MovieChat Forums > The Blue Gardenia (1953) Discussion > I'm a little confused... BIG SPOILERS!!...

I'm a little confused... BIG SPOILERS!!!

posted 16 years ago by MrDeltoid77
2 replies | jump to latest

Alright... I watched this film than went back to the beginning (TIVO!!) and watched the Operator room scene and the Murder scene again... and I have some questions.

I assume Richard Conte was doing a story on Switchboard Operators? That's why he was there. What was Raymond Burr doing there? He wasn't working for the paper. He was just there sketching women? Just a coincidence?

And the murder... Anne Baxter appears to have actually smashed the mirror but did not hit Raymond Burr. She passed out?

So when the actual murderer came in... was Ann Baxter still lying unconcious on the floor? Did the murderer not see her there? You'd think that Burr would have moved Baxter to the couch or something.

I'm usually pretty sharp... but I didn't quite get the timeline. Baxter Smashes mirror... faints... Murder shows up and kills Burr then leaves... Baxter wakes up and stumbles out?

Please help

[–] mockingbirdfreak 16 years ago

I just saw this movie. i thought Conte saw anne Baxter at the operator switchboard that first scene so i was confused too. and Burr must have been there to find new models. just a guess....I thought she hit him too but he must have moved out of the way.. and yes, i figure she was on the couch passed out when the other gal came in... Or, she had already ran out but left her hankie behind..... not the best film noir out there but it was ok...

[–] sleepybone 15 years ago

I really loved this one so I want to help:

Raymond Burr was there sketching models. What better place to find young women sitting still. (There did seem to be a particularly informal atmosphere at the phone company, I must say.) And yes, that does make for quite a coincidence, but hey, this is a movie-- a Fritz Lang movie at that.

I do not think Anne Baxter's Norah hit Raymond Burr's Prebble. She collapsed, drunk. Remember the murderess, Rose, heard scuffling while she was at the door. That was probably right after Norah went dawn, which accounted for how shook up Prebble appeared when he fimally answered the door. Notice how he steered Rose toward the studio when she entered and automatically started heading toward the living room. That was so she wouldn't see Norah lying on the floor.

So your timeline was right, except I'd say "passed out" rather than "faints"...