Harper (film)
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:42:05 PM Wikipedia source
Harper is a 1966 American mystery thriller film starring Paul Newman, with Lauren Bacall, Julie Harris, Arthur Hill, Janet Leigh, Pamela Tiffin, Robert Wagner and Shelley Winters in support. Directed by Jack Smight from a screenplay by William Goldman, the picture is based on the 1949 novel The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald. Newman plays private investigator Lew Harper, based on the protagonist of Macdonald's series of detective stories. Goldman received a 1967 Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay. Newman reprised his Harper role in The Drowning Pool (1975).
Infobox
Directed by
Jack Smight
Screenplay by
William Goldman
Based on
The Moving Targetby Ross Macdonald
Produced by
mw- Jerry GershwinElliott Kastner
Starring
Paul NewmanLauren BacallJulie HarrisArthur HillJanet LeighPamela TiffinRobert WagnerShelley Winters
Cinematography
Conrad Hall
Edited by
Stefan Arnsten
Music by
Johnny Mandel
Distributed by
Warner Bros.
Release date
February 23, 1966 (1966-02-23)
Running time
121 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$3.5 million
Box office
$12 million
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Award
Edgar Allan Poe Awards
Category
Best Motion Picture
Recipient(s)
William Goldman
Result
Won
Laurel Awards
Laurel Awards
Award
Laurel Awards
Category
Top Action Drama
Recipient(s)
5th Place
Top Action Performance
Top Action Performance
Award
Top Action Performance
Category
Paul Newman
Recipient(s)
3rd Place
Writers Guild of America Awards
Writers Guild of America Awards
Award
Writers Guild of America Awards
Category
Best Written American Drama
Recipient(s)
William Goldman
Result
Nominated
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Ref. |
| Edgar Allan Poe Awards | Best Motion Picture | William Goldman | Won | |
| Laurel Awards | Top Action Drama | 5th Place | ||
| Top Action Performance | Paul Newman | 3rd Place | ||
| Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Written American Drama | William Goldman | Nominated | |
References
- The Numbershttps://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Harper#tab=summary
- Variety film review. February 16, 1966. p. 6.
- The New York Times
- Alistair MacLean: A Lifehttps://archive.org/details/alistairmacleanl0000webs_o3s1/page/128/mode/2up
- Adventures in the Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwritinghttps://archive.org/details/adventuresinscre00gold_0/page/176/mode/2up
- Los Angeles Times
- Five Screenplays with Essayshttps://archive.org/details/williamgoldmanfi0000gold/page/4/mode/2up
- "Harper (1966) – Articles"https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/16155/harper#articles-reviews
- AFI Catalog of Feature Filmshttps://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/22684
- Los Angeles Times
- Los Angeles Times
- Mediumhttps://web.archive.org/web/20190517033204/https://medium.com/@lajp/this-is-the-story-of-director-jack-smights-life-in-entertainment-written-by-himself-2e735a65f837
- Paul Newman: A Biographyhttps://archive.org/details/paulnewmanbiogra0000bord/page/64/mode/2up
- I Loved Her in the Movies: Memoirs of Hollywood's Legendary Actresseshttps://archive.org/details/ilovedherinmovie0000wagn/page/192/mode/2up
- Variety
- The New York Times
- "Category List – Best Motion Picture"https://edgarawards.com/category-list-best-motion-picture/
- Shoptalk: Conversations About Theater and Film with Twelve Writers, One Producer—and Tennessee Williams' Mother
- Los Angeles Times