Action thriller

Harper (1966): Cast, Ratings & Plot

Name: Harper
Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Crime
Released: 1966-04-09
Duration: 2 h 1 min
Cast: Shelley Winters, Lauren Bacall, Robert Wagner, Paul Newman, Janet Leigh

Harper is a 1966 action thriller directed by Jack Smight, starring Shelley Winters, Lauren Bacall and Robert Wagner. It runs 2 hours 1 minute. Critics gave it 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10.

IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Metascore: 51

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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: April 9, 1966
Runtime: 2h 1m (121 min)
Director: Jack Smight
Genres: Action , Drama , Mystery , Thriller
Original language: English
Studio: Warner Bros.
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Harper About?

The premise of Harper without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Following the sudden death of her father, 11-year-old Harper is sent to a struggling farm and placed in the care of an aunt she barely knows. As she begins to adjust to her new life and find comfort in the rural setting, her wealthy mother unexpectedly returns, bringing with her unresolved family issues and long-held secrets. Harper is then faced with a difficult choice between her growing connection to the farm and her yearning for her mother and her former life.

Harper Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

neo noir
woman wears a bikini
dancing on a diving board
car crash
lipstick kiss on cheek
bikini
wrapped in a towel
swimming pool
private detective
los angeles california
kidnapping
city

+38 more

male protagonist
criminal
private eye
character name as title
lew harper character
scene during opening credits
investigation
divorce
disappearance
disappearance of husband
husband wife relationship
telephone
telephone call
wealth
dancer
dancing
limousine
chauffeur
disappearance of father
man wears eyeglasses
millionaire
dead son
dead brother
photograph
older man younger woman relationship
money
airplane
airport
man wears sunglasses
las vegas nevada
telephone operator
astrology
bedroom
food
eating
bar
bartender
drink

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Cast & crew

Harper Cast

Shelley Winters leads the cast, with Lauren Bacall and Robert Wagner. Directed by Jack Smight; 10 actors are credited in all.

Director Jack Smight

Also Starring in Harper

· 6 more

From the director

More from Jack Smight

More films directed by Jack Smight, best-rated first: Midway, Airport 1975, Damnation Alley and Miles Davis: The Cool Jazz Sound.

Full filmography

Ratings

Harper Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Harper 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.8/10.

IMDb

6.8 /10
See on IMDb
Metacritic

51 Metascore

User score 6.6
See on Metacritic
TMDB

67% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Harper Plot Summary

What happens in Harper from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Private investigator Lew Harper is pulled away from signing his divorce papers to take on a high-stakes case involving the disappearance of wealthy multi-millionaire Ralph Sampson. His wife, Elaine, who is physically disabled, fears Ralph is squandering her potential inheritance. As Harper delves into his investigation, he meets Allan Taggert, Sampson’s private pilot, along with his flirtatious daughter Miranda. A mysterious photograph of a glamorous starlet found in Sampson’s bungalow leads him to Fay Estabrook, now an aging alcoholic.

Full summary

The whole story of Harper, scene by scene

Read the full summary