Page "Laura (1944 film)" Paragraph 14

Filming began on April 27, 1944, and from the start Mamoulian had problems with his cast.

He offered relative newcomers Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews little support, allowed theatrically trained Judith Anderson to play to the balcony instead of reining in her performance, and virtually ignored Webb, who had learned the director was unhappy with his casting.

After viewing the early rushes, Zanuck called a meeting with Mamoulian and Preminger, each of whom blamed the other for the problems on the set.

Preminger finally convinced Zanuck the material needed a more subtle approach than Mamoulian was willing to give it, and the studio head allowed the producer to fire him and direct the film himself.

Preminger immediately hired a new cinematographer and scenic designer and replaced the portrait of Laura – a crucial element of the film – Mamoulian's wife Azadia had painted the original portrait, but Preminger replaced that with an enlarged photograph ( taken by Fox photographer Frank Polony ) of Tierney, lightly dabbed with oils to give it the ethereal effect he wanted.