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The Black Dahlia murder in 1940's Hollywood was a sensation and remains unsolved. It ranks with the deaths of Marilyn Monroe and Natalie Wood. What really happened? The Black Dahlia was so named because the wayward starlet, Elizabeth Short, was a brunette and wore black clothes. Her mutilated body was discovered in a vacant lot and today would be as gruesome as something from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

James Ellroy wrote The Black Dahlia novel based on facts from the case and devised a solution as to what happened. The book is rich with detail and characters and, unfortunately, in this case, the book is better than the film. Oh, the set design, cars, music and clothes are excellent, but the dialogue is lame and at times, unintentionally humorous. Not only that, the resolution of the case looked better on paper than it does on film. Now, in this movie, two detectives, Lee (Aaron Eckhart) and Bucky (Josh Hartnett) are partners and co-boxers, known as "Fire and Ice." They regularly fight to bring publicity to the police department. Lee has a girlfriend, Kay (Scarlett Johansson with brilliant red lipstick) who lives in a beautiful apartment. Bucky tags along as a fifth wheel.

In the meantime, the body of Elizabeth Short has been discovered. Lee and Bucky get the case. While Bucky thinks of it as a murder case, Lee becomes obsessed with Short's persona and in finding her killer. The search leads them to unusual places such as back rooms used to film porn films, wealthy people and their mansions, and the seedy side of town. Mia Kirschner portrays Elizabeth Short in the underground films the police discover. They are not pretty to watch. However, this is probably the best part of "The Black Dahlia," as the actress brings a poignancy to the character of a girl lost in her own fantasy of Hollywood.

Eventually, Bucky meets Madeleine (Hilary Swank), the daughter of a wealthy California land developer (shades of "Chinatown.") During a dinner party from Hades, Bucky meets her family consisting of a tyrannical father, intoxicated, over-the-top mother and dysfunctional younger sister. All this and money, too, no wonder Madeleine is single, but she has several secrets, one of which will impact Bucky.

The Black Dahlia is Ellroy's vision of what might have happened. It plays out nicely, if bizarre. What redeems the storyline are the sets and music. Director Brian De Palma knows the person fans want to see without a shirt, and has Josh Hartnett in two love scenes in quick succession, one on a kitchen table and the other whirling around a room. Also an attention-getter is the singer (cameo appearance) singing "Love For Sale" in a night club. You'd never guess.

The stars try so hard. What lets them down is lame dialogue at times and situations that could have been adjusted for coherence. I expected a great deal from The Black Dahlia"movie and felt let down. Hartnett is adequate as Bucky in the brutal fight scenes, but seems too young for a cop in the rest of the film. Aaron Eckhart is the person to watch as he inhabits the role of Lee, a many-faceted man. Hilary Swank's Madeleine has a Veronica Lake breathy quality that is affected, while Johansson's Kay comes off as hesitant and quiet. It is Fiona Shaw as Madeleine's mother who has the Gloria Swanson-type role from Sunset Boulevard. Methinks, Brian De Palma was hesitant to tell her to tone it down. Shakespeare said, "All the world's a stage," well Fiona Shaw's character knows it.

The Black Dahlia was a gruesome murder that exposed the ugly underbelly of the Hollywood movie industry. Young girls who came to California for fame and riches ended up either going home in disgrace or dying. Yet, the lure is still there, and it's a similar lure that has writers coming back to try to solve the murder of Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia. There is a line of dialogue from the film, "There is a basic rule of homicide, nothing lies buried forever."Movie-makers can't resist, either, and someday, someone will get it right. 

copyright 2006 Marie Asner
Submitted 9/12/06

This has been a month for movies involving the elements of classic Hollywood and murder mystery. The new film, The Black Dahlia, from famed director Brian De Palma (Dressed to Kill, Scarface, The Untouchables, and Carrie) is a long, overdramatic flick that raises good questions regarding cast vs.content. 

Based on the novel by James Ellroy which recounted the 1940 murder involving unknown actress Elizabeth Short the story is more about the two cops assigned to the case than it is the actual murder. This may be part of the failing of this film. The other downfall is the length. A tick over two
hours is several ticks too many in a story that comes across more as an attempt to revive a campy film style than a stylistic murder mystery. I
can't blame the cast who I am pretty sure acted as directed. 

Ofcr. Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert (Josh Hartnett) and Sgt. Leland "Lee" Blanchard (Aaron Eckhart) are the Batman and Robin of the 1940's LAPD. Known as fire and ice they are the ones kicking butt and taking names. Put on the case of a slaughtered, disemboweled starlet (Mia Kirshner) who has been branded by the media as the Black Dahlia they must find out the secret to her gruesome death. There are also side stories involving Lee's girlfriend (Scarlett Johansson) plus a strange, rich, chick (Hilary Swank) who looks a lot like the murder victim. Or so they say. 

Besides Swank, none of the remaining cast are able to overcome the over the top directing that is beyond campy. It's all made worse by the music swells and filming that worked in the '40's but now is just humorous and distracting. Palma is a better director than this finished product. It isn't even a bad story. It could have been intriguing but many times you feel lost and forget that there was a murder at all as it focuses on the life and relationships of the two cops. A focus that is shallow and riddled with holes.

Rated R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and language it is not for the youngsters in your troupe. Fans of Hartnett and Johansson may suffer through but it is painful at times to watch. If I had not seen Scarlett in past films I would swear she was the worst actress ever. Knowing that isn't the case I have to put the fault on the directing. Or maybe this just isn't her gig. I Give the Dahlia 2 out of 5 hustles. I was totally disappointed in what I thought would be a well done film. I'm Matt Mungle
 

The Mungle (9/13/06)

Matt is a member of the North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and hosts the weekly syndicated Indie Rock Radio Show Spin 180. Plus with his wife Cindy they do a weekly radio feature, The Mungles on Movies. For additional reviews and interview clips visit the website www.mungleshow.com