderson, the film has become a favorite among classic movie fans.
But behind this classic mystery are some fascinating Hollywood stories — from a broken heart that inspired its famous theme music to a casting dispute that resulted in a $613,600 lawsuit!
Here are five fun facts about Laura. 🙂
1. The famous theme music was inspired by a broken heart
One of the most memorable things about Laura is its haunting theme music, composed by David Raksin. But did you know that the melody was inspired by a “Dear John” letter?
Director Otto Preminger originally wanted to use Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady” as the film’s theme, but Raksin convinced him that it wasn’t quite right. Given a weekend to come up with something better, Raksin found himself dealing with some heartbreak of his own — a letter from his wife telling him she wanted to end their marriage.
As Raksin later recalled, it was actually a “Dear David” letter. And out of that painful experience came one of Hollywood’s most beautiful and enduring film themes.
Johnny Mercer later added lyrics, and “Laura” went on to become a popular standard recorded by countless artists.
2. Laura’s famous portrait wasn’t actually a painting!
That beautiful portrait of Gene Tierney plays an important role in Laura, but it wasn’t actually a traditional painting!
Originally, artist Azadia Newman, wife of the film’s first director Rouben Mamoulian, was commissioned to paint Tierney’s portrait. But when Otto Preminger took over directing, he discarded the original portrait along with much of Mamoulian’s other work.
Preminger felt that paintings didn’t always photograph well on film, so he came up with another solution. He had studio photographer Frank Powolny photograph Tierney, then enlarged the image and had it lightly brushed with oil paint to give it the appearance of a painting.
The result became one of classic Hollywood’s most recognizable movie portraits!
3. Otto Preminger wasn’t the film’s original director
It’s hard to imagine Laura without Otto Preminger, but he wasn’t actually the film’s first director!
Rouben Mamoulian began directing Laura in the spring of 1944, with Preminger serving as producer. Unfortunately, the two didn’t see eye to eye on several aspects of the production, including the sets, costumes, and screenplay.
After about two weeks of filming, studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck was unhappy with the footage and replaced Mamoulian with Preminger.
Preminger made some major changes, bringing in a new cinematographer, Joseph LaShelle, and costume designer, Bonnie Cashin. He also discarded Mamoulian’s footage and started over.
Interestingly, LaShelle went on to win the Academy Award for Best Black-and-White Cinematography for Laura!
4. Laura brought Clifton Webb back to the big screen after more than 15 years
Before playing the wonderfully sharp-tongued Waldo Lydecker in Laura, Clifton Webb was best known for his work on the Broadway stage.
Although Webb had appeared in silent films during the 1920s, he hadn’t made a movie in more than 15 years when Otto Preminger cast him in Laura.
Studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck had reservations about casting Webb, but Preminger was convinced he was right for the part.
And Preminger’s instincts certainly paid off! At age 54, Webb made a memorable Hollywood comeback, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The role helped launch a successful new chapter in Webb’s career, including his later performances in The Razor’s Edge (1946), Sitting Pretty (1948), and Cheaper by the Dozen (1950).
5. Jennifer Jones was originally cast as Laura — and a $613,600 lawsuit followed!
It’s difficult to imagine anyone other than Gene Tierney playing Laura Hunt, but she wasn’t the studio’s original choice!
Jennifer Jones, fresh from her Academy Award-winning performance in The Song of Bernadette (1943), had initially been cast in the title role under an agreement between producer David O. Selznick and 20th Century-Fox.
But when Jones didn’t report for filming in April 1944, a dispute erupted between the studios over the terms of her contract and approval of the screenplay.
Fox eventually filed a lawsuit against Jones for a whopping $613,600 — including $500,000 in claimed damages related to losing the services of an Academy Award-winning actress!
The lawsuit was eventually settled, and Gene Tierney went on to play the role that would become one of her most memorable.
And here’s another interesting casting tidbit: Hedy Lamarr also reportedly turned down Laura, later joking that she might have accepted the role if she’d been sent the musical score instead of the script!
And there you have it — five fun facts about Laura! Whether you’re revisiting this classic noir or discovering it for the first time, there’s plenty to appreciate about this Hollywood gem.
Have you seen Laura? What’s your favorite thing about the film?
–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub
Sources & Further Reading
American Film Institute (AFI) Catalog — Laura (1944)
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) — Behind the Camera: Laura
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) — The Big Idea: Laura
Los Angeles Times — Knowing the Score (June 4, 1995)
Los Angeles Times — David Raksin, 92; Longtime Film Composer Had Hit Song ‘Laura’ (August 10, 2004)
