From Book to Film 2026: Essential American Voices – Devil in a Blue Dress (1995) 4K Restoration
- Sat, Aug 22
- Sun, Aug 23
Director: Carl Franklin Run Time: 102 min. Rating: R Release Year: 1995
Starring: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Jennifer Beals, Maury Chaykin, Tom Sizemore
Country: United States
Language: English
From Book to Film at Gateway Film Center
The essential summer film series returns! Admission is free with your library card. Don’t have a card? You can apply for one online.
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About the film:
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.
About the filmmaker:
Carl Franklin is an American filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter known for his thoughtful, character-driven dramas and acclaimed literary adaptations. He gained widespread recognition with One False Move (1992), widely regarded as a landmark independent crime film, and later directed celebrated works including Devil in a Blue Dress, based on the novel by Walter Mosley. Franklin’s work is distinguished by its emotional depth, nuanced performances, and exploration of race, identity, and American life.
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