I have a bunch of unseen George Peppard films
that I always plan to get to but then say not tonight. Maybe tomorrow. Honestly,
he is too good looking. Chiseled jaw with crystal clear blue eyes. And he
knows it. I have trouble seeing him play anything but charming con men. So,
I didn't expect much as a tough New York City private eye down to his last
few bucks, but they surround him with some good mainly TV talent and a clever
plot. And beat up his pretty face a few times.
A few decades earlier and in black and white,
this would have been called noir. It has all the basics. A convoluted narrative,
a wealthy bastard, a P.I. with ethics, a friendly bar tender and of course
the femme fatale. It is directed by John Guillermin who was in the middle
of directing three films in a row with Peppard; The Blue Max, this one and
House of Cards. Peppard was a hot commodity at the time and all three of
these are solid. This one is well-directed with some location shooting, good
pacing and a few unexpected scenes. His cast besides Peppard was a heavy
set Raymond Burr post Perry Mason and during Ironsides, Gayle Hunnicutt,
Brock Peters, Wilfred Hyde-White, Herb Edelman and Susan St. James. A good
acting cast, but not theatrical draws. And the film did mediocre business.
Burr plays a very wealthy business owner
who the film quickly makes clear is the villain; a sociopath, cruel impulses
and a cheap skate. Except when it comes to murder. An unseen, unheard person
comes to his office by private elevator. Sits down and Burr offers this person
$100,000 to kill someone. We don't know who. An interesting start to an intriguing
mystery. Peppard meanwhile is hired to protect Burr's mistress played by
Hunnicutt. She is gorgeous and so is he. You can put good money down that
they will do the tango before the film is over. Someone is trying to kill
her. A few times. Everyone in Burr's family including his wife wants her
dead. I liked the nightclub party with two girls dancing in bikinis in a
giant cocktail glass. Very 60s. And another very 60's scene is when he is
suckered into a gay bar and all the patrons beat the hell out of him. Burr
as the bad guy is a nice return to his days before Mason. His short white
hair makes him look like an overweight Doc Savage. Constantly interesting.
