Devil in a Blue Dress

"Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town."

1995 1h 42m EN

😐

6.5

MID

🔥

92%

CERTIFIED FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

6.8

IMDB

★6.5TMDB · 483🍅92%Rotten Tomatoes●78Metacritic★6.8IMDB · 27,228

ThrillerCrimeDramaMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright, a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet, who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

“Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town.”

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Cast

Denzel Washington
Easy Rawlins
Tom Sizemore
DeWitt Albright
Jennifer Beals
Daphne Monet
Don Cheadle
Mouse Alexander
Maury Chaykin
Matthew Terell
Terry Kinney
Todd Carter
Mel Winkler
Joppy
Albert Hall
Degan Odell

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Carl Franklin
Writers: Carl Franklin
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 60% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

31 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Carl Franklin, shot by Tak Fujimoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Elmer Bernstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Carole Kravetz Aykanian shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Denzel Washington and Tom Sizemore and Jennifer Beals carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0112857 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Carl Franklin directs. Tak Fujimoto behind the camera. Elmer Bernstein scores. Carole Kravetz Aykanian cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 60% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
231 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Carl Franklin, shot by Tak Fujimoto. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Elmer Bernstein. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Carole Kravetz Aykanian shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Denzel Washington and Tom Sizemore and Jennifer Beals carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town.".
8IMDB entry: tt0112857 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 14 themes, including "based on novel or book", "war veteran", "jazz club", "murder".
10Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Tak Fujimoto
Original score: Elmer Bernstein
Editing: Carole Kravetz Aykanian
Production design: Gary Frutkoff
Costume design: Sharen Davis
Makeup / hair: Edna Sheen
Sound: Brad Sherman
Stunt coordinator: Tony Brubaker
Runtime: 102 min · 1h 42m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $27,000,000
Box office: $16,140,822
Return: 60% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 78/100
IMDB rating: 6.8/10 · 27,228 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

3 wins & 13 nominations total

Also by

Carl Franklin

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2015-11-20
★ 7.5/10
Everyone was peeing on my head and telling me it's raining. Devil in a Blue Dress is written and directed by Carl Franklin, who adapts from the book written by Walter Mosley. It stars Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle and Maury Chaykin. Music is by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Tak Fujimoto. Carl Franklin had already laid down a considerable neo-noir marker with his searing 1992 thriller One False Move, here he goes more traditional but garners equally impressive results. Plot has Washington as a WW2 veteran who has lost his job and desperately needs money to keep hold of his pride and joy - his house. Taking on a job offered by shifty DeWitt Albright (Sizemore), to find a missing woman, Rawlings quickly finds himself in up to his neck in murder and deception, he must turn ace detective to save his skin. Set in late 1940s Los Angeles, what instantly stands out is the period detail. The clothes, the cars and the establishments frequented by Easy and company. With voice over narration also provided by Washington, in dry and sardonic tones, it's every inch a loving ode to the film noir movies released at the time the pic is set. There's plenty of neon signs about the place, some bad ass cops, good sex, brandy and sharp suits, smoking and coolness and of course a psychopath in the classic mould (Cheadle excellent). But of course noir dressage is only that if you haven't got a good pot boiling plot, thankfully this has one. The story takes unexpected turns, always remaining interesting, the distinctive characterisations breathing heavy, managing to off set the run of the mill stereotypes in the supporting ranks. It can be argued that Beals as the titular femme fatale of the title is under written, but the character comes with an air of mystery that serves Franklin's atmosphere very well. Tech credits are high, something of a given with Bernstein and Fujimoto on the list, while Washington turns in another classy show of subtlety and believability. Lovers of film noir should get much rewards from Devil in a Blue Dress. 7.5/10

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