With one of Paul Newman's most likeable and hilarious performances and a fast-paced, witty, action-packed screenplay by William Goldman, 1966's HARPER is as enjoyable today as it was nearly 60 years ago when it hit theaters.
Goldman (Marathon Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men) is indisputably one of the best (I'll say ALL-TIME best) screenwriters on the planet. Adapting Ross McDonald's novel "The Moving Target" for the screen, he keeps all of the McDonald action and intrigue intact while adding a high sheen polish rarely equaled in spy thrillers.
Harper is the anti-James Bond. Still in love with his ex-wife (Janet Leigh) and rarely having the time to fall into bed with any of the beautiful women populating the film, his focus is on the mystery. And its a doozy.
Lauren Bacall (talk about sultry mystery!) is Elaine Sampson, a wealthy woman whose husband has disappeared the day before. She asks her family lawyer Albert Graves (Arthur Hill from "The Andromeda Strain", funnier than I've ever seen him) to hire someone to find her husband.
Graves turns to Harper, who arrives at the sprawling Sampson estate and meets plenty of eccentric characters. Pamela Tiffin (State Fair) is Elaine's beautiful daughter Miranda. Stunning in that hour glass figure, big 60's hair style that defined Raquel Welch in the era, Miranda flirts with every man in sight while go-go dancing on the diving board in a bikini. Newman's observational facial expressions in the opening 15 minutes had me laughing out loud again & again.
Miranda loves playboy Sampson Corporation pilot Allan Taggart (Robert Wagner), but he's not going to settle down anytime soon. Miranda, Allan and Harper fly off to search our missing man's last contacts for any clues.
The film never slows down as Harper meets a wild array of suspects, including Shelley Winters as a fading movie star who loves her booze, Robert Webber as her platonic husband whose always got a gun on Harper, and Strother Martin (Slap Shot) as a religious nut with a mountaintop sect.
Julie Harris (The Haunting) is a lounge singer with a dangerous habit.
I almost forgot Harold Gould (The Sting) as a local sheriff at the end of a thousand Harper barbs and Martin West (Family Plot) as his comically inept deputy.
At the time, this was a radical new take on a 40's film noir mystery, infused with 1960's elements and one of Newman's best roles. One of the most effortlessly cool actors on the big screen, Newman delivers in every scene, and he's in every scene! HARPER was a one of Newman's biggest hits around the world.
As Goldman's first solo screenplay, it cemented him in the big leagues and led to an incredible legacy of great films. Sadly, we lost Goldman in 2018.
Harper: "The bottom is loaded with nice people, Albert. Only cream and bastards rise."
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Elaine: "Los Angeles is the big leagues for religious nuts."
Harper: "That's because there's nothing to do at night."
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Harper: "I think your husband was kidnapped. I think that note was dictated. Your husband keeps lousy company, Mrs. Sampson, as bad as there is in L.A. And that's as bad as there is."
Elaine Sampson: "I knew it. Oh, he loves playing the family man, but he never fooled me. Water seeks its own level, and that should leave Ralph bathing somewhere in a sewer."
Sit back and enjoy the very clever, groovy 60's ride. HARPER gets an A+
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