There was a time when the novels of ex-police officer Joseph Wambaugh were all being turned into film. Wambaugh made a name for himself describing in detail the daily lives in officer wearing the blue uniform on the street. The good, the bad, the happy, the sad, all were part and parcel with his stories. With THE BLACK MARBLE he moved slightly focusing on a detective on the downside with an alcohol problem but still possessing talent. The movie was a perfect rendition of that novel.
Sgt. A.L. Valnikov (Robert Foxworth) is an aging detective with a drinking problem. We find him at the beginning of the film drunk in church and leaving in the midst of a rainstorm. When he goes to pocket his handcuffs that have fallen on the steps of the church, he accidentally drops them into the front of his pants locking them in a most precarious place. Thus is the life of Valnikov.
Into Valnikov’s life walks Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman (Paula Prentiss). Where Valnikov is scattered in his methods and disheveled in his looks, Zimmerman is pragmatic and well dressed. Zimmerman is upset that she’s been partnered with Valnikov having struggled her way up through the boys club that is the police department. Unfortunately for her Valnikov’s friend Clarence Cromwell (John Hancock) has the ear of the department’s captain and the pairing is complete.
As their story unfolds we also learn about dog groomer Philo Skinner (Harry Dean Stanton). Philo was once the groomer to the stars of the dog world but has fallen on hard times. His wife berates him constantly and Philo is heavily in debt to his bookies. With nowhere to turn he comes up with a scheme to kidnap a dog and ransom the pet for $85,000 from its owner (Barbara Babcock). What he doesn’t know is that she doesn’t have the money.
Valnikov and Zimmerman are assigned the case and begin looking for clues to find the kidnapper. Along the way Zimmerman begins to learn more about Valnikov. She learns that he’s a romantic, a Russian and that his restaurant owner brother loves him to death. She also learns his reason for drinking, the suicide of his last partner.
The movie is a bright mix of detective tale, romance, comedy and look at human nature as seen through the eyes of the characters. Foxworth is at his best here showing both that sad look when needed, the sloppy drunk and the romantic switching from one to the other with ease. Prentis is perfectly cast as the frustrated professional who may or not be using her romantic life to further her career. And Stanton has never played a sleazier character than he does here.
The film is directed by Harold Becker who also directed THE ONION FIELD the year prior, another film based on a novel by Wambaugh. That movie is completely different from this one with a much more serious tone to it. Even so he shows a deft hand here letting the humor and the emotions boil beneath the surface before being unleashed.
The movie was not a major hit. My guess would be not enough
people were that familiar with the stars as feature film box office draws. And
yet the movie plays as well today as it did when released. When I first saw
this I was surprised at just how good a movie it was. I still think it’s one
worth watching and watching more than once. Kino Lorber has just released this
one on blu-ray and it looks great. Now it just needs to find its audience. Give
this one a watch, I think you’ll be glad you did.
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