Taglines: Trapped in the quicksand of love…Caught up in a nightmare of murder and intrigue!
The Girl Hunters movie storyline. Legendary detective Mike Hammer has spent seven years in an alcoholic funk after the supposed death of his secretary, Velda. He is brought back to the land of the living by his old friendly enemy, police lieutenant Pat Chambers.
The Girl Hunters (1963) is a British-made crime drama film directed by Roy Rowland, adapted from the 1962 Mickey Spillane pulp novel of the same name. Spillane himself stars as private detective Mike Hammer, one of the few occasions in film history in which an author of a popular literary hero has portrayed his own character. It also starred Bond girl Shirley Eaton (Goldfinger), veteran actor Lloyd Nolan, and syndicated newspaper columnist Hy Gardner as himself.
The film features examples of product placement when Spillane and Nolan share a couple of cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Also, during the first newsstand scene, Mad Magazine #77 (March 1963) is clearly visible. Spillane recalled meeting crime figure Billy Hill in London and invited him to the film set.
According to Spillane, Hill provided firearms that were used in the film. Spillane also noted that the producers surrounded him with actors who were shorter than he was. Producer Robert Fellows intended to follow the film with Spillane’s The Snake but it was never made.
About the Story
Ever since his loved and lovely assistant Velda has gone missing, private detective Mike Hammer has been drinking steadily. For seven years he hasn’t been on a case, but that changes when his former pal from the police, Capt. Pat Chambers, asks his assistance on a job. Capt. Chambers and Hