To tell you the truth, I was expecting an older man – more intelligent looking. – The Brasher Doubloon (1947)
A Numismatic Nightmare
Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on The Brasher Doubloon (1947).
Raymond Chandler used the true story of The Brasher Doubloon, more below, as the McGuffin for his 1942 novel, “The High Window.” This story was brought to the screen as Time to Kill (1942). and later as The Brasher Doubloon (1947).
Actors – The Brasher Doubloon (1947)
Returning
George Montgomery acted in the role of private investigator Philip Marlowe. Montgomery was first covered in Battle of the Bulge (1965), playing the super tough NCO that was shot as a result of the actions of a young luwie. I liked Montogomery in this role as he seemed tough enough for me.
Marvin Miller played criminal Vince Blair. Miller was first covered in the fantastic Sci-Fi Forbidden Planet (1956).
Houseley Stevenson was uncredited as Numismatic/coin dealer Elisha Morningstar. Stevenson was first covered in the Bogie/Bacall Film Noir Dark Passage (1947).
New
Nancy Guild played the role of the cagey Merle Davis. Guild was born in LA in 1925. She began her career as a contract actor at 20th Century-Fox. This lovely young actress was cleverly marked as her name rhymes with wild.
Guild made her screen debut in the Joseph L. Mankiewicz-directed Somewhere in the Night (1946). She was cast as one of the leads in The Brasher Doubloon (1947). She did well in the film and could have been a major star.
She married another actor, Chuck Russell, and later appeared with him in Give My Regards to Broadway (1948). She then left 20th Century-Fox.
Guild paired with Orson Welles in Black Magic (1949). Later she acted in the Universal Studios film Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet the Invisible Man (1951). She began working on television and made more movies, including Francis Covers the Big Town (1953).
She divorced Russell in 1950. In 1951, she married Broadways Ernest H. Martin and took time to raise a family. In 1955, she retired from the industry. She returned to the screen for Preminger’s Such Good Friends (1971).
Guild divorced Martin in 1975 and married photojournalist John Bryson in 1978. This third marriage lasted until 1995. Nancy Guild died in 1999 at the age of 73.
Fritz Kortner played the role of blackmailer Rudolph Vannier. Kortner was born in 1892 in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in what is now Vienna. He began his career in 1910 after studying acting at Vienna’s Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.
In 1919, Kortner joined Max Reinhardt’s Theater and became quite successful on the stage. He also wrote plays and directed films. He began working as a film actor in 1915. Some of his movies include The Hands of Orlac (1924), Pandora’s Box (1929), The Dreyfus Case (1930) in the title role, Chu Chin Chow (1934) with Anna May Wong, Somewhere in the Night (1946), and The Brasher Dubloon (1947).
In the 1930s, those damn nazzies started acting up. Kortner fled in the most recent Jewish diaspora. He fled to London in 1934 and to America in 1937. He found work in American cinema and was in many anti-nazzie films.
Kortner returned to Germany in 1947. He became successful in the theater, and beginning in 1954, he began directing films again. He died in 1970 in Germany.
Story – The Brasher Doubloon (1947)
The credits roll over a US coin dated 1787. The coin bears the mark Pluribus Unum which is correct because the use of the motto began in 1782[1]. The word Doubloon is from the Spanish for double. The basic Doubloon had a value of four Spanish dollars or 32 reales[2]. There were also higher-value doubloons.
That being said, there is a “Brasher Doubloon.” New York goldsmith Ephraim Brasher privately minted the Doubloon in 1787. The coin was valued at eight Spanish escudos or sixteen Spanish dollars. One of the surviving coins was sold in 1981 for $625,000. At its last sale in 2021, the coin fetched 9.36 million dollars[3].
Philip Marlowe (George Montgomery) narrates as he drives to a large mansion in Pasadena. He is unhappy because it is hot and has had a long drive. Marlowe is curious about the case because of the female voice that called him about the job.
When the door opens, Marlowe is happy because the voice matches the looks. The door has been opened by Merle Davis (Nancy Guild). Merle seems very lovely and tells Marlowe that she picked his name from the phonebook. She then says that she is the secretary to Mrs. Elizabeth Murdock (Florence Bates).
Marlowe starts macking on Merle right away and gets a little handsy. Merle describes Mrs. Murdock as odd and hard to deal with. Merle says she is really nice deep down. He asks if he will see her while working on the case. Merle replies that it will depend on him.
When Merle comes out of Mrs. Murdock’s study, she is grabbed and questioned by Leslie Murdock (Conrad Janis), the adult son of Mrs. Murdock. Marlowe watches the strange interaction. Merle flees into her office. Leslie approaches Murdock and says mother has decided not to hire a private investigator. He offers to pay Marlowe.
