Page "Laura (1944 film)" Paragraph 2

New York City police detective Mark McPherson ( Dana Andrews ) is investigating the murder of beautiful, and highly successful, advertising executive, Laura Hunt ( Gene Tierney ).

Laura has been killed by a shotgun blast to the face, just inside the doorway to her apartment, before the start of the film.

He interviews charismatic newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker ( Clifton Webb ), an imperious, decadent dandy, who relates how he met Laura, became her mentor, and used his considerable influence and fame to advance her career.

McPherson also questions Laura's parasitic playboy fiancé, Shelby Carpenter ( Vincent Price ), her wealthy socialite aunt, Ann Treadwell ( Judith Anderson ), who'd been carrying on with Carpenter and giving him money, and her loyal housekeeper, Bessie Clary ( Dorothy Adams ).