P.J. (DVD)

From John Guillermin, the outstanding director of The Blue Max, The Bridge at Remagen, Skyjacked, The Towering Inferno, King Kong and Death on the Nile, comes this thrilling mystery in the tradition of Harper and The Long Goodbye. Down-on-his-luck New York private eye P.J. Detweiler (George Peppard, Newman’s Law) takes a bodyguard job to protect Maureen Preble (Gayle Hunnicutt, Marlowe), the mistress of shady millionaire William Orbison (Raymond Burr, Rear Window). P.J. gets in over his head after Orbison’s business partner is gunned down and he’s framed for the murder. It becomes clear to P.J. that he’s been set up and after his release by the authorities, he makes it back to New York to confront the masterminds of the plot. Beautifully shot in CinemaScope by Loyal Griggs (Shane) with a memorably jazzy score by Neal Hefti (Duel at Diablo). The wonderful supporting cast includes Brock Peters (Framed), Wilfrid Hyde-White (The Third Man), Coleen Gray (Kiss of Death), Susan Saint James (Love at First Bite) and Anthony James (High Plains Drifter).