Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)

Devil in a Blue Dress Film Details

Overview: An African-American man is hired to find a woman, and gets mixed up in a murderous political scandal.

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

Review: An ordinary guy in a fix tries to get out of it, but in so doing, actually gets himself in deeper trouble. This type of plot may be very familiar but it’s also utterly irresistible. What makes it so compelling is that it’s the type of predicament that most people can immediately relate to and as a consequence soon find themselves empathising with the hapless protagonist. In “Devil In A Blue Dress” the audience’s inclination to respond in this way is made even stronger by the use of a narration which also helps to drive the story forward. In 1948 L.A. World War 11 veteran, ex-factory worker and homeowner Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins (Denzel Washington) finds himself unemployed and in urgent need of funds to keep his mortgage payments up to date. Easy’s efforts to find a job have, so far, drawn a blank and the longer his predicament continues, the more desperate his need for work becomes. Knowing of his plight, one of his friends introduces him to DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore) who claims that he’s a man who “does favours for friends”. Albright offers Easy $100 to find a mysterious woman called Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals) who was the fiancée of a mayoral candidate who’d withdrawn from the race when she’d disappeared. Easy is instinctively suspicious of Albright but can’t afford to turn down the money on offer. He takes the job and soon finds that his misgivings were well founded as his investigations lead to him being suspected of two murders, being beaten by the police and also threatened by Albright’s henchmen as well as Monet’s half brother. It later emerges that Daphne’s association with her gangster half brother and her mixed racial heritage had derailed both her relationship with her fiancé and also his political ambitions. His opponent’s candidature would also be brought to an abrupt end, however, if his own personal depravity and its connection with the two murders were to be exposed. Through his efforts to complete his investigations, Easy gets well rewarded financially but also gets involved in some more life threatening violence. “Devil In A Blue Dress” is a Raymond Chandler influenced thriller with a typically complicated plot about blackmail, murder, immorality and corruption which also features numerous moments of unexpected humour. Its recreation of the period in which the action is set looks really authentic and the choice of colours used reinforces this impression. The atmosphere of the time is also enhanced powerfully by the superb soundtrack. “Devil In A Blue Dress” depicts a time in which racial segregation was a part of everyday life and the dangers of crossing the lines were very real. DeWitt Albright was a white man who avoided crossing the line by hiring Easy to undertake an investigation which needed to be carried out predominantly in the black community. Daphne Monet’s romance was blighted by racism and Easy’s discomfort in situations where he had to cross the line was also very clear. This movie features a fascinating bunch of characters and the choice of Denzel Washington for the lead role is perfect as he personifies so well the down to earth nature of a decent man who has to deal with difficult circumstances. The entire cast give very creditable performances but Don Cheadle’s portrayal of Easy’s gun happy psycho friend from Huston is a real standout.

Country: United States

Language: English

Duration: 102 min

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery

Also known as: Djævel i blåt,青いドレスの女,Teufel in Blau,Velnias su nekaltumo skraiste,W bagnie Los Angeles,Devil in a Blue Dress,El demonio vestido de azul,O Diabo Veste Azul,Дьявол в голубом платье,Đavo u plavoj odori,Sinipukuinen paholainen,Djävul i en blå klänning,Kék ördög,Le diable en robe bleue,Ο Διάβολος σε Μπλε Φόρεμα,藍衣魔鬼,Дявол в синя рокля,O Diavolos se ble forema,Um Demónio Vestido de Azul,Djevelen i blått,Диявол у блакитній сукні,Il diavolo in blu