Harper (1966)

6.8Approved121 minDirector: Jack Smight

1966 film by Jack Smight

Harper is a 1966 American neo-noir mystery thriller film directed by Jack Smight from a screenplay by William Goldman, based on the 1949 novel The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald. It stars Paul Newman as private investigator Lew Harper (renamed from the novel's 'Lew Archer'), who is tasked with finding a missing multimillionaire. The cast also features Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Janet Leigh, Pamela Tiffin, Robert Wagner and Shelley Winters.

The film was released by Warner Bros. Pictures on February 23, 1966, and was both a critical and commercial success. Goldman received a 1967 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay. A sequel, The Drowning Pool, was released in 1975, with Newman reprising his role.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Harper about?
Harper (1966) — Lew Harper is a Los Angeles based private investigator whose marriage to Susan Harper, who he still loves, is ending in imminent divorce since she can't stand being second fiddle to his work, which is always taking him away at the most inopportune of times. His latest client is t
Is Harper based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Harper scary?
Content rating: Approved. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is Harper (1966) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex