Philip Marlowe Week: Finger Man

Back again kids with that flatfoot for hire and it seems he is having a difficulty with clients…keeping them alive that is.  Seems the town has got it in for Marlowe and he has to figure how to get back in the City of Angels’ good graces.  So grab those binoculars, keep your rod handy and prep for the worst.  This is Finger Man.

Sorry McGee I am always this pretty.

Philip Marlowe: It was Friday the 13^th; I’ve been hit with a subpoena to testify in the Grand jury in the spoiler killing.  A traffic accident on the highway already made me 20 minutes late.  Last thing I needed was to be signed in as contempt of court.

Marlowe finds himself in as a star witness to the biggest homicide in the town in 20 years.  The special investigator for the Governor’s life is being threatened by letters and phone calls. The investigator’s wife demands protection for her husband but Lt. McGee says they cannot give protection to a man who does not want it so he suggests she hire Marlowe.  Marlowe keeps tabs on the investigator until he takes a meeting out to a house watched over at least two gunsels one of which Marlowe can identify in court.

Porkins??!!!

With a weekend to kill, Marlowe is considering a holiday when an old friend and former numbers make an appearance.  “Lucky” Lou Harmer (Christopher Muncke of The Spy Who Loved Me, How Sleep the Brave, D.A.R.Y.L. and Haunted Honeymoon) plans to hit a casino and wants some muscle in case he scores big. With his date Sally Glen (Gayle Hunnicutt of Marlowe, Scorpio, The Legend of Hell House and Target) they plan to make the scene.  Marlowe gets sapped and his .38 long barrel gets lifted, his head ringing like a four alarm bell only find out Harmer got a .38 driven in his heart.

Sally shows up to Marlowe’s office with 25,000 gees, Harmer’s winnings and a sob story.   Marlowe gets a well armed invitation by enough muscle to rival Gold’s Gym.  He meets with the brilliant mob boss running the show, Frank Dorr (William Hootkins of Star Wars, Flash Gordon, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Batman).  He offers Marlowe a scotch neat and the deal of countermanding his official statement and have it stricken from the record and in return he gets his gun back and gets to keep the 25,000 gees as a bonus.  Eloquent as always Marlowe tells him to stick it which leads to him shooting his way out of Dorr’s compound.  Now Marlowe has to dodge the cops, deal with the mob and clear his name before the long arm of the law tosses him in the jug.

Damn hat keeps slipping.

I have just a quick couple of notes on this episode if you will.   Marlowe’s ride is a 1934 Ford Two Door Sedan powder blue.   The chairs and desk in Dorr’s office are Wolfgang Hoffmann creations, I believe they were recreations for the episode given the extreme value that furniture fetches but I do not have those details.  I can’t do everything for you people!  Sheesh.