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''Chandler'' (also known as ''Open Shadow'') is a 1971 American neo-noir film directed by Paul Magwood and based on a story of his own creation. The film stars Warren Oates as a man with the single name of Chandler: "as in Raymond," he says at one point. It co-stars Leslie Caron, married at the time to the film's producer Michael Laughlin. Cameo roles feature Gloria Grahame and Scatman Crothers.
In a deliberate throwback to 1940s films noir, Chandler, a former private eye from that period, takes up his old work again, and finds himself constantly driving old cars. He is ostensibly hired by the government to protect a witness, Katherine Creighton, from a gangland leader, John Melchior, who wants to kill her. But Chandler is in fact working for a corrupt government agent, Ross J. Carmady, who is using him as a dupe so that Carmady can murder Melchior and put his own double agent at the top of the racket.
After quitting a position as a security guard, Chandler is offered a job by old friend Bernie Oakman, unaware that Bernie has been asked by Carmady to find a suitable patsy. Chandler gets his gun back from a pawn shop and follows the French woman Creighton from the moment of her arrival in Los Angeles. He becomes acquainted with her on a train to
Plot
In a deliberate throwback to 1940s films noir, Chandler, a former private eye from that period, takes up his old work again, and finds himself constantly driving old cars. He is ostensibly hired by the government to protect a witness, Katherine Creighton, from a gangland leader, John Melchior, who wants to kill her. But Chandler is in fact working for a corrupt government agent, Ross J. Carmady, who is using him as a dupe so that Carmady can murder Melchior and put his own double agent at the top of the racket.
After quitting a position as a security guard, Chandler is offered a job by old friend Bernie Oakman, unaware that Bernie has been asked by Carmady to find a suitable patsy. Chandler gets his gun back from a pawn shop and follows the French woman Creighton from the moment of her arrival in Los Angeles. He becomes acquainted with her on a train to Monterey, California
Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bo ...
without revealing that he is tailing her, but soon intervenes when Creighton is assaulted and thrown into the trunk of a car.
Chandler becomes romantically involved with the woman, against his better judgment, repeatedly telling her, "You'll do." The two of them end up trapped near an isolated beach, ambushed by Carmady and his associate Kincaid, shooting it out.
Cast
* Warren Oates as Chandler * Leslie Caron as Katherine Creighton * Alex Dreier as Ross J. Carmady * Marianne McAndrew as Angel Carter *Mitch Ryan
Mitchell Ryan (January 11, 1934 – March 4, 2022) was an American film, television, and stage actor, who in his six decades of television is known for playing Burke Devlin in the 1960s gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows'', and later for his co- ...
as Charles "Chuck" Kincaid
* Gordon Pinsent as John Melchior
* Charles McGraw as Bernie Oakman
* Walter Burke as Zeno
* Richard Loo as Leo
* Gloria Grahame as Selma
* Scatman Crothers as Smoke
Production
The scene on the train begins with an incorrect establishing shot. The train shown is aChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
passenger train, which never operated in California.
Scenes on board the passenger train feature people purchasing food from vending machines in a Southern Pacific Automat Buffet car.
Producer Michael Laughlin and director Paul Magwood were irate at the involvement of MGM studio head James Thomas Aubrey, Jr.
James Thomas Aubrey Jr. (December 14, 1918 – September 3, 1994) was an American television and film executive. As president of the CBS television network from 1959 to 1965, with his "smell for the blue-collar," he produced some of televi ...
in the film's production. They went to the length of taking out a full page, black-bordered ad in the trade papers declaring:
Regarding what was our film ''Chandler'', let's give credit where credit is due. We sadly acknowledge that all editing, post-production as well as additional scenes were executed by James T. Aubrey Jr. We are sorry.Martin Kasindorf. "How now, Dick Daring?" '' The New York Times Magazine''. September 10, 1972. 54+.The cutting was so severe and last minute that actors Royal Dano and James Sikking are still listed in the credits, even though their roles were completely removed.
See also
* List of American films of 1971 * List of film noir titlesReferences
External links
* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Chandler 1971 films Films set in Los Angeles American mystery films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Michael Laughlin American detective films American neo-noir films 1970s English-language films 1970s American films