Merle exits her office and says Marlowe can see Mrs. Murdock now. Leslie storms away. Marlowe meets with the very demanding and demeaning Mrs. Murdock. The older woman says that someone stole something from the house. She doesn’t want the police because she doesn’t want anyone arrested, and she knows who took it but will not tell. Murdock will not discuss the dismissal attempt made by Leslie.
Finally, she says that a coin, The Brasher Doubloon, valued at $10,000, was stolen from her safe. Murdock calls Merle in to open the safe. Marlowe is told that Leslie and Merle also have the combination to the safe. Marlowe takes the opportunity to squeeze into the small space to question her about the interaction with Leslie. Murdock orders Merle to write a $100 check for Marlowe. When Murdock snaps at her, Merle becomes very upset.
Murdock continues that a coin dealer named Elisha Morningstar (Houseley Stevenson) had called to inquire if the coin was for sale. Murdock discovered that the coin was missing. Marlowe is given the check, and Murdock says he doesn’t look very bright. Marlowe asks about her son and is plainly told that the matter must be handled as she directed. Marlowe says he needs to be told the truth and be allowed to handle things in his own manner. He leaves the room but intends not to take the job.
On the way out, Marlowe hears Merle typing and enters her office. He asks Merle what hold the family has over her. Merle defends the family. He tells her he is not taking the case and returns to check. Merle goes soft and says the case means everything to her. She says she doesn’t know if she stole it.
Looking for a match, Marlowe notes that is an ivory-handled derringer in Merle’s desk. Marlowe puts his hands on the back of Merle’s arms. She whirls around frightened and says she dislikes having men touch her. Marlowe kids her about her expensive perfume and good looks, sending different messages. Merle continues that it’s a phobia she would like to get over. As a natural good samaritan, Marlow offers to give her lessons. He draws her in, and he says she needs six lessons. Marlowe leaves, agreeing to take the job.
Marlowe returns to his two-room office in a cheap highrise office building. There is no secretary and only two phones and a window. Before he can make out the deposit slip for the check, a strange little man with one scared eyelid and a 1920s-style straw hat appears at the door. A little suspicious, Marlow opened his desk drawer so he could reach his revolver if needed.
The straw hat man introduces himself as Eddie Prue (Alfred Linder, uncredited). He says he works for Vince Blair (Marvin Miller), owner of the Lucky Club, and that Marlowe is now working for Vince. Eddie offers Marlowe $200 cash but the shamus declines.
Prue pulls a gun on Marlowe and demands that they go see Vince. Marlowe gives the man a kick under the table and disarms him. Prue is humiliated as Marlowe returns his gun to him, now empty. Prue gives him a warning to give up the case he is on.
Marlowe goes back to work and calls numismatic Elisha Morningstar. Marlowe travels to the coin shop and notes it is located near Skid Row and that Morningstar is probably a fence. Morningstar talks about the Doubloon and the history of violence associated with it. Marlowe says he will report Morningstar to the police if he doesn’t give information. He says he saw the coin and offered $2,000 but will not reveal the seller’s name.
Marlowe waits in the outer office and hears Morningstar call for George Anson (Jack Conrad, uncredited). Marlowe heads to the Florence Apartments on Bunker Hill to find Anson. He comments that it used to be a good location, but now it is only for the downtrodden.
The apartment manager (Jack Overman) speaks to Marlowe as he enters the building. Marlowe goes up to Anson’s room on the second floor. No one answers, so Marlowe just goes in and starts looking around. He eventually finds Anson murdered in the bathroom. Anso has been shot.
Marlowe goes through the dead man’s pockets, finding a phone number for Morningstar and a check claim ticket. Realizing he was seen entering the building, Marlowe pays the apartment manager $5 to let him in the room. Marlowe pretends he has not been inside the room as the manager discovers the body.
The police come and give Marlowe a good going-over. They know he found the body but have nothing to hold him on. When he is searched, he has the claim check.
After his release, Marlowe goes to the train station and uses the claim check. The package he is given is about the size of a silver dollar. He opens the box and removes Doubloon from its cotton protection.
OMG – then he holds in his bare fingers with no gloves.
Marlowe returns to Morningstar’s coin shop and finds Morningstar dead from a gunshot wound. On the ground by the body is a gun that looks like the one in Merle’s desk drawer. Marlowe takes the gun and wraps it in a handkerchief. He leaves without calling the police, taking the murder weapon with him.
Marlowe returns to the Pasadena mansion but breaks in to check Merle’s office. He is busted by Merle. Marlowe bluffs about the break-in. Merle tells him Murdock had her send a wire saying the coin had been returned, and he was off the case. Marlowe hadn’t received the wire because he had not returned to the office yet.
