Bluebeard is a 1944 American historical film noir directed by Edgar G. Ulmer, starring John Carradine in the title role.

The film is based on the famous French tale Barbe bleue[3] that tells the story of a violent nobleman in the habit of murdering his wives and the attempts of one wife to avoid the fate of her predecessors.

Morrell has decided to give up painting (which triggers his murderous compulsion) out of love for Lucille, but Lamarte pressures him into one last picture to make him financially independent.

However, Francine recognizes him, having met him briefly earlier at her sister's apartment, and Morrell has no choice but to dispose of her.

Certain that Francine and her father were working for the police, Lamarte tries to flee, but Morrell catches him and kills him too, before escaping.

As a starving art student, he had nursed back to health a woman who had fainted, fallen in love with her, and painted her portrait.

[5] Dennis Schwartz from Ozus' World Movie Reviews gave the film a grade A, "Though not exactly a horror story, more a psycho serial killer tale that turns out to be a spellbinding chiller that mixes sleaze with thrills in an inventive way that only a great filmmaker such as Ulmer can get away with.

[8] Walter Albert of the Mystery Fancier praised its visual effects and compared them to You Only Live Once, a 1937 film by Fritz Lang.