THE BLUE GARDENIA

The Blue Gardenia emulated an unexpected trend in post-World War II America. Like so many other bars of the era, the Blue Gardenia was born in the wake of Polynesian Pop, more commonly known as tiki.  Customers found themselves completely immersed in the idyllic atmosphere of the South Pacific. The ubiquitous tiki bar wasn't limited to film or TV.  The 600-hundred-seat Hawaiian Gardens thrived for many years in Pontiac, Michigan, after opening in the early 1960s. The dinner club offered an erupting volcano every hour and a continuously flowing river all under a bamboo umbrella.

The Blue Gardenia mirrored this design. 

Rattan screens guided guests into a dining room decorated with bamboo wall panels. Peacock wicker chairs around bamboo tables topped with rattan thatching awaited patrons. Once seated, a flower girl navigated the maze of dining cubicles created by the large, fan-backs of the chairs to sell gardenias to the men to give to their dates.

Would you care for another Polynesian Pearl Diver?

A dance floor just big enough to accommodate three couples was sandwiched between the dining area and a low-rise stage. The orchestra area wasn't much bigger but did manage to hold an upright piano, a five-piece drum set, a bass fiddle, and several chairs for the brass. A mirror hung above the piano so guests could see the pianist's hands.

Contrasting the theme was the open-all-night dive bar, Bill's Beanery, where five cups of joe and two hamburgers cost a guy a buck forty. 

                                                 The burgers are cheap, but the company isn't.

Bill's also offered a limited variety of liquors. A glowing globe atop the cash register and next to the nearly empty shelves let customers know Pabst Blue Ribbon was available. 

                                                               Telegraphing the plot.

A row of booths faced the bar, each separated from the other by a gapped thatch divider that casts black and white checkerboard on the wall. Each booth has a table-side jukebox. For a nickel, the mood could be set.

And now the story of The Blue Gardenia:

When Norah Larkin, a switchboard operator, finally agrees to go out with the persistent and charismatic portrait painter, Harry Prebble, he takes her to the Blue Gardenia for dinner, dancing, and drinks. Norah gets the drinks. Lots and lots of drinks. Harry introduces her to the Blue Gardenia's signature drink, the Polynesian Pearl Diver. Harry tells the waiter to go heavy on the rum. 

'I'm not much of a drinker.'

After several PPDs, Norah agrees to go back to Harry's apartment to view his paintings. The night turns ugly and Harry winds up dead. Norah wakes, sees Harry laying on the floor, and runs from his apartment unable to remember anything of the events that night after leaving the Blue Gardenia. Did she do it? That answer comes later in the movie.

The Blue Gardenia was written by Charles Hoffman from a story by Vera Caspary. Fritz Lang directed. The production designer was Maurie Seuss while Daniell Hall covered art direction. Released in 1953, as the tiki movement spread,  the movie starred Anne Baxter as Norah and Richard Conte as intrepid reporter Casey Mayo. Conte, as many know, is remembered as Don Barzini in The Godfather. The Blue Gardenia also features Raymond Burr as Harry Prebble and Anne Southern as Norah's roommate, Crystal. Nat King Cole makes an appearance to sing the titular song, 'Blue Gardenia' written by Bob Russell and Lester Lee. Also appearing in the film is Richard Erdman who had a recurring role on Community as Leonard.

5 out of 5 Polynesian Pearl Divers.

The Blue Gardenia kicks off this bar noir pub crawl. The journey will continue with future stops along Lonely Street at various pubs, clubs, and hubs.

Until then, make sure to settle your tab.

1/29/23