ONE SHOE MAKES IT MURDER
US, 1982, 100 minutes, Colour.
Robert Mitchum, Angie Dickenson, Mel Ferrer, Howard Hesseman.
Directed by William Hale.
One Shoe Makes It Murder is an enjoyable private eye thriller. A telemovie, it offers Robert Mitchum a familiar style of role (echoes of his portraying Philip Marlowe in Farewell My Lovely and The Big Sleep). He co-stars with Angie Dickinson, Mel Ferrer and John Harkins in a good role as Smiley.
There are Lake Tahoe and Los Angeles settings, complicated motivations and twists, the voice-over of the private eye exploring his own motivations and behaviour as well as unravelling the case.
Enjoyable of its kind.
1. Entertaining murder mystery? Private eye thriller? Television style? For the television audience?
2. California settings, Lake Tahoe, Los Angeles? Affluence and sleaziness? Musical score?
3. The title, arresting, for a murder mystery? For the television audience?
4. Harry, burnt-out policeman, drinking, attempted suicide? Skill at his work? Hired by Charnock? The taxi-driver and his comments? Meeting with Smiley? Charnock and his situation, the disappearance of Caroline? The gardener and caretaker? Smiley introducing him to Fay? Friendship with Fay, his relationship with her? Falling in love, her support? Helping him with the case? Her two husbands and her connection with Caroline, information? Background? His exploring the case, investigations in San Francisco, the talk with Fay, the fight with the chauffeur, her death? The encounter with Joe, suspicions? Going to Los Angeles, the clues, letters, the film and the blackmail? Reporting to Charnock? His solving the case, Fay warning Joe, the confrontation? His encounters with the police officer, taller than he, their clashes, the Cuban talk? The return, the confrontation with Rudi? Joe's death? The gun, Smiley defending Charnock and dying? The resolution of the case? Meeting Fay - would they meet up again?
5. Charnock, wealthy, the gambling, the robbery, disappearance of his wife? His relationship with Smiley and 30 years of devotion? Employing Harry? Getting the reports? Wanting to know the truth, the death of his wife (and not delving into her background)? The stories of her life, the blackmail, the film - and putting it in the fire? His brooding over what happened? Confrontation with Rudi, Smiley's death?
6. Smiley, his love for Charnock, devotion of 30 years, disliking Caroline, introducing Harry to Fay, manoeuvring the situation? Observing? The finale, the exposure, his defending Charnock and being killed?
7. Fay, the good-time girl, her story of marriage at 18, the tense relationship with Joe, prison? Caroline and prostitution? Later meeting her? Her second husband, the child? Sister and boyfriend? The edgy way of life? Meeting Harry, their frank talk, relationship, in love, helping him with the case? Explanations about Joe? Warning him off? A future with Harry or not?
8. Joe, sleazy, pimp, jail, the blackmailing, the death of Caroline? The fight with Harry, the accident and his death?
9. Rudi, relationship with Caroline, information about her, pressures on her, affair? Her death? The confrontation with the gun?
10. The police, the Cuban policeman, the comic touch, small, Napoleonic style, interrogation of Harry, on the scene? The solution?
11. The popularity of this kind of American story? Crime? Glamorous and mysterious backgrounds? A touch of the seamy side of life? The private eye, his style, voice-over, self-reflection, solving the case? The rehabilitation of the private eye?
