This week’s mystery movie was the 1947 Twentieth Century-Fox film The Brasher Doubloon, with George Montgomery, Nancy Guild, Conrad Janis, Roy Roberts, Fritz Kortner, Florence Bates and Marvin Miller.
Screenplay by Dorothy Hannah. Adaptation by Lenoard Praskins. Based on a novel by Raymond Chandler.
Musical direction by Alfred Newman. Music by David Buttolph. Orchestral arrangements by Maurice de Packh.
Photography by Lloyd Ahern. Art direction by James Basevi and Richard Irvine. Set decoration by Thomas Little and Frank E. Hughes. Edited by Harry Reynolds. Costumes by Eleanor Behm. Makeup by Ben Nye. Photographic effects by Fred Sersen. Sound by Eugene Grossman and Harry M. Leonard.
Produced by Robert Bassler. Directed by John Brahm.
The Brasher Doubloon is available on DVD from TCM.
I picked The Brasher Doubloon as a curiosity. It’s not a distinguished film, for several reasons: George Montgomery is pretty dismal as Philip Marlowe, Nancy Guild isn’t much better and the adaptation doesn’t do any favors to the plot. And yes, we do have “When the plot bogs down, have a man with a gun come through the door,” although it’s not Sheldon Leonard this time, it’s Alfred Linder. And Fritz Kortner. And Nancy Guild.
I wonder which New York Times critic hated it. I’m guessing Bosley Crowther took a pass on The Brasher Doubloon.
Let’s see….
Evidently Bosley was on the case (May 22, 1947):
Pull up a chair, friends of the mystery melodrama, and let’s have a go at The Brasher Doubloon, latest escapade in the busy career of the indestructible Philip Marlowe, which came yesterday to the Roxy. This is the fourth time around for Raymond Chandler’s popular shamus and, we might add, his efforts to recover the stolen Brasher Doubloon, a rare coin with a violent history, is the least of his exploits to date. Perhaps this is due equally to a pedestrian adaptation of Mr. Chandler’s novel The High Window, to the plodding direction accorded the film by John Brahm, and the lack of conviction in George Montgomery’s interpretation of Marlow.
Trivia note: The movie was followed by a live appearance by Jack Benny, Phil Harris, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson et al. The show-stopper — literally — was Fred Allen yelling “Stop it!” as he raced down the aisle and up on stage as Benny threatened to play “Love in Bloom.”
There is some unusual photography (the camera on the floor, a mirror shot) and some shots of Bunker Hill and the Rose Parade. And the neon signs out the windows of Marlowe’s office provide nice free advertising for the Broadway Hollywood.
More on the history of the film is available from the AFI catalog entry.
The home used for some exterior shots, supposedly in Pasadena, is at 2263 S. Harvard Ave.
For Monday, we have a mystery fellow.
Update: This is Housley Stevenson.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman. Her companions have been cropped out because of their insufficient mysteriousness and will appear later in the week.
Update: For “Aha Thursday,” here’s one of our mystery woman’s mysterious companions.
Update: For Friday, we uncrop our mystery woman’s second mysterious companion, the leading man.
Update: This is Florence Bates, having a moment, accompanied by Roy Roberts, left, and George Montgomery.
Brain Trust roll call: Michael Ryerson (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Robert Morrissey (Monday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery guest), Sheila (Monday’s mystery guest), Benito (Monday’s mystery guest) and Patrick (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guest).
I know! Let’s put the camera on the floor and get a shot of the ceiling. Also a bunch of mystery guests.
Update: Camera on the floor with Ray Spiker (9 o’clock), Marvin Miller ( 6 o’clock), Conrad Janis (5 o’clock), Jack Stoney (3 o’clock) and Alfred Linder (12 o’clock).
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery woman and mystery guests cropped out due to insufficient mysteriousness), Michael Ryerson (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Patrick (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Bob Hansen (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Chrisbo (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Megan and Thom (Tuesday’s mystery woman) Sheila (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman) and Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery woman).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mystery gent with a gun. Also serious pinstripes and a serious suit.
Update: This is Fritz Kortner with ad placement for the Broadway/Hollywood.
We also have this mystery guest. He does not approve of such goings-on.
Update: This is Jack Overman.
Brain Trust roll call: Tucson Barbara (Wednesday’s mystery guy at 6 o’clock), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery coin dealer, and Wednesday’s mystery guests 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 6 o’clock and 9 o’clock), Michael Ryerson (Wednesday’s 12 o’clock, 3 o’clock, 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie, Monday’s mysterious coin dealer and Wednesday’s mystery guest at 6 o’clock), Richard Wegescheide (Wednesday’s mystery guest at 6 o’clock), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery guests 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock), Sarah (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mysterious guest at 5 o’clock), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Monday’s and Tuesday’s mystery guests and Wednesday’s mysterious 6 o’clock guest), Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests 5 o’clock and 6 o’clock), and Heaven (Monday’s mysterious coin dealer).
For Friday, we have a mystery location.
Update: This is the Gladden Apartments, 100 S. Olive on Bunker Hill, with City Hall in the background, and the California State Building as seen in “Illegal.”
We also have these two mysterious gents.
Update: This is Roy Roberts with Robert Adler in the background.
And we have our mysterious leading man and mystery leading lady in a mirror shot.
Update: This is George Montgomery and Nancy Guild in a mirror shot.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery woman’s mysterious companion No. 1, Wednesday’s mysterious Mr. 5 o’clock and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (Tuesday’s mystery woman’s mysterious companion No. 1, Wednesday’s Mr. 9 o’clock, Thursday’s mystery guests, peering into the future to see our mystery leads), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Houseley Stevenson For Monday.
