The Relationship Between Paul Newman's Harper and Albert Hill's Albert Graves

There are a lot of things to like in Harper, which attempted to bring the Bogart style detective back for the swinging 60s (mid-point).

Bogart's longtime widow, Lauren Bacall, is even brought in early on to "bring back that Bogart" spirit(as the rich wife hiring Harper to find her missing rich husband) and this exchange sets the tone for the whole thing:

Bacall: Drink, Mr. Harper?
Newman: Not before lunchtime.
Bacall: I thought you were a detective.
Newman: New type.

New type. THAT called it. As did Newman's crisp, slightly mocking tone.

Newman/Harper is surrounded by a sixties style array of "mystery movie types": thugs who beat him up, kingpins who want to kill him, at least one woman who ACTS like she'd like to seduce him(but she can't commit)..but..

..here is a place to a salute both the sophistication of William Goldman's script and the talent of the two actors involved as to this relationship:

Paul Newman as the hip private eye and Arthur Hill as the square lawyer who supervises his work on this case.

Hill was only three years older than Newman, but Albert gave off the vibe as a LOT older.

In the plot, Bacall hires Newman for the case, but hands him over for pay and supervision by Hill -- turns out that Albert is a former DA who "owes me one"(says Harper.)

When Newman first enters Hill's opulent office to greet his "old pal" (and new gracious employer), Newman lightly slaps Hill's rather trim belly and STILL says "what's THIS?" Hill slaps Newman's ENTIRELY washboard belly and ineffectually says " what's this?" But they're men. Pals. Old friends. A little joking around about paunch is par for the course.

Middle-aged(and evidently unmarried) Albert professes his love to Newman for the sexy 20-something sexpot Miranda (sexy 20-something sexpot Pamela Tiffin) whom Newman has already met -- when she was wearing a bikini by her now missing father's pool.

This exchange:


Albert: Did you meet Sampson's daughter?
Harper: That ugly, skinny kid? Yeah, we passed in the night.
(Albert takes out a cheesecake picture of Miranda from his office drawer.)
Albert: Oh, Lew -- isn't she incredible?
Harper: Oh boy, you dirty old man.
Albert: Go on. You think I'm too old.
Harper: Nah. When she's a hundred, you'll only be a hundred and twenty-four.
Albert: You think I'm old enough to be her father.
Harper: You're old enough to be her GRANDFATHER.
Albert: Ah -- go to hell.
Harper: Solid citizen Albert, hung up on a chick at your age. That's a hoot!

The two men move across the office to the door to leave.

Harper: What do you think she would see in you?
Albert (Simply waves around his opulent office and murmur as if to say: "look all around you.")

So Albert proves a bit cool himself in that moment with his "old friend" Harper -- demonstrating the power of his "derivative wealth" from his rich employer(s.)

But there's another bit:

When Harper first encounters Albert in the latter's office, Albert is pulling his hands against each other in what he calls "the Air Force workout." Trying to stay in shape for young Miranda.

A bit later, as Harper, Albert AND Miranda(newly arrived on the scene) have to get in with a driver in a car...as Miranda isn't looking, Harper mugs at Albert , nods in the direction of Miranda and...pulls HIS hands against each other quickly as if to say "keep doing this -- you'lll get her!")

Its all very quick and hip and cool and sophisticated and helps give Harper its upper hand even if the movie otherwise sometimes goes off course (too funny sometimes,too serious at others.)

What's best is that it CANNOT be captured on the scripted page just quite how relaxed and "real" the patter and looks between Newman and Hill are. Hill is a particular surprise when he looks around his office and shows off his wealth to Newman and murmurs his self-satisfied self-approval. Arthur Hill so often played emotionless guys(see: The Andromeda Strain), dull guys(Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law), grim guys.

"Harper" let Arthur Hill let it all hang out and Paul Newman threw the ball to him more often than not.

The two men play like professionals who are also friends.

And the story will get further into that...