"THE BLACK DAHLIA" (2006) ..... C ... This film should have been a winner with a background ideally suited for a noir thriller with its story based on a brutal murder, still unsolved, that took place in Los Angeles in 1947. Adapted for the screen by Josh Friedman from the novel written by James Ellroy, this movie was directed by the storied Brian De Palma. Sadly, all of this talent ends up being of no consequence as this movie is a cinematic flop in every sense of the word. This is all the more astonishing given the fact that Ellroy also penned "L. A. Confidential," a novel that in 1997 was turned into one of the best noir films ever made.

I only found pleasure in two performances: Hilary Swank as Madeleine Linscott, a poor little rich girl who delights in making all of the wrong choices in life, and Mia Kirshner, who costars in flashbacks as the ill-fated Elizabeth Short, a hopeless waif who achieved fame in death rather than in life. Kirshner fills her role with the wide-eyed pathos of a poor soul who wanted success in Hollywood at any price, but ended up paying the ultimate price after her career started poorly and further debased into roles as a porn star and a prostitute who worked both sides of the fence. Even the black and white film clips can't hide the haunting pain in her blue eyes.

Aaron Eckhart and Josh Hartnett are both unconvincing in their roles as LA cops. Neither of their characters are well written resulting in neither of them coming to life. Scarlett Johannson gives her talented best as a former moll now under the protection of the policeman played by Eckhart. Their relationship is ill-defined, which allows for a lot of lustful temptation between her and Eckhart's investigative partner played by Hartnett.

Most of the other roles come off as one-dimensional nut cases written well beyond all reason and sanity. The entire Linscott family, for example, represents a basket case of inmates who have all been conceived with the idea that wealth and moral rot go hand and hand with dementia following quickly thereafter.

The final indignity is at the end of this movie where characters previously unknown are introduced as villains while other characters previously known are offered as accomplices in such a wildly improbable set of circumstances that I was left in shock at the silliness of it all. There is plenty of blame to go around for this preposterous mess of a movie. R for strong violence, some grisly images, sexual content and language. 121 minutes.