Harper (film)

Private detective Lew Harper was hired to find the missing eccentric millionaire. Apparently, the premonition made his wife take such a step, despite the fact that Mr. Sampson was absent for just one day. Family lawyer Albert Graves recommended Mrs. Sampson to seek help from Harper.

The first clue in the investigation was a photo of the already forgotten actress Fei Eastbrook, found by Lew in a bungalow, which Sampson shot for herself. What connects the loss of a man and this photo? Not very clear yet, but a woman should be found ...

Oddly enough, this thread was true. Clew, unraveling, began to show Lew names that could well be involved in the abduction. Following Faye, her husband, Dwight Troy, emerged, an unpleasant type, obviously doing some sort of dark deeds. Then - singer Betty Fraley, who discovered an incomprehensible concern about the actions of a private detective. And it was also strange that the priest or preacher, to whom Sampson had once donated a whole mountain in California for his church, seemed strange. Each of them was worth a closer look.

Subsequent events showed that the concern of Mrs. Sampson was not in vain: a letter was thrown at the house demanding half a million dollars in exchange for her husband. Here the police intervened. When transferring money to the extortionists, an event occurred that confused detectives - a man who came to buy a man was killed by a woman who suddenly appeared in a white open car. Who is she, could not figure out.

And here the investigation of Lew, continued by him in parallel with the police investigation, went on the wrong track. He began to look for a truck, which, in his opinion, could contain the stolen. However, this thread led to an unfinished temple on the mountain, where only illegal immigrants were sheltered. The actions of the gang of the preacher and Dwight Troy, of course, are illegal, but this had nothing to do with the abduction of Sampson. But in the conversation that took place between Lew and Dwight, it turned out who intercepted the money for the ransom — Betty Freyley.

Harper checked another suspect, Sampson Allan Taggert’s personal pilot. Only he could know the details that allowed criminals to abduct a millionaire so easily. And this step detective again led to success! True, Harper almost cost his life, but luck was still on his side. Now there is no doubt: Betty Fraily knows the place where they hide Sampson.

However, not all so simple. First, Betty herself is in danger. Five hundred thousand dollars is a decent sum, so Dwight Troy and his men hunt him. They will stop at nothing to get the key from the locker, where the money is hidden. And secondly, even if it is possible to repel Frehley from the gang of Troy, this does not in any way guarantee the release of Sampson - he prevents too many around to remain alive.

And here is the last chord. Money found, criminals exposed or died. Sampson himself is killed by Harper's best friend, Graves' lawyer. The film ends with an open ending — Graves aims a revolver at Harper, who has exposed him.

• Paul Newman - Private Detective Lew Harper
• Arthur Hill - Attorney for Albert Graves
• Robert Wagner - Pilot Allan Taggert
• Julie Harris - singer Betty Fraley
• Shelley Winters - Fay Istabrook
• Lauren Bacall - Helen Sampson
• Janet Lee - Susan Harper
• Pamela Tiffin - Miranda Sampson
• Robert Webber - Dwight Troy
• Harold Gould - Sheriff Spainer
• Chin Li - dancer (in credits not specified)