The Blue Gardenia (1953)

Pretty Norah (Anne Baxter) gets a Dear Jane letter from her serviceman boyfriend and impulsively takes the date offer from notorious womanizer Harry (Raymond Burr). He proceeds to get her drunk, take her back to his bachelor pad, and get all handsy. She struggles, whacks him with a fireplace poker, then goes home. When he is found dead, the police and press search for a mystery woman.

Anne Baxter is great as the frightened and remorseful Norah, and Richard Conte is the ace reporter that maybe she can trust. Ann Southern is her older, more world weary friend. Despite Ann’s long and storied film career, this is the first time we’ve met. Early on she appeared in vehicles for name-brand male comedians but would later earn her reputation in the ten ‘Maisie’ films between 1939 and 1947. We shall meet again.

Singing the title song is musician Nat ‘King’ Cole playing musician Nat ‘King’ Cole. Cub reporter Al is played by Richard Erdman who is best remembered as that guy who reviews snack foods on youtube.

The Blue Gardenia isn’t much of a mystery and may fall technically short of the Film Noir definition, but it is a very good watch, and most of the credit goes to the adorable Anne Baxter. Not the important or innovative work of director Fritz Lang’s early career, but like I said. It’s a good watch. AMRU 3.5.