It's true that women are constantly surprising you. Otto Preminger’s expertly made mystery has gained a devoted following over time, and it’s easy to see why. But what accounts for its enduring appeal? The acting is good, though I wouldn’t necessarily call it outstanding. Gene Tierney maintains composure while conveying intensity, and Clifton Webb, Dana Andrews & Vincent Price are all quite good as men completely captivated by Tierney's lively main character. Maybe the strength of this film lies in its script? Adapted from a novel by Vera Caspary, with contributions from at least "five" writers, it’s genuinely bizarre! There are elements of necrophilia, potential homosexual relationships, and the woman everyone is pursuing is deceased—except for her face after being shot. Also, Laura challenges the expectations of all the genres it could belong to. Is it a noir film, a whodunit, a ghost story or simply a standard detective story? Does it even matter? Not really, because the uncertainty is what makes the movie so compelling. As for Laura Hunt herself, she’s not your typical dangerous woman; she's an average person, yet the men are mesmerized by her. It seems like it shouldn’t function on any level, but it does, and quite well. The film experienced difficulties during production with changes in personnel and altered endings. Preminger initially served as producer before being brought in after Fox executive Darryl Zanuck dismissed Rouben Mamoulian. He subsequently replaced cinematographer Lucian Ballard with Joseph LaShelle (who received an Academy Award for his work). Nevertheless, the final result is a clever and frequently unsettling story of obsession. It's a film where you can never be certain what will happen next, even until the very end. 8/10

Source on TMDB