Despite its title "Portrait of a Murder" is a condensed television remake of Otto Preminger's "Laura."

Dana Wynter, Robert Stack, and George Sanders replace Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, and Clifton Webb respectively. Director John Brahm manages to recreate some of the mood of the original, the set decorations approximate the art direction of the feature film.

Mel Dinelli's script is efficient, but, with a brief forty-three minute running time, numerous elements had to be pared from the plot. There is no Ann Treadwell character present and much of the exposition needed to be ditched entirely. There are no restaurant scenes nor are there any sequences at the advertising agency where Laura and Shelby were employed.

It was quite interesting to see Sanders playing Waldo Lyedecker and Wynter acquitted herself well as Laura Hunt. Stack is adequate as Detective McPherson.
Scott Forbes replaced Vincent Price as Shelby Carpenter. His role is that of a functionary. His acting was pedestrian as the script gave him no opportunities to shine.

Interestingly enough, both Sanders and Stack were recast in another television adaptation of "Laura" in 1968.