A police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he's investigating.
Acting
Clifton Webb's waspish Waldo—cruel, camp, devastating
Cinematography
That portrait lighting: she's always watching you
Writing
Dialogue so sharp it'll leave marks
Director
Otto Preminger
Dana Andrews
Det. Lt. Mark McPherson
Gene Tierney
Laura Hunt
Clifton Webb
Waldo Lydecker
Vincent Price
Shelby Carpenter
Judith Anderson
Ann Treadwell
Dorothy Adams
Laura's Maid Bessie Clary (uncredited)
Wally Albright
Newsboy (uncredited)
Bobby Barber
Newsboy (uncredited)
Harry Carter
Party Guest (uncredited)
Lane Chandler
Detective (uncredited)
Dorothy Christy
Woman (uncredited)
Ralph Dunn
Fred Callahan (uncredited)
Jean Fenwick
Woman (uncredited)
Clyde Fillmore
Owner of Bullitt & Co. Ad Agency (uncredited)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
David Raksin's theme became a jazz standard; 20th Century Fox had to be begged to keep it in the film.
Preminger fought the Hays Code to keep Waldo's implied homosexuality and drug use—subtext that screams through Clifton Webb's performance.
US
