I read both The Black Dahlia and LA Confidential. LA Confidential is a much better movie because it's much less convoluted than the book.
The Black Dahlia tried too hard to be faithful to the book. It would have been impossible to stay faithful to the story AND make a movie that lasted less than 2 hours.
I also remember watching this flick at the dollar movie. The theatre was nearly empty. It was me and a bunch of retirees. It took a couple of sittings for me to understand all of what was going on, since there were so many different things happening at once.

Suggestion for those who are having issues with this - or any other movie - try watching with closed caption on. You'd be surprised how many things get said in a movie that you never even know someone is speaking.
That being said - I am surprised so many people found this movie incomprehensible. I'm not passing judgement on anyone for it though. Yes, it is complicated, and I did rewind two scenes while watching the first time to be sure I completely understood what had happened, but I was not baffled by it. You don't realize until the end how all these little pieces are tied together and it happens so quickly that if you haven't paid close attention and absorbed all the finer details it's hard to wind it all up.
Yup - the motive for the murder of Elizabeth Short is pretty weak IMO. But, as the real murder has never been solved, I guess the author's idea is as good as anyone's.
I agree with another poster that Hilary Swank was woefully miscast. She is a great actress - but no femme fatal - not with her looks. ugh!
Someone did finally give a good synopsis of this movie in this thread - so keep going til you get there, it's not all just people putting down the movie, author, director, each other etc.
I don't think this is a bad movie by any means. I'd much rather a movie like this that requires me to pay attention and think than some action/cgi packed nonsense, or worse - so (so-called) comedy that's full of nothing but bodily function and gross out humor and gratuitous nudity. Why do you think studios feel they have to cut the length down on films like this? Because they don't think the average movie viewer will want to watch something not filled with stunning visual effects or full frontal nudity for more than 2 hours.

I had just finished watching "The Road To Nowhere" then "Black Dahlia" was shown next. After that experience, I'm off movies for a while.

I also found the story quite convolouted and had to re-watch multiple sections. I think by the end I kind of get it although I don't really know what the motive is to be honest.

Understand this: Brian De Palma's 3-hour director's cut, highly praised by original novelist James Ellroy, was studio-slashed by an entire HOUR. The result was to render a complex story nearly incomprehensible.
Doctor Mabuse, Evil Genius, King of Crime

Go to the following link to read a detailed synopsis of the BOOK. It is even more complicated than the movie, and has major differences, but will help you understand the movie.
http://www.wikisummaries.org/The_Black_Dahlia

1. Can't understand Mrs. Linscott and Georgie's motive for killing Short. Were they just psycho? Why kill a young woman who looks like their own daughter?
   Elizabeth Short is leaning on the Linscott family for money (effectively blackmailing them). Short wasn't a porn actress; she was brought into this world by her roommate, effectively as an outsider. As such, she's disgusted and degraded by her experiences in the film. She leans on the Linscott family to keep her quiet since making and distributing porn was illegal and would have tarnished the family's reputation if it got out, so Mr. Linscott arranges for her to go on a date with Georgie, as a favour, which she'll be well paid for.
   It's never clear if Mr. Linscott intends for Short to be murdered by Georgie or if it was just an effort to scare her enough that she wouldn't be tempted to blackmail him again.
   Georgie is obsessed with Short because she looks like Madeleine who in turn looks like a young version of her own mother, Ramona. His secret attraction to Madeleine is based on his past relationship with Ramona, his former lover. Because Ramona is still in-love with Georgie, she's enraged by his attraction to Short as surrogate for Madeleine, and since she can't exact revenge on her own daughter, takes it out on the 'disposable' Short.
   When she disfigures Short, the implication is that she's disfiguring Madeleine (by-proxy) but it's also part of her (and Georgie's) obsession with death and the destruction of beautiful things. Georgie was left physically and psychologically disfigured in an accident arranged by Mr. Linscott (with the intention of murdering Georgie) and this seems to have also damaged Ramona, psychologically if not physically.

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shmeevill
thank for pointing out what not many have the guts to say
I was baffled by this movie.
and it is NOT a case "Im too dumb to get, if I were as smart as you- Id get it"
it is confusingly told and that makes it bad cinema
beautiful LOOKING film, badly written
I looked at that synopsis someone posted here
it helped, but good art shouldnt need a synopsis, it should speak for itself
ps aside from a woman names elizabeth short being murdered- NONE of this even pretends to be historically accurate- does it?

