Devil in a Blue Dress

"Private detective Easy Rawlins has been caught on the wrong side of the most dangerous secret in town."

Sep 29 1995 R 1h 42m
Crime, Drama, Mystery

In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job prospects. At a bar, Easy meets DeWitt Albright, a mysterious white man looking for someone to investigate the disappearance of a missing white woman named Daphne Monet, who he suspects is hiding out in one of the city's black jazz clubs. Strapped for money and facing house payments, Easy takes the job, but soon finds himself in over his head.

Plot

It is 1948 in LA and Ezikeal "Easy" Rawlins, an African-American World War II veteran, is looking for work. At his friend's bar, he is introduced to a white man, DeWitt Albright, who is looking for someone to help him find a missing white woman assumed to be hiding somewhere in LA's Black community. This woman, Daphne Monet, happens to be the fiancée of a wealthy "blue blood," Todd Carter, who is currently the favorite in the city's mayoralty race. Daphne Monet is known to frequent the Black jazz clubs in LA. Easy, innocently, accepts Albright's offer; however, he quickly finds himself amidst murder, crooked cops, ruthless politicians, and brutalizing hoodlums. This is a Chandler-esque "who-done-it" with an African-American theme.

Written by

Walter Mosley, Carl Franklin

Directed by

Carl Franklin

Production Countries

United States of America

Production Companies

Clinica Estetico, TriStar Pictures, Mundy Lane Entertainment

Languages

English

Awards

3 wins & 13 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
25,899
Average Rating
6.8 out of 10
Metascore
78
Popularity
NA