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Poster for The Blue Gardenia

The Blue Gardenia

Seen it?

1953 | 89 min | Crime, Mystery

Sunday Safe Betearly rating

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

It earned strong reviews (84% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for crime fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Tense, gritty.
The pace
Moves along nicely, at 1 hr 29 min.
What might put you off
  • Made in 1953: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Upon waking up to the news that the man she’d gone on a date with the previous night has been murdered, a young woman with only a faint memory of the night’s events begins to suspect that she murdered him while attempting to resist his advances.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsStrong

    84% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    6.5 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 41K people sought it out in the past year

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Cast & crew

Directed by Fritz Lang

  • Anne BaxterNorah Larkin
  • Richard ConteCasey Mayo
  • Ann SothernCrystal Carpenter
  • Raymond BurrHarry Prebble
  • Jeff DonnellSally Ellis
  • Richard ErdmanAl
  • George ReevesSam Haynes
  • Ruth StoreyRose Miller
  • Ray WalkerHomer
  • Nat King ColeNat King Cole