As I've made clear, I watch films at more or less every opportunity.
Thus, a four-and-a-half hour flight to Gran Canaria was too good an opportunity to miss.
But what to watch?
I ruled out all of my Japanese films straightaway. Nudity is almost a pre-requisite for the Japanese and if people keep their clothes on there is always a chance of someone slicing someone's head off or an equally gory event.
The issue here is that when watching a movie on a lap-top on a plane, the person in the next seat cannot avoid watching too.
So, there seems little option but a U certificate movie - one which offend no-one.
Thus, I ended up taking in Laura, the 1944 American film noir which is being re-released by the BFI this month.
So what happens which is so inoffensive? Well, murder for starters - literally.
Advertising executive Laura Hunt (the very beautiful Gene Tierney) has been murdered and detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) is doing a cross between Colombo and Poirot to try to discover her killer.
By the way, isn't Gene a lad's name and Dana a woman's?
I digress.
McPherson is accompanied in his endeavours by uppercrust newspaper columnist Waldo Lydecker (Clifton Webb) and largely hindered by Laura's buffoon of a fiance (a very young and suave-looking Vincent Price).
It's a movie which deservedly won an Oscar for its cinematography. It looks as great as its characters.
I'm less sure about the drama it tries to build. For sure there are a couple of deft twists but it lacked a real wow moment.
To be fair, however, I reckon I might have looked at it differently, if I had been watching it 68 years ago.
And, I would also like to see the supporting role which defeated Webb in his quest for an academy award (he was nominated). He is superbly snobby.
Overall, Laura fitted the bill for the occasion. Nobody on the plane was in least offended.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: obviously not
Nudity: This was 1944 - what do you think?
Overall rating: 7/10
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