Nieten unter sich

I read the book (©1978) about two weeks ago, rated it 8/10, discovered there was a movie version (©1980), watched the movie last night while "Irene" was storming our neighborhood. The book was slow to start and a bit difficult to get into. But, once the author "set the hook", I couldn't stop reading. What a superb composition. But then comes the movie... Hollywood did an outstanding job moving the book to film. The last time I enjoyed a book/film combination as much as this was for "Get Shorty". Well done Wambaugh! Thanks much.

The character development within the film is excellent with plenty of concentration on the major & minor players... one reason the movie is as long as it is. Some may complain, but one can't really appreciate how well this development supports the overall thrust of the movie without reading the book or watching the movie a second time.

This is an offbeat sad, melancholy comedy for which the viewer has to be in the right disposition to enjoy it. Somehow a last stance against total despair. But if the disposition of the viewer IS right, The Black Marble can bring many joyous and thoughtful moments.

The main theme is, as often in a script by Joseph Wambaugh, that being a cop in L. A. is just unbearable in the long run. Soft hearted romantic Sgt. A.M. Valnikov, member of the Russian orthodox church, certainly has chosen the wrong job and shows first signs of vodka induced paranoia. He is teamed up with outwardly tough Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman who says „this isn't a goddamn Chekhov play" - but does she mean it? The case the two officers are involved in is the kidnapping of a Schnauzer by a punk who happens to be a dog breeder and trainer. Valnikov flies to the rescue of the distraught female owner without being able to bring the case to a happy conclusion. The only thing he is capable of is offering solace, which he does in a way that makes his colleague, frankly, jealous. But the movie trundles to a generally consoling if not very convincing ending with everybody more or less happy.

The team around director Harold Becker made the best out of a tight budget. For me this is one of the most memorable L. A. movies with really beautiful locations (the great musical score by Jarre helps wonderfully). There are many hilarious scenes, especially all the dog world related ones, the violent final (and totally accidental) clash between lawman and perpetrator and an enthusiastic Mexican doctor who has to „clean up" lower body parts of the punk after he got his pecker between canine fangs („it's still there, but you may not want to use it for a few weeks"). Not everything is perfect, sometimes I would really have liked romantic scenes to linger on some more, the last scene falls entirely flat (did the budget run out?), but on the whole The Black Marble is a fine piece of movie making.

The ensemble cast is just great. The most intriguing character for me is police officer Clarence Cromwell, played by John Hancock. What else can he be but an angel? He has no other function but to be there when his colleagues argue or are downbeat, not least his boss who doesn't decide anything without consulting him. It all gives that character a strangely supernatural aura.

The only thing wrong with this movie was the way they handled it upon release. I'm not into Wambaugh cop films, but this was different. Good performance from Robert Foxworth and a lovely, nuanced one from Paula Prentiss (who was NEVER nominated; believe it or not). These are some messed up folks in L.A. in 1980 from different culture, but good cops. Harry Dean Stanton is perfect as the dog-napper, but this flick has a rhythm.

You never really know where this film is going; all the Ukranian background of Foxworth and Prentiss' patience with this troubled over-worked mess of a guy, patiently works a semi-romantic tinge to this strange cop film. It's a 7 out of 10 for sure.

This drama/comedy from Joseph Wambaugh, about cops in crisis, is all over the place. At its best, as in the scenes where detective Valnikov confesses his PTSD to his partner, Zimmerman, or relates his experiences with his cynical, dystopian ex partner, it resembles a good episode of the great 70s, TV series, "Police Story", which Wambaugh created. At its worst, as in the scenes with the bumbling captain and his assistant, it's like a not so good episode of "Barney Miller". And the stuff with Harry Dean Stanton as a sleazy vet pursued by loan sharks is another movie altogether so that this film has the general, awkward feel of two worlds, Bukowski, say, and Wambaugh, constantly bumping into each other. Maybe there was a way to combine these two very different parts into one seamless whole but, if so, it eluded director Harold Becker. You stick with it because Robert Foxworth, Paula Prentiss and Stanton are skilled actors and all do good work here, especially Prentiss whose ability to navigate both comedy and drama, often in the same scene, is admirable and reminds me that she had a dismayingly all too brief career, (basically quitting acting in her fifties). Also noteworthy is Owen Roizman's cinematography that brings early 80s LA, especially the parts bordering the Hollywood Freeway, alive for me. Give it a C plus.

PS...Both Foxworth and Prentiss attended Lamar High in Houston at roughly the same time. Ah, Google!

I have this movie on VHS and haven't watched it in quite awhile, but I wanted to leave a quick comment. I found this movie to be quite funny and to be appreciated for the great performances by Robert Foxworth, Paula Prentiss and Harry Dean Stanton. It's a quirky movie to be sure but full of small moments of laughter and sadness. It has just the right pace although some might find it a little slow at moments. If you enjoy a movie that relies on good acting and not special effects, this could be just the movie for scrunching up on the sofa with a bowl of popcorn and relaxing. Also the surprise appearance by a young James Woods supplies just the right amount of comic relief....Enjoy!