I definitely include Laura among the great noir films. The atmosphere and the treatment makes it so much more than a simple whodunit. The story, by itself, could be treated in other ways, of course, but in this case it wasn't.
I think part of the problem is that we're dealing with a continuum, out of which it is hard to separate just the one element that makes it noir. In one case it may be the story, in another the characters, in another the cinematic treatment... and even the acting itself. The acting in Laura is very noir, quintessentially so. The dubiousness of Vincent Price is pure noir.
Best,
mrt
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