The Black Dahlia (film)


The Black Dahlia is a 2006 American neo noir crime thriller film directed by Brian De Palma. It is drawn from a novel of the same name by James Ellroy, the author of L.A. Confidential, and stars Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank. The widely sensationalized murder of Elizabeth Short inspired both the novel and the film. The films placement as the opening entry at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2006, was its world premiere. Wide release was on September 15, 2006. Despite its failure both critically and financially the film was nominated for Best Cinematography at the 79th Academy Awards. Pans Labyrinth took that prize instead. Mia Kirshners performance as the tragic Elizabeth Short was widely praised.

Buckys partner, Lee, also becomes obsessed with Elizabeths murder. Lees obsession leads him to become erratic and abusive towards his longtime girlfriend Kay Lake, who is also one of Buckys close friends. After Lee and Bucky have a nasty argument about a previous case, Bucky goes to Lee and Kays to apologize, only to learn from Kay that Lee was responding to a tip about a recently released convict, Bobby DeWitt. Bucky goes to the location and gets into an altercation with DeWitt in the atrium of the building. DeWitt is gunned down by Lee, standing on the stairs across the atrium. Bucky sees a man sneak up behind Lee, wrapping a rope around Lees neck. Lee fights back while Bucky, paralyzed with shock, watches from across the atrium as a second shadowy figure steps out and slits Lees throat. Lee and the man holding the rope fall over the railing to their deaths several floors below. It is then that Bucky is helped by Millard and Morrie Friedman a friend of Lees whom Bucky saw with Lee at the New Years party in 1946.Dealing with the grief of losing Lee propels Bucky and Kay into a sexual encounter. The next morning, Bucky finds money from a bank robbery hidden in Lee Kays bathroom. Kay reveals that she had been DeWitts girlfriend, that DeWitt had mistreated her, and that DeWitt had done the bank robbery stealing a large sum of money from one of Benny Bugsy Siegels nightclubs. Lee had rescued Kay and stolen DeWitts bank robbery money. Lee needed to kill DeWitt now that he was out of prison leading to the encounter that resulted in Lees death. Bucky leaves, furious with Lee and Kay for their actions and lies. He returns to Madeleines family mansion and continues his intense relationship with her. Kay is furious when she discovers the relationship, especially with the fact that Madeleine bears a striking resemblance to the same girl Lee obsessed over before he was killed, and leaves the scene. ........

Source: Wikipedia


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