Review of Harper (1966) by Stuart K — 30 Dec 2012
Directed by Jack Smight (Kaleidoscope (1966) and The Illustrated Man (1969)), based on The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald, and adapted by William Goldman, this is a good, jazzy detective story with a good ensemble.
It has a good lead and some good cinematography, with a light jazzy score by Johnny Mandel. It's a long film, but it pays off well. In Los Angeles, down and out private detective Lew Harper (Paul Newman) is assigned by rich socialite Mrs.
Sampson (Lauren Bacall) to help find her missing husband, who she believes is off philandering with another woman. Harper meets Sampson's teenager daughter Miranda (Pamela Tiffin) and her suave boyfriend Allan Taggart (Robert Wagner).
Harper's investigations take him from druggie jazz singer Betty Fraley (Julie Harris) to washed up, overweight entertainer Fay Esterbrook (Shelly Winters) and onto bogus New Age preacher Claude (Strother Martin).
Nothing is what it seems, and Harper ends up in a web of lies, going round in circles, but Allan is on hand to help out with the case, and Harper ends up getting roughed up by people who don't want him getting too close.
It's a good detective story, mark the crossroads between the old film noirs and what was to come with the likes of Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973). Newman exudes a natural coolness, and he's likeable and tough too.
You can see why he was a great actor from this, and he had a good support to back him up.
This review of Harper (1966) was written by Stuart K on 30 Dec 2012.
Harper has generally received positive reviews.
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