He shows Merle the gun he took from the crime scene. She cowers in the corner. Marlowe convinces her he is on her side. Merle says she can’t tell the truth. Leslie comes in and confirms that the coin has been returned. Leslie is not interested in the two murdered men. Leslie confesses that he took the coin to pay a debt. He says that after his mother found out, he had to get the coin back and said he would pay later.
Murdock wakes and demands Marlowe talk to her. He asks why Merle is so scared and can’t have callers. He gets no answer. Murdock says Merle has been with her for five years since the death of Mr. Murdock. Mrs. Murdock convinces Marlowe that Merle is mentally unbalanced because she was present when Mr. Murdock fell to his death during the Rose Parade. Mrs. Murdock says Leslie tried to do her a favor when he took the coin.
They order Marlowe out of the house. He shows them the Doubloon.
OMG – he’s carrying the bare coin in his pocket and holding it in his hand.
He refuses to return the coin until the murders are solved. He tells Murdock that she can call the police if she wants.
As soon as Marlowe leaves the room, Murdock instructs Merle to use her feminine wiles to recover the coin. Murdock tells her to get the coin, or she will no longer take care of her.
Marlowe goes to his office and finds Rudolph Vannier (Fritz Kortner) attempting to break in. Vannier says he wants to talk about the Doubloon. Marlowe finds the wire firing him from the case and puts it in his pocket.
Vannier says the coin will belong to him when certain arrangements are made. Vannier will not tell what he plans to exchange for the coin, but he does say that he will be in great trouble if he doesn’t obtain it tonight.
Vannier pulls a gun on Marlowe and demands the coin.
OMG – Marlowe takes the coin from his pocket and flips it through the air toward Vannier. Vannier grabs the coin on the floor, and Marlowe stomps his hand.
Marlowe takes the gun for Vannier. He searches and roughs up Vannier and discovers that the man was a free-lance cameraman after he immigrated from Germany. Marlowe also finds out that Vannier is blackmailing someone with some mysterious information. Marlowe throws Vannier out of the office. Marlowe puts the Morningstar murder gun in his desk.
OMG – he takes the coin and hides it inside his tobacco pouch.
When Marlowe returns to his apartment, he is told that a Miss. Jones is waiting for him in his apartment. It is Merle, and she is wearing the most iconic Femme Fatale hat and dress I have ever seen. At first, Merle plays doe-eyed and innocent. Marlowe knows she is trying to get the Doubloon.
Marlowe moves in and gives her a kissing lesson.
During the conversation, Merle reveals that she worked as Mr. Murdock’s secretary, and he was constantly pawing at her. From the research for this movie, it seems that Mr. Murdock raped Merle. This is only implied in the film. Merle doesn’t really remember the part where the man went out the window. Merle doesn’t know what Mrs. Murdock and Leslie cooked up about, saying the Doubloon was recovered. Merle states there is no connection between the coin and Mr. Murdock’s death. Marlowe asks about Vannier, and Merle is shocked by how much he already knows.
When Marlowe returns from getting a drink, Merle holds a revolver on him that she found in one of his dresser drawers. She makes him empty his pockets. Afterward, she searches but misses the coin in the tobacco pouch; she orders him to undress.
He begins to undress, all the time watching Merle in the mirror. Finally, he tells that the gun doesn’t have bullets. He then takes the gun from her and empties the rounds. Merle is hot as a firecracker. Merle calms down when Marlowe kisses her. Merle confesses that she wants to give the coin to Vannier.
Mrs. Murdock has been paying Vannier $500 monthly for the last five years. Merle asks to stay at the apartment. Marlowe says he will sleep at the office. When she asks why, he says she is still a suspect in the two murders and may want to murder him.
Marlowe goes outside to his car and is smacked on the back of the head with a sap. Prue and another man take Marlowe to the Lucky Club, where Vince Blair waits. There is a woman in his office that looks like a man in drag. She is not in the credits; I have found no other information about this.
The goons try to beat it out of Marlowe. Leslie shows up and says Marlowe had the coin today. Marlowe fights back but is beaten by multiple men. From the ground, Marlowe says they should ask Vannier about the coin. The criminals are all shocked that he knows about Vannier.
Marlowe pretends to be knocked out and hears Leslie talking about his mother, Mrs. Murdock, being blackmailed. They see he is awake and beat him back to sleep. They place the groggy Marlowe on the couch and interrogate him about Vannier.
Marlowe says maybe Leslie gave the coin to Vannier. Marlowe shows the wire saying the coin has been recovered. When the criminals start fighting, Marlowe makes his escape through a window. With the help of some winos, Marlowe gets away from the criminals.
Marlowe makes it back to his office but is having a rough time worrying about being blamed for the murder. He receives a call from Merle, and she is at Vannier’s house. She begs Marlow to come to Vannier’s.
