Devil in a Blue Dress

An Afro-American private detective is hired to find a woman and gets mixed up in a murderous political scandal.

• Director:Carl Franklin
• Genre:Comedy / Crime / Drama / Mystery / Thriller
• Runtime:97 minutes

Cast

Denzel Washington : Ezekiel ‘Easy’ Rawlins
Tom Sizemore : DeWitt Albright
Jennifer Beals : Daphne Monet
Don Cheadle : Mouse Alexander
Maury Chaykin : Matthew Terell

It was the summer of 1948, and Easy Rawlins was out of work and needed money urgently to pay his mortgage. Recently laid off from his job he is seeking work as an emergency raft designer, his trade, for Douglas Aircraft. Easy recounts how he moved to Los Angeles after serving in WWII when his friend Joppy (Mel Winkler), who runs a bar, introduces him to a white man named DeWitt Albright (Tom Sizemore). Albright is looking for someone to help him find a missing white woman, Daphne Monet (Jennifer Beals), assumed to be hiding somewhere in the Black community; he also learns she is the girlfriend of wealthy Todd Carter (Terry Kinney), who was the favorite in the Los Angeles mayoral race before dropping out. Albright, who says Carter dropped out because he couldn’t find Monet, offers Rawlins $100 dollars to take the job. Since the money represents a few house payments, Easy accepts but is immediately suspicious of Albright. Monet is known to spend time in the black juke joint clubs in South Central Los Angeles and Easy begins his search there at an illegal club on 89th and Central.

While waiting to enter he sees a commotion with a bizarre white man by the name of Richard McGee and the clubs bouncer, Junior Fornay. After entering he meets with his friends Degan Odell, Dupree Brouchard, and his girl Coretta James. After plying the couple with liquor he inquires about a girl named “Dahlia” or “Delilah”. He finds out that Coretta is a confidant of Daphne and after spending the night with her he learns Daphne was involved with a South Central gangster named Frank Green.

The next afternoon, after sleeping off his hangover, he is called by Albright who sets up a meeting at the Malibu pier. While waiting Easy is accosted by some racist youths after a casual conversation with one of their girlfriends. Easy, trying to calm the situation, is nearly overtaken when Albright appears from the darkness. He viciously humiliates and beats one of the punks for his actions. Easy, uncomfortable with the situation, gives his information to Albright who retains him with another payment and demands he continue his search. Read more

Watch full Devil in a Blue Dress online streaming for free