The High Window
Encyclopedia
The High Window is a 1942 novel written by Raymond Chandler
. It is his third novel to feature Los Angeles
private detective
Philip Marlowe
.
, that belonged in her deceased husband's collection. Mrs. Murdock insists that her son's wife has stolen the coin. Marlowe begins investigating, and discovers a horrible truth; every owner of the Brasher Doubloon has been murdered. He also must play psychoanalyst
, to solve the riddle of Mrs. Murdock's troubled assistant, and the assistant's relationship to both Mrs. Murdock and her son. This is necessary to put together the big picture; Marlowe is never satisfied with only solving one piece of the puzzle.
, directed by Herbert I. Leeds and released in 1942. The second adaptation was The Brasher Doubloon
, directed by John Brahm
and released in 1947.
The novel was adapted for radio by Bill Morrison, directed by John Tydeman and broadcast on BBC Radio 4
on 17 October 1977 starring Ed Bishop
as Marlowe and again on 8 October 2011 staring Toby Stephens
.
Raymond Chandler
Raymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
. It is his third novel to feature Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
private detective
Private investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe
Philip Marlowe is a fictional character created by Raymond Chandler in a series of novels including The Big Sleep and The Long Goodbye. Marlowe first appeared under that name in The Big Sleep published in 1939...
.
Plot introduction
The story begins (in the pre-war summer of 1941) when Mrs. Elizabeth Bright Murdock hires Marlowe to find an old rare coin, the Brasher DoubloonBrasher Doubloon (coin)
The Brasher Doubloon is a rare American coin, privately minted in and after 1787.- History :In 1787, Ephraim Brasher , a goldsmith and silversmith, submitted a petition to the State of New York to mint copper coins. The petition was denied when New York decided to not to get into the business of...
, that belonged in her deceased husband's collection. Mrs. Murdock insists that her son's wife has stolen the coin. Marlowe begins investigating, and discovers a horrible truth; every owner of the Brasher Doubloon has been murdered. He also must play psychoanalyst
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a psychological theory developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud. Psychoanalysis has expanded, been criticized and developed in different directions, mostly by some of Freud's former students, such as Alfred Adler and Carl Gustav...
, to solve the riddle of Mrs. Murdock's troubled assistant, and the assistant's relationship to both Mrs. Murdock and her son. This is necessary to put together the big picture; Marlowe is never satisfied with only solving one piece of the puzzle.
Film and radio adaptation
Two film adaptations of the novel have been made. The first was Time to KillTime to Kill (1942 film)
Time to Kill is the first screen adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel The High Window, which was remade five years later as The Brasher Doubloon. The detective was changed from Philip Marlowe to Michael Shayne for this version, with Lloyd Nolan playing the part and Heather Angel in a rare turn...
, directed by Herbert I. Leeds and released in 1942. The second adaptation was The Brasher Doubloon
The Brasher Doubloon
The Brasher Doubloon is a 1947 film noir based on the novel The High Window by Raymond Chandler....
, directed by John Brahm
John Brahm
John Brahm was a film and television director possibly best known today for directing a dozen of the original Twilight Zone episodes including the now classic "Time Enough at Last"...
and released in 1947.
The novel was adapted for radio by Bill Morrison, directed by John Tydeman and broadcast on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
on 17 October 1977 starring Ed Bishop
Ed Bishop
Ed Bishop was an American film, television, stage and radio actor based in Britain.-Early life:Bishop served in the US Army from 8 October 1952 to 24 September 1954, working as a disc jockey with the Armed Forces Radio at St. Johns in Newfoundland...
as Marlowe and again on 8 October 2011 staring Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens
Toby Stephens is an English stage, television and film actor who has appeared in films in both Hollywood and Bollywood. He is best known for playing megavillain Gustav Graves in the James Bond film Die Another Day , Edward Fairfax Rochester in the BBC television adaptation of Jane Eyre and Philip...
.