The Black Dahlia (film)

The Black Dahlia is a 2006 American neo-noir mystery film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Josh Friedman, based on the 1987 novel of the same name by James Ellroy. The film stars Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank.

Inspired by the widely sensationalized murder of Elizabeth Short, its plot follows Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, two LAPD detectives investigating the case, leading them through a series of shocking discoveries.

The rights to the novel were optioned by De Palma in 1997, with David Fincher originally attached to direct. De Palma was ultimately hired after Fincher dropped out to direct Zodiac instead. Principal photography began in Sofia in April 2005, with additional photography in Los Angeles.

The Black Dahlia premiered at the 63rd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2006, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion, and was theatrically released in the United States on September 15, 2006. The film received largely negative reviews from critics, with several deeming the plot convoluted, though Mia Kirshner's performance as Short was singled out for praise. It was also a box office failure, grossing $49.3 million against its $50 million budget. As a result, De Palma was effectively ousted from the Hollywood studio system, with his subsequent feature films being financed by independent studios. At the 79th Academy Awards, Vilmos Zsigmond was nominated for Best Cinematography, but lost to Pan's Labyrinth.