RARA-AVIS: Re: Harper


Kevin Smith (kvnsmith@colba.net)
Thu, 17 Jun 1999 07:47:16 -0400


Tom asked:
>> Why was it necessary to change Lew's last name from Archer to Harper?

And Mark told him:
>Paul Newman thought short movie titles beginning with 'H' were lucky for
>him. Those I can remember were (The) Hustler, Hud and Hombre.

I think Newman's last flick, TWILIGHT, is in some ways a completion of a trilogy that also included HARPER and its sequel, THE DROWNING POOL. His P.I. in that one, Harry Ross (H again!), could be Harper (AKA Archer), several years after the events in THE BLUE HAMMER. He's aged, and has allowed himself to be more vulnerable, and then, surprise, surprise, the crimes of his past return to haunt him. Nah, Macdonald didn't write it, but he almost could have. And Harry Ross certainly bears more than a passing resemblance to Harper.

I know not everyone fell madly in love with this flick, saying it was too derivative, or too slow, but I really enjoyed its unhurried unravelling, and its great performances. It was a real treat to watch those old pros
(Newman, Hackman, Garner, Sarandon) pound the boards. Like Terrill says, it's a great piece of geezer noir.

Kevin Burton Smith The Thrilling Detective Web Site http://www.colba.net/~kvnsmith/thrillingdetective/ This month: Sci-Fi P.I.'s, and thrilling new detective fiction by Chris Mills and Jack Curtin.

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