Lady in the Lake - Definition and Overview

See also Lady of the Lake

Lady in the Lake is the title of a 1947 crime film noir from MGM Studios.

Based on a Raymond Chandler novel, the film marked the directorial debut of the actor Robert Montgomery who also starred in the film. The cast included Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames and Jayne Meadows.

The storyline revolved around a conventional murder mystery similar to many others of the period, however it was notable for the perspective presented to the viewer. The entire film was seen from the viewpoint of the central character, the detective Philip Marlowe, played by Montgomery. The gimmick was that the audience would see only what the character saw, and MGM in its promotion of the film claimed that it was the first of its kind and the most revolutional style of film since the introduction of the talkies. The film was a box-office success. The gimmick was criticised by many reviewers of the day, although Montgomery received some positive comments for the inventiveness of his direction, and the contrivances he employed to enable his face to appear on-camera, by catching himself in reflections. Regarded as something of a curiosity and an oddity in its day, the film has retained that reputation, although some modern critics, while maintaining that the storyline itself is routine, assess the film overall as more worthwhile than its contemporary critics allowed.