Laura and Mark: happily ever after?

Possible ***SPOILERS*** Ahead.

I never wonder about the characters' lives after a film ends, but this question has been raised before, so I'll tell you what I think.

First, let's establish a time frame. The elapsed time seems like weeks with all the talk and flashbacks, but the action only covers about 3 days.

The murder occurred on Friday night (unseen). We meet Mark during his investigation on Sunday morning. Mark meets Laura Monday night. Tuesday night, Waldo is killed and the story ends.

Now, I'm no romantic, and I don't believe in love at first sight. Mark and Laura only knew each other for a day and a half. Do you really think (in real life) that's enough time to fall "in love?"

We are seeing the "love" through Mark's eyes, as we've seen him agonize over a woman he had never met -- and who he felt was lost to him. He's feelings are colored by all he's heard about her. He's clearly idealized her.

Mark is clearly ready to crack. Waldo's sneer about "falling in love with a corpse" wasn't too far off.

When Mark sees her alive and realizes he has a chance, I think lust springs into action. (Who wouldn't lust over the beautiful Gene Tierney?) But, is this love? Enough to build a relationship on?

On Laura's side: Mark is different than anyone in her sphere. Strong, masculine, attractive. Again, I think infatuation comes into play.

With all the differences you've noted about them, I think in time, the "novelty" will have worn off on both sides. Since we all know that relationships take work, they will have to work to find a common ground.

Otherwise, I don't believe in "happily ever after."

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I can't differ much from Gubbio's astute reply, to which I basically subscribe. Like him, I don't give much thought to what happens after the fade-out, unless the film itself invites viewers to do so (as in, say, something like Gone With the Wind...of course she thought of "some way to get him back").

While there's merit to your theory of a "salvation story," I think it would depend upon how one sees Laura herself, and what sort of person she is. But here's the thing about Laura: we're never really given much of an objective view of her. We see her primarily through the eyes of the two different men who - each in his own way - idolize her.

There are some things about her and the life she leads about which we can make objective observations, one of which is summed up by Mark's remark about the "remarkable collection of dopes" with which she's surrounded herself. Some others: she's willful, impulsive, fickle, not entirely trustworthy and even displays a touch of imperiousness. Yet in spite of those characteristics, she can also be easily manipulated (which she comes in for her share of from almost everybody at some point).

Nevertheless, we see also her intelligence and sensitivity, and - I think - can take characters such as Shelby and Bessie at their word about her sweetness and generosity.

And although I differ from Gubbio's views of "love at first sight" and "happily ever after" (if only because the first happened to me 33 years ago and the second, well, those 33 years and counting...), it does strike me his "lust" assessment is sound.

All that is without even having addressed the "Mark" half of the equation; I'll say just that it's easy to theorize that with those cultural differences you mention, and his brusque, no-BS personality, the novelty - as Gubbio says - would wear off.

'Course, one of the wonderful things about films is that we can imagine any post-ending future we wish. On the other hand, the mystique of not knowing is its own kind of wonderful.



Poe! You are...avenged!

Why not? Opposites attract, and they could learn about each other's way of doing things. 

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💕 JimHutton (1934-79) and ElleryQueen 👍

No, "a dame that got a fur out of me"

He was basic as hell, doubt their relation even reached a year.

This reminds of Danny Peary's review in his great book "Cult Movies", which basically takes the view that Laura is a superficial ice queen and McPherson is a caveman. The last lines:

"The movie ends in chaos when Waldo is shot and dying, but the real eruption will come later, when Laura and her new man get married - just wait till the old-fashioned McPherson tells Laura that he doesn't like having a wife who makes more money than he does. Then she'll miss Waldo". 

Laura is twenty-two and already has a fancy Manhattan apartment and a nice country house. She makes a lot more money than Mark, which he is not going to be comfortable with, and she has a lot of "sophisticated" friends that he will regard as phonies. Their relationship will not work out.