Bluebeard is a 1944 film noir based on the French tale Bluebeard directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, starring John Carradine and Jean Parker.
Gaston Morrell (Carradine), a painter and puppeteer, crosses paths with the lovely Modiste (dressmaker) named Lucille (Parker) in the streets of Paris. Interested in her skills, he commissions from her new clothes for his puppets.
When not running his puppet show, he reluctantly works on painting portraits at favorable prices with the help of art dealer Lamarte.
However, the streets of Paris are in fear of a mysterious murderer called "Bluebeard", who kills women and dumps their bodies in the Seine. When Lucille's sister, Francine, is brought in to uncover the murderer's identity, things get more dangerous for the artist...
Bluebeard will not paint for the following examples:
- Big Damn Heroes: Lefevre and the police arrive in time to prevent Lucille's murder, leading to a chase between Morrell and the police.
- Burial at Sea: Morrell, after murdering his victim, dumps their body in the river Seine, where they would be found later.
- Clingy Jealous Girl: Renee, who didn't like Morrell's budding attraction to Lucille.
- Disney Villain Death: Morrell falls to his death, plunging into the Seine.
- Disposable Sex Worker: Jeanette, who was also the victim that started Morrell's murderous action because she responded poorly to her portrait being displayed.
- He Knows Too Much: The reason why Morrell murders Francine as well as perceiving her a threat between him and Lucille.
- Inherently Attractive Profession: What attracts Morrell to Lucille is when he learns she designs clothes and would commission her to create new costumes for his puppets.
- Mad Artist: The 'mad' part comes in because whenever Morrell paints his latest model, he keeps seeing his first muse Jeanette in them and is struck with the urge to kill her again and again.
- Puppet Shows: Morrell operates a puppet show based on Faust when he's not painting.
- Rooftop Confrontation: The police chase Morrell across the rooftops before he accidentally does himself in.
- Secret-Keeper: Lamarte is aware of Morrell's murderous tendencies after every portrait is painted, but he keeps it secret because of the promising prices the paintings offer.
- Sinister Suffocation: Morrell's method of killing his victims is via strangulation.
- Starving Artist: Morrell started out as an art student struggling to make a name for himself as an artist, until he helped nurse an ill woman back to health and was inspired to paint her portrait.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: When Jeanette responded badly to Morrell's portrait, the artist strangled her to death, which kickstarted his murderous urges.