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I watched it with two friends and literally we all said 'what the hell' as soon as it finished. I have no clue what was going on and less of a clue about the point
I was confused from the word go, no idea why the girl was murdered and less of an idea about why that crazy old lady murdered her. She had no screen time at all and then at the end comes out, warbled something and then shot herself.
Yeah justthink this is the worst film iv ever seen.
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The voice says i'm almost out of minutes
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proud saltgunner!

OK, just seen in the New Year (GMT) watching this and thought I'd log in here to get some answers.
Glad it wasn't just me then.
Think I'll watch LA Confidential again to remind myself I'm not thick
Oh and happy New Year everyone!

I think the problem with the film is nothing to do with the multiple plot lines. Its problem is we are given no clue throughout the film to suggest that the mum killed her.
Oh, and for those wondering if they would have used the word beep in this period I think the answer is a definite yes.

As I was watching the film, I thought the second half was all in Bucky's mind, and I was expecting to see him wake up in a hospital. At least that would have made sense. Cliched, but detective losing his mind, could work. Cause otherwise, this was one of the most confusing, contrived, over-actingest pieces of cinema. De Palma has lost it.

Thank you for starting this post. I feel I am a reasonable person when it comes to movies, but this plot line was just off the wall and into the trash can. I wrestled through the entire film and know less about it than when it started. Thank you all for being honest. I feel I have not gone senile just yet, but I am working on it!

From the diector of "Sisters", "Blow-Out", "Dressed To Kill", "Carrie" and the silly but very amusing "Raising Cain", this film was the disappointment of the decade don't bother to try to work it outafter making the effort you'll still be left with one of De Palma's dreariest films.
But you ARE Blanche and I AM.

I know you made that response two years ago, but I finally watched Miller's Crossing (which has been on my To Watch list since I saw your recommendation). I enjoyed it a lot. I regret that I didn't watch it sooner. Anyway, thank you for recommending it.

nice one mac, that was very helpful. I've no idea how anyone could figure this all out without help, but I guess it needs another viewing or two.
reminds me a little of miller's crossing, very confusing at first, but after another watch it became clear, and it now ranks as one of my all time favourites. also mulholland drive, it takes nerve to create a movie very few will understand first time round.

Best summary i've read about the movie, well done,mcvillain! I liked the movie, the problem is the screenplay, too much things happen at the same time, and plot twists to a mere 2 hours long movie, aah! and two other BIG problems was the cast of Hillary Swank and Fiona Shaw, Hillary was miscast, no way she had the looks (or even the acting skills) to perform a "Femme Fatale" and Shaw was embarassing, mediocre & over the top performance. Mia Kirschner gave the best performance in such a limited screentime, her screentest scenes haunted me for hours after i saw the movie.

Black Dahlia is a decent movie but I understand why the hell a lot of people confused. The writer of the book Jame Ellroy was upset with all of the editing of the movie. The true story of the murder isn't really identified but neither is it in the book. The relationship between Kay and Bucky way different in the book. Several other points are cleared in this movie but its good to see Josh Harnett in a different role. Overall it's about a six rated film.

No, I like thinking and I'm not dumb. We could figure out some of the plot, but we just left feeling like nothing had been resolved.

Great Summary! However, I have to disagree with you and say that I enjoyed this film. I enjoy actually having to analyze and think about the plot of a movie every once in a while, instead of watching mindless action movies. Now, I haven't read the book that this film was based off of or researched the actual case, but as far as the movie goes, I thought the complex plot and character development made for a more realistic movie. This also leaves more for the viewer to interpret, which I think people should give a shot at. I think most people don't like this film because they don't understand it. All I have to say is watch the movie all the way through with an open mind and see what you get out of the film. My only complaint is that I'm sure they didn't use the "F" word that often back in the day as they did in the movie, but what do you knowit's Hollywood. I also think that the way the script was written, which people complain about not making sense, only adds to the feeling that the characters don't know what the hell is going on either (until the end). This brings the viewer into the action to try and figure out what is going on!