"The Black Dahlia" the Case of Elizabeth Short is Still an Enigma

A few years ago, while doing some late-night research for a final college term paper, my attention strayed from my research, and I began aimless web-surfing; Somehow I managed to uncover a website all about serial killers called Crime Library, Criminal Minds & Methods. I read a chilling, but gripping true story of a brutally murdered woman back in 1947. The story intrigued me for many reasons, one, very obviously, the question of why someone would commit such a heinous act? And also because of the time period in which it happened, and the fact this case was never solved. I recall at the exact moment being surprised the story had not been made into a major motion picture in the last several years and that one day, someone would do just that. Although this murder case has been the topic for many books, and songs (Lamb of God has a song titled the Black Dahlia on their album New American Gospel). The notorious case also inspired a collection of watercolor paintings by Marilyn Manson, and an interactive computer game featuring Dennis Hopper, and Terri Garr. Imagine that!

In 1975, there was a movie released about the case, entitled Who is the Black Dahlia, starring Luci Arnaz, but its content was incredibly mythical because members of Short's family, including her mother did not wish to sign press releases required by the studio.

But the day has arrived that a successful director is bringing the story to the silver screen after all these years. Just yesterday I saw the commercial previewing the motion picture the Black Dahlia, directed by Brian De Palma, who also directed Scarface and The Untouchables. The movie's tagline reads: " Inspired by the most notorious unsolved murder in California history. " The plot is adapted from the novel by James Ellroy(who also wrote L.A. Confidential), and starring in the feature are Josh Hartnett and Aaron Eckhart as Ofcr. Dwight "Bucky" Bleichert and Sgt. Leland "Lee" Blanchard, respectively. Rounding out the cast are Scarlet Johansson as Kay Lake, Hilary Swank as Madeleine Linscott, with Mia Kirshner in the role of the doomed-to-be murdered Elizabeth Short. It is a complex tale of corruption, conspiracy, and of course, murder. I cannot wait to see this picture!

What is of particular interest to many about this murder case is the cloud of mystery and myths which surrounds it even today. It is well-known that 22-year-old Elizabeth Short was last seen alive in the Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles on the evening of January 9, 1947. Short was a nomadic type, and lived in at least a dozen different dwellings, private homes, boarding houses, hotels, and such, in the Los Angeles area in 1946. She never remained anywhere for more than a few weeks.

According to some newspaper reports a short time after the murder, Short received her "Black Dahlia" nickname at a Long Beach Drugstore during the summer of 1946, as a take on the Alan Ladd/Veronica Lake movie The Blue Dahlia. Other sources claim she was given this nickname in real life.

Many people, none of whom knew Elizabeth Short, claimed to have seen her during the time of her disappearance on January 9 up to the time her body was found on January 15. Each of the alleged sightings were ruled out by police investigators, in most cases, the witnesses had mistaken Short for a different woman.

What I find particularly horrifying was not only the fact she was murdered, but the excessively violent way she was murdered. According to the police reports, Short was found in a "sexually provocative position," lying on her back, her arms extended over her head, and her legs spread open. She had literally been cut in half at the waist, her breasts lacerated, her face slashed in deep cuts descending from the corners of her mouth toward her ears. Rope marks were visible on her wrists, neck, and ankles, and her pubic hair had been pulled or cut out. In her stomach, fecal matter was found, her vagina had been stuffed with her own pubic hair, and a mass of skin, which bore a rose tattoo was found inside her rectum. Because little blood was found in the body, it was believed that Short was cut in half before she died, which is almost too gruesome to even imagine. Police also believe she was killed in a different area before being dumped in the location where she was found.

The list of suspects was long and impressive, 22 in all, according to the official document from the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. I say the list was impressive because it included a prominent Los Angeles surgeon, as well as folk singer Woody Guthrie, who was eventually cleared. Actor and film-maker Orson Welles was never a suspect in the original investigation, however, in 1999, a former neighbor of the Short family in Medford, Massachusetts (Short's hometown), wrote a book naming Welles as a suspect. Her name was Mary Pacios. She based her theory on numerous factors including: "Welles' volatile temperament and his obsession with cutting-in-half as indicated by the visual clues Pacios claims can be found in the crazy house set he designed for scenes that were later deleted from a film Welles was making around the time of the murder. Pacios also cites the magic act Welles performed to entertain soldiers during World War II. She believes that the bi-section of the body was part of the killer's signature and an acting out of the perpetrator's obsession. Welles applied for his passport on January 24, 1947 the same date the killer mailed a packet to Los Angeles newspapers." (Wikipedia)

So many stories, myths, and theories surround this fallen girl and her unsolved murder. Truly, the makings of a great Hollywood movie, and it is likely that this movie will achieve box-office success for many reasons. Many will want to see the movie simply because they are fans of some of the popular stars like Hilary Swank, and Scarlet Johansson. Some, like me, found the true-life storyline interesting and tragic, hoping to see some hint of justice. It will also be interesting to see which direction Brain DePalma will take in the picture. Soon, we shall see.

I also feel that most of us who are familiar with the story are anxious to see the mysterious myths,blood-curdling facts, and its strong feelings displayed together on screen. If you love mystery, suspense, and true-life stories, you might want to check this one out. The fact the case was immersed with inaccurate press reports, with roughly 60 confessions to the murder, and the horrible nature of the crime itself, the Black Dahlia mystery still continues to draw public attention.