According to Hollywood legend Paul Newman had the main character's name changed from Lew Archer to Lew Harper because he had better luck with movies that began with H for example Hud and Hombre. I also read that the main character was changed because the movie studio wasn't able to get the rights to Ross MacDonald's books. I prefer the first story. This is a great movie. It has Newman's best performance as the world weary detective. He is quick with a quip and a gun. He is just as tough as Bogart or Dick Powell or Mitchum. It has a great supporting cast. Lauren Bacall, Strother Martin, Robert Wagner, Shelley Winters< Pamela Tiffin and Janet Leigh as his long suffering ex wife. It has a complicated plot, but the action moves quickly. Jack Smight directs it with a light touch. It typifies everything about Southern California in the late 1960's. This movie is quick like a rollercoaster while the sequel The Drowning Pool (made several years later) is slow and plodding> I like to watch this several times a year. I highly recommend it.
