This stylish mystery thriller twists and turns with new suspects, new evidence and unexpected revelations. A wealthy acid-tongued journalist (CLIFTON WEBB) becomes entranced with a beautiful young career woman named Laura (GENE TIERNEY). But entrancement leads to possessiveness and shortly before her wedding to a dashing young playboy (VINCENT PRICE), she is found murdered. Stirred by her portrait and adoring descriptions by her admirers, the detective (DANA ANDREWS) assigned to her case finds that he, to, is strangely under Laura's spell.

Synopsis

Detective Mark McPherson investigates the killing of Laura, found dead on her apartment floor before the movie starts. McPherson builds a mental picture of the dead girl from the suspects whom he interviews. He is helped by the striking painting of the late lamented Laura hanging on her apartment wall. But who would have wanted to kill a girl with whom every man she met seemed to fall in love? To make matters worse, McPherson finds himself falling under her spell too. Then one night, halfway through his investigations, something seriously bizarre happens to make him re-think the whole case.