The Classic Films That Read Like a Book Series...Taking a Look at author Raymond Chandler's "The High Window..."

[Pictured: "The Jewel in the Crown" the title lobby card from the 1946 film "The Brasher Doubloon."]
Raymond Chandler's famed detective Philip Marlowe (George Montgomery) is hired by a rich, eccentric widow, Mrs. Murdock (Florence Bates) to find and return a stolen gold coin. Marlowe quickly finds himself involved an a case which includes robbery, blackmail and murder. Just as Marlowe begins to solve the mystery, he is savagely beaten by Vannier (Fritz Kortner).
[editor's note:If you "tap" the pictures you can take a closer look, but over there on my [Film Noire Ning] you can take a really up-close and personal look at...author Raymond Chandler's memorabilia and soon so much more...too!]

Marlowe finally puts all the pieces of the puzzle together when he discovers a blackmail scheme involving Murdock's mentally-ill secretary, Merle Davis (Nancy Guild) which leads him to suspect his employer. The Brasher Doubloon, adapted from Chandler's novel, The High Window, and beautifully photographed by Lloyd Ahern captures a proper film noir sensibility with its moody, low-key images and dense, dark background shots, while failing to capture the complexity of the novel.


Director John Brahm, who also directed the excellent film The Lodger and Hangover Square, is disappointing, failing to create the depth of characterization and plot which he showed in these films. The Brasher Doubloon remains bland, with undistinguished acting by the entire cast. The only exception is Fritz Kortner, a veteran character actor molded in the expressionist cinema of pre-war Berlin, who creates the grotesque character of Vannier, bringing a sense of evil vitality to an otherwise bland production.
THIS REVIEW IS COURTESY OF ALLROVI@

[editor's note:
I plan to take a real close look at memorabilia from the 1946 film "The Brasher Doubloon" based on author Raymond Chandler's book "The High Window" over there on my Film Noire Ning.

The Question On Readers Mind...
Is this film available on DVDs?
Well, the answer is Yes and No...
...I find it to be very fortunate that this film has been restored by 20th Century Fox and have commentary that features both author Eddie Muller and actor Conrad Janis which have been added to the track, but I find it very unfortunate, that this film is still sitting on 20th Century Fox film shelf [collecting dust...no doubt...Due, perhaps to behind the scene wrangling and copyright issues. ]

Link(s) Of Interests:
Monongahelabooks
Chandler and Sothebys
Raymond Chandler's Life and Career in Sale Of his Books and Papers