Merle shows Marlowe Vannier’s body, and he is dead from being shot. There are scratches on his arm, and Marlowe thinks a woman did the killing. Merle claims she found him dead. Merle was trying to get some film from Vannier. The house has already been searched. Merle and Marlowe search the house again but with no luck.
Marlowe asks when Mrs. Murdock has been paying the blackmail for Merle. Leslie is outside the door listening to the conversation. Merle says that Mrs. Murdock paid the money to avoid scandal and protect Merle because it was an accident.
Marlowe makes one last check of the fireplace and then washes his hands. Merle says she didn’t kill Vannier. Marlowe replies that if it were not Merle, it was Leslie. Leslie sneaks in with a gun in his hand. Marlowe searches for a paper towel until he finds a roll in a high cabinet. Vannier’s roll of film from the Rose Parade five years earlier is wrapped in the roll.
Merle grabs the film and runs, but Leslie stops her in the living room. Leslie takes the roll of film. Ever cool, Marlowe kicks a pillow toward Leslie and disarms the criminal. Marlowe takes possession of the film and calls homicide. Marlowe asks that Blair and some others be picked up.
The homicide detective and Marlowe are in his office, and they are setting up to show the film. Marlowe says it is connected to four murders that include Mr. Murdock. Marlowe gives Leslie’s confession for two murders and gives the stolen gun evidence to the copper. The detective is not too happy.
The room is filled by another cop, Blair, Prue, Leslie, another detective, and Merle. Marlowe confirms that The Brasher Doubloon was really a McGuffin, and Leslie only wanted the film to pay his gambling debts. Blair and the other criminals wanted to continue to blackmail Mrs. Murdock. Mrs. Murdock thought Leslie was retrieving the film for her. Merle wanted the film because she thought she had killed Mr. Murdock.
This film then uses a technique, made famous by Agatha Christie, of gathering all suspects in one room and then revealing the plot/killer. Mrs. Murdock is the last to arrive, having been invited by Marlowe. She thinks she is getting the coin.
OMG – Marlowe pulls the coin out of his pocket, but the homicide detective takes possession.
Mrs. Murdock says that Leslie must have killed to protect Merle. She then gaslights Merle into confessing to the killings because she has blackouts. Remember – There was never a movie called Gaslight (1944) that starred Ingrid Bergman and Charles Boyer. Anyway, Merle says she doesn’t know.
Over the objection of the homicide detective Marlowe finally shows the parade film. Vannier filmed the parade until he saw something taking place on a high building ledge. It shows Mrs. Murdock falling from the window, but the person pushing him is not shown.
Merle jumps up and begins confessing. Mrs. Murdock comforts Merle. Marlowe pushes on and shows the closeup. It shows that Mrs. Murdock is the actual killer of her husband. Mrs. Murdock pulls a gun, but Marlowe disarms her. She says she killed her husband because he was unfaithful. She killed Vannier because he told her that Leslie was plotting against her.
Mrs. Murdock accuses Merle of being a husband stealer after her husband raped her. Mrs. Murdock reveals that she has been keeping Merle close to torture her. Marlowe opens the window.
Marlowe’s phone rings about a job. Merle takes the phone and says she is a secretary and he won’t be free until the end of the week. Merle is now wholly sane, and they continue the kissing lessons.
Kinda dark!
Conclusion – The Brasher Doubloon (1947)
The Bunker Hill district of Los Angeles was once a very upscale neighborhood. The building used in the film as the Florence Apartments was named the Gladden Apartments and was located in Bunker Hill. The author of the book today’s film was based on, Raymond Chandler, who lived in the Gladden Apartments approximately 30 years before the film. Chandler was paid $2,000 for the rights to the book.
The Angels flight[4] was a small gauge rail system that took commuters to and from Bunker Hill. The Angels Flight rail has appeared in over 100 movies since at least 1914. Angel Flight has appeared in numerous Film Noirs, including Hollow Triumph (1948), M (1951), The Turning Point (1952), Cry of the Hunted (1953), Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948), Criss Cross (1949), and Kiss Me Deadly (1955). The Bunker Hill neighborhood of Los Angles has also been featured in various films.
Although relatively late, The Brasher Doubloon (1947) conflicted with the Hays Code. For example, the kiss between Marlowe and Merle in his apartment was over 10 seconds long. She also wanted to stay in his apartment, implying they would have sex. Another no-no.
The Brasher Doubloon (1947) is a remake of Time to Kill (1942), starring Heather Angel and Lloyd Nolan. Both movies of these movies were based on Raymond Chandler’s novel, “The High Window,” 1942.
World-Famous Short Summary – she’s cute, but come on, she may be a serial killer
Beware the moors.
[1] The Meaning of ‘E Pluribus Unum’ (thesprucecrafts.com)
[3] Brasher Doubloon – Wikipedia
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