Devil in a Blue Dress, Movie Review Example

“Devil in a Blue Dress” is a 1995 neo-noir mystery movie that was directed by Carl Franklin based on Walter Mosley’s novel with a similar name. In the period of “political correctness” when the whole America history had been re-assessed from the view of the minorities, that is, blacks, Indians and women, even the American myths, as well as particularly American cultural products found themselves made over by having the protagonists from different social groups. One of the instances was the series of detective novels by Mosley. The setting of the film was very familiar to the audiences of Raymond Chandler; however, the protagonist was black. The plot of the movie takes place during 1948, during the era black Americans started to leave behind the poverty along with racial bigotry of the South and moved towards more thriving and ostensibly more enlightened urban centers in many parts of their nation. However, some felt that Los Angeles appeared like the promised land, comprising World War II veteran Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins that got himself a decent job in defense factory and even afforded his house. However, his dreams were shattered when he loses the job. With a mortgage to pay, he is compelled to accept all kinds of jobs, which included the one that was offered by suspicious-looking private detective De Witt Albright. Witt tells him that he was recruited to track Daphne Monet, gone girlfriend of Todd Carter, a Los Angeles aristocrat in the mayoral race. It is clear from the movie that Daphne likes to visit jazz clubs, black neighborhoods, and other places that white detectives cannot carry out searches discretely. Therefore, Rawlins accepts to work as Albright’s ears and eyes and soon he lives to regret, because the apparent mission people’ case that soon turns out to be part of the wider scheme  entailing corrupt politicians, murder, as well as blackmail.

The worst thing in the movie was the thing that was supposed to offer it movie noir credentials-the crime mystery during 1940 in which racial discrimination was at high-stake. Several things in the movie appeared predictable, and stereotypical in classic noirs seem very unusual in the movie. For instance, the protagonist should worry regarding thuggish and racist police as much as he worries regarding “classic” buddies; as  black man, he was not in a position to work in the law enforcement agency; therefore, he lacks the needed experience. During the 1940s and 1950s discrimination in the workplace on minority people, especially the blacks were very prevalent. Thus, all these things seem alien in the modern society, but this is not because we are not real; they were basically swept under the carpet in modern movie noirs. The other historically precise, but the fascinating thing concerning the movie is the feeling of optimism that was widespread during the late 1940s black neighborhoods of Los Angeles. These were similar locations, which would symbolize despair, poverty along with racial violence. The movie tries to attain historical accuracy, which range from the cautious selection of period music, costumes, as well as Jennifer Beals who ideally fits the stereotype of nourish femme fatales. Therefore, the movie is a perfect example of contemporary movie noir that elicits American historical moments between the 1940s and 1950s when racism was widespread.