Peeper (1976)

In 1947 Los Angeles, a bumbling British private eye (Michael Caine) is hired by a newly rich man (Michael Constantine) to find his long lost daughter who was given up for adoption almost 30 years ago. He narrows it down to two wealthy Beverly Hills sisters: one (Natalie Wood) a femme fatale and the other (Kitty Winn, THE EXORCIST) aloof and reserved. But which one? It would be lovely to report that this little seen spoof of the film noir genre was an undiscovered gem but alas, it's a misfire right down the line. Watching the actors delivering their supposed to be witty lines, I couldn't help but think, "Do they know that the dialogue isn't remotely funny?". Directed by Peter Hyams (CAPRICORN ONE), the picture looks wonderful. Albert Brenner's production design, Patricia Norris's costumes and Earl Rath's cinematography are period detailed and impeccable. But poor Caine loudly snarling his lines has an air of desperation about him that's uncomfortable to watch. But nothing compared to Liam Dunn's godawful mugging as a family retainer, my skin crawled! With Thayer David, Timothy Carey, Paul Jabara and Dorothy Adams.