Détective privé

Harper's screenplay was written by William Goldman, creator of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Marathon Man, A Bridge Too Far, The Ghost and the Darkness and other goodies. It's quite noticeable. I'm not familiar with the book, but as far as the film is concerned, it is commendable that Paul Newman's character is not just another Phil Marlowe clone. Lew Harper is a stubborn guy who can go after what he wants at any price, but he is also a funny, reckless, cheeky and very happy to provoke pest, who is also 100% likable. He doesn't get involved with women not because he doesn't want to or because they don't want him to, but because he is married and although he is going through a divorce with his wife, he still hopes that everything will be all right again. Harper solves the case as if it were a cheap nickel-and-dime detective story, but he does it very pleasantly, the plot moves along and brings new questions and answers and great scenes like Harper's reckoning with Puddler. As a lover of the genre, I can't give it less than a four even because of the few dead spots and the awkward religious cult.__P.S. I was amused by the scene in the bar when Paul Newman pulls information out of a chubby former actress in a downright Columbus-esque "Can I get your autograph? It's for my daughter, she's a big fan of yours, you know, she's seen all your films..." way. (04/02/2012)

I have to admit that I wouldn’t expect such a beautifully cynical movie to be created in 1966. This is helped a lot by the Czech dubbing which is simply out of this world. On the other hand, I understand that where Paul Newman was at this time, there was nothing to worry about. He was a guarantee of everything great made in America. Here as well his character is spectacular. He delivers cool lines wherever he goes but he also gets his face punched. He is the type of dude who doesn’t resort to blows yet he’s got a dirty mouth on him with which he offends even the plastic toilet seat. It’s a shame the movie is about nothing. Essentially it is a crime movie with a corpse and an investigator (played by Paul Newman). While watching you’ll find out that you don’t really care for the plot. The main character is an investigator who usurped the whole movie for himself and I was completely okay with it. (26/03/2019)