The narrow-gauge sniffer

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Movie
German title The narrow-gauge sniffer
Original title The Cheap Detective
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1978
length 92 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Robert Moore
script Neil Simon
production Ray Stark
music Patrick Williams
camera John A. Alonzo
cut Sidney Levin ,
Michael A. Stevenson
occupation

The Schmalspurschnüffler (Original title: The Cheap Detective ) is an American crime comedy directed by Robert Moore from 1978 .

action

In a hotel in Chinatown , San Francisco , not only are a doorman, page, a cleaning lady and three dead guests found, but also Floyd Merkle, the owner of a detective agency and partner of Lou Peckinpaugh, who in turn is also having an affair with Georgia Merkle, Floyds Wife, had. While she draws the suspicion of Lou and with an insured sum of 10,000 US dollars disappear, must Lou have the police and the next case of a mysterious woman who constantly changes her identity, edit. The woman is after an object of art just like the fat, foul-smelling Pepe Damascus, whom Lou meets in the Mix Place bar on the harbor. Originally, Floyd was asked to find the object, but since he's dead, Lou gets the job.

In addition to all the hectic, three Nazis and the couple Paul and Marlene Duchard join in. While Paul needs papers to be allowed to stay in America, Marlene only has her old love for Lou on her mind. There is just no time for that, because the Nazis steal the documents from Paul and Lou has to meet up with Jasper Blubber, who has just arrived from Jerusalem and is spending the night in the hotel on the cruise . Jasper explains to him that the ominous art object is a diamond-studded necklace and is extremely valuable. After Lou is now looking for it and at the same time Marlene also agreed to get the documents for Paul, he meets the woman with the many identities again, who does not want him to be a person who is both her husband and her father is seeking out. But Lou does it anyway, because his secretary finds out that the woman with the many identities and her father or husband are Jezebil and Ezra Desire. They are two international jewel thieves who now want to kill Lou to protect their own identity.

But Lou is saved by an assassin who first shoots Ezra and then escapes. Lou later meets him in his office, who turns out to be Marcel. Marcel dies on his couch, leaving him the diamonds. One job has been completed, all he needs is the papers for Paul. He meets Jezebil, Damascus and Jasper in a hotel room, where he exchanges the diamonds for the papers. However, the diamonds turn out to be eggs from which chicks are hatching. Since Lou also invited the police, they are arrested immediately. Not for murder, though. Floyd's killer is still roaming free. At the port, Lou meets with Marlene and Paul, who is finally getting his papers. Suddenly the Nazis appear and are shot in ambush. It was Georgia who helped Lou with this and admits to killing her husband too. Out of jealousy, she says, because Lou and Floyd spent more time together than they did with Lou. She will now go to jail for 40 years while Lou drives into the night with Marle, Nadja, Betty, Greta Garbo and his secretary.

criticism

“Somewhat confusing mix of comedy and crime parody; a nostalgic homage to Humphrey Bogart and his 1940s film classics, with the parallels to Casablanca being the clearest. Only moderately funny and less than satisfactory in terms of acting despite the prominent cast. "

- Lexicon of international film

publication

The film was shown in US cinemas on June 23, 1978, and started in Germany on September 14, 1978.

With "Heigh-Ho" by Frank Churchill and Larry Morey , a song from Disney's first full-length animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was used.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The Narrow Gauge Sniffer in the Lexicon of International Films , accessed on May 5, 2012Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used