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THE BRASHER DOUBLOON aka THE HIGH WINDOW (1947)
Houseley Stevenson
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Maybe Houseley in the Brasher Doubloon (1947). Maybe.
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Will Wright
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An excellent guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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That’s Housley Stevenson!
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Houseley Stevenson.
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Housely Stevenson, the plastic surgeon in DARK PASSAGE 1947
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Houseley Stevenson, ‘The Lady Gambles’?
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Alan Napier today?
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Good guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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He certainly looks like John Carradine even if he isn’t
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Well, so far I’ve ruled out Peter O’Toole and John Carradine . . .
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Houseley Stevenson in The Brasher Doubloon from 1947.
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Roy Roberts and George Montgomery restrain an overwrought Florence Bates.
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Tuesday may well be Florence bates.
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Florence Bates on Tuesday
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Florence Bates is Tuesday’s actor. Don’t know the movie though.
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Is that Florence Bates Tuesday?
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Tuesday’s ‘alarmed woman’ looks like Florence Bates, but I think Ms Bates is more of a Wednesday person. Just thinkin’ out loud.
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Our guest for today is Florence Bates.
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Florence Bates in ‘The Brasher Doubloon’?
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Florence Bates?
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Well, one of those Wed guys looks like Marvin Miller.
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THE BRASHER DOUBLOON. Houseley Stevenson Monday, Gisela Werbisek Tuesday, Alfred Linder, Ray Spiker, Marvin Miller, Jack Conrad, and Jack Storey today.
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Well, down here lower right we’ve got Marvin Miller, probably the most recognizable, then counter-clockwise we’ve got Conrad Janis, Jack Stoney(?), Alfred Linder and Fritz Kortner(?).
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Did I say ‘lower right’? Ha!
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Left to right: Ray Spiker, Marvin Miller, Conrad Janis, Jack Stoney, Alfred Linder.
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Marvin Miler. So many noirs; maybe Johnny Angel.
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For Wednesday, I believe that is Marvin Miller in the hat, so I’ll then guess ‘Deadline at Dawn’
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Florence Bates, Marvin Miller and Conrad Janis in THE BRASHER DOUBLOON.
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It’s “The Brasher Doubloon” (1947). From this angle Conrad Janis is a dead ringer for Dickie Moore.
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The Brasher Doubloon (1947) w/Houseley Stevenson, Florence Bates, Marvin Miller, Robert Montgomery, Nancy Guild, Conrad Janis, Fritz Kortner…
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Ah-ha! So I was right about Ms Bates.
“The Brasher Doubloon” 1947
Mon – Houseley Stevenson is our coin expert and he’s speaking to OS George Montgomery.
Tues – Florence Bates
Weds – Marvin Miller (not sure about the other guys)
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I change my Monday vote to Houseley Stevenson and The Brasher Doubloon.
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Our movie is The Brasher Doubloon, with Marvin Miller and, we think, Conrad Janis next to him.
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One of whom is Harry Bellaver?
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An excellent guess! But sadly….
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Houseley Stevenson for Monday?? Looks like the funny doc from “Dark Passage”, he has such particular eyeballs!
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Roy Roberts as BOTH guy with what must be the most terrible photo of Florence Bates on Tuesday, Conrad Janis on Wednesday, Fritz Kortner and Jack Overman today. I saw this movie at Cinecon several years ago, and don’t remember almost anything about it except that Marlowe actually had his office in the Cahuenga Building at the northeast corner of Hollywood and Cahuenga.
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Thurs – “guy with a gun” is Fritz Kortner / pensive guy on the bed is Jack Overman.
One of Mr Miller’s Wednesday cohorts is Ray Spiker.
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Fritz Kortner; Jack Overton.
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No, Overman.
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Thursday we finally, actually have Fritz Kortner with the stainless revolver, and an unarmed Jack Overman.
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Fritz Kortner and Jack Overman.
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I think Roy Roberts is the cut for mysterious guy holding Florence Bates.
So Friday will bring George Montgomery, Nancy Guild and maybe Conrad Janis. Who is Reed Hadley?
Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown.
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George Montgomery on Tuesday, Bun;ker HIll looking at city hall and the back of the SoCal edison building, Roy Roberts and Robert Adler, George Montgomery and Nancy Guild. The one sheet on the imdb page is the one that hung on the wall in the photo department at the Herrick Library.
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The Brasher Doubloon
Houseley Stevenson, Florence Bates, 93 year old Conrad Janis, Marvin Miller, Roy Roberts, George Montgomery, and Nancy Guild
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Bunker Hill; Roy Roberts, Robert Adler; George Montgomery, Nancy Guild.
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Friday brings us to a view looking northeast from the corner of 1st Street and Olive with the City Hall in the background and the Gladden Apartments here in the right foreground, formerly the residence of our writer/screenwriter Raymond Chandler. The shorter building is the old State Office building at Broadway and 1st. Then we have Roy Roberts and Robert Adler and, finally George Montgomery and Nancy Guild. Not a particularly good movie.
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Roy Roberts, Robert Adler, George Montgomery and Nancy Guild.
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Bunker Hill. Maybe 2nd and Hope.
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Wednesday’s an in the fedora is Marvin Miller. The Brasher Doubloon from 1947?
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The church in the background of the Rose Parade shot looks like the Pasadena Presbyterian Church on Colorado near E Molino, which had to be destroyed and rebuilt after the Sylmar Earthquake.
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