Harper
by Jack Smight
List Price:
Our Price: $2.86
You Save: $3.11 (52%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: DVD
See more DVD details
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD details
Actor: Janet Leigh, Lauren Bacall, Paul NewmanDirector: Jack Smight
Brand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 1.0; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 1.0
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Widescreen, 2.35:1
Running Time: 121 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-11-14
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Model: 81671
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product features:
- Hard-boiled private investigator Lew Harper is hired to locate a missing millionaire named Sampson. Elaine Sampson, the victim's invalid wife is indifferent and apparently happy he's gone. The trail leads him to the plush pad that Sampson maintained in Los Angeles, where the clues indicate that he had a cultist's preoccupation with astrology and was under the influence of a one time movie star, Fa
DVD Reviews of Harper
DVD Review: Satisfying gem with nostalgia galore...
Summary: 4 Stars
"Harper," the cool 1966 mystery noir, has always been a pet favorite of mine. I have never considered the film dated more than it perfectly documents a glorious time and place - the underbelly of Los Angeles decadence a year before the Summer of Love. The locations are memorable, the cast extraordinary and you have Paul Newman at the peak of youthful prowess absolutely nailing the role of Lew Harper, a black-suit-wearing private eye with a wisecrack for every situation.
The character is based on the famous Lew Archer (The Archer Files, The Complete Short Stories of Lew Archer, Private Investigator) novels penned by Ross Macdonald (based on his book The Moving Target, with a screenplay by a youthful William Goldman [Adventures in the Screen Trade]), and it's telling fans of the series are also fans of this film. Newman, usually chomping gum, is hired by a wealthy heiress, the wonderfully serpentine Lauren Bacall, to find her missing husband in what appears to be a kidnapping. There's a suspect next to every pool, including a tanned Robert Wagner as a good-natured playboy, curvy Pamela Tiffin as the sexy daughter, distinguished Arthur Hill as the best friend, a smooth Robert Webber as a sinister business associate, Shelly Winters as an alcoholic former actress, Julie Harris as a tough-as-nails dame and even Strother Martin as a robe-wearing religious guru so popular at the time.
This has got to be one of the most likeable casts in all of history, storied professionals participating in an update of the greatest of genres - the private eye mystery. There's a flippant disregard for American convention - marriage, love, romance, family bonds - and all shirts are eventually dirty. One of the film's great scenes, a moment I recall in every detail to this day, is when Newman, after a night of surviving near-death, ends up on his ex-wife's doorstep. Janet Leigh reluctantly opens the door and allows him to spend the night. The morning after, she is cooking a grand breakfast of bacon and eggs, a loving smile on her face. Maybe this time it will be different. It's not, as Newman immediately leaves, obsessed with cracking the case, seemingly trapped by the walls of her apartment. Leigh angrily stabs the yokes of the eggs and refers to her ex as a "lingering disease." It's one of the most emotionally truthful scenes ever filmed about failing relationships.
Other scenes stand out in this well-produced maze with eschewed camera angles and cynical facade. Director Jack Smight, still in his youth before succumbing to the big bucks of routine disaster flicks (Airport 75 (Ws), Damnation Alley [VHS]) keeps the action moving with energetic style. I like his framing of the obligatory chase scenes, in addition to a wonderfully shocking conclusion that's a perfect close to such an unconventional attitude (even for 1966). Some credit must be given to cinematographer Conrad L. Hall, one of film's great visionaries and just a year away from his ultimate work In Cold Blood. I also like the jazzy score of Johnny Mandel (A Time For Love...The Music Of Johnny Mandel), a perfect compliment to the off-balance proceedings.
For an actor such as Newman with so many great films on his resume, "Harper" may not even rank in the top 15. But it's one of only two characters this incredible icon would play more than once (move over Fast Eddie). The role was a perfect fit, and he would play the same character 10 years later in The Drowning Pool, a film also very good, but for entirely different reasons. "Harper" is ultimately a fascinating window into a vibrant time in LA filmmaking and cultural history. A polished, satisfying gem with nostalgia galore.
Description of Harper
: Im Auftrag der reichen Mrs. Sampson sucht Privatdetektiv Harper ihren spurlos verschwundenen Ehemann. Scheinbar wurde der Millionär entführt â?" und Harper trifft gleich auf mehrere Verdächtige, denen er allesamt mehr als lästig ist, darunter seine Auftraggeberin (Lauren Bacall), ein Anwalt mit nervösem Finger am Abzug (Arthur Hill), ein Swimmingpool-Gigolo (Robert Wagner), ein versoffenes Ex-Starlet (Shelley Winters), ein Jazz-Junkie (Julie Harris) und Harpers Ex-Frau (Janet Leigh). Paul Newman zeigt eine unvergessliche Leistung als Titelheld dieses Kassenknüllers nach Ross MacDonalds Reiche sterben auch nicht anders. Newman hatte damals bereits 23 Filme gedreht, aber noch nie einen Detektiv gespielt â?" mit Ein Fall für Harper gab er dem Genre neue Impulse. In seinem cleveren Skript erweist sich William Goldman als Meister scharfzüngiger Dialoge.Bestsellers in DVD
![The Story of Jeremiah [VHS] Image](/images/noimg.gif)
The Story of Jeremiah [VHS]Vision Video; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Wresting With God [VHS]by Vision Video
Vision Video; Published: 1990-10-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Study Bible Video with Workbook [VHS]Spring Arbor Distributors; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.95
Price in other shops:
Tempo:Childrens TV Favourites Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $9.17
Price in other shops:
Tempo.Herbs:Parseley'Sb/ Party Video [VHS]HarperCollins Audio; VHS Tape; VHS Video
![Strike the Original Match [VHS] Image](/images/Strike-the-Original-Match-VHS-0001374079-X.jpg)
Strike the Original Match [VHS]New Liberty Films; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
![Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS] Image](/images/Medjugorje-The-Miracles-and-the-Message-VHS-0001373293-X.jpg)
Medjugorje The Miracles and the Message [VHS]JPN Film Production; Release date: 1995-12-15; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $29.99
Mayo Clinic Echocardiography Review Course for Boards and Recertification DVD 2008by Mayo
DVD
Price in other shops:
Pediatric Diagnostic Imaging DVD: Single Userby Oakstone
DVD
Price in other shops:
Cost Accounting [VHS]by Charles T. Horngren, George Foster, Srikant M. Datar, Howard Teall
Pearson Canada, Toronto; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Similar DVDs, VHS Video, Audio CDs
Suddenly, Last SummerSony; Release date: 2000-08-15; DVD
Best price: $4.29
Price in other shops:
From the TerraceFox; Release date: 2003-05-20; DVD
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
The Seven-UpsFOX Home Entertainment; Release date: 2006-05-23; DVD
Best price: $2.44
Price in other shops:
The Getaway (Deluxe Edition)MCQUEEN,STEVE; Release date: 2005-05-31; DVD
Best price: $3.96
Price in other shops:
The Mackintosh ManPublished: 2006; DVD
Best price: $4.79
Sweet Bird of YouthWarner Brothers; Release date: 2006-05-02; DVD
Best price: $0.99
Price in other shops:
The Drowning PoolDVD
Best price: $8.10
Price in other shops:
The Long, Hot SummerNEWMAN,PAUL; Release date: 2003-05-20; DVD
Best price: $6.23
Price in other shops:
Night MovesWarner Brothers; Release date: 2005-07-12; DVD
Best price: $2.86
Price in other shops:
A New Kind of LovePARAMOUNT HOME VIDEO; Release date: 2005-01-18; DVD
Best price: $2.37
Price in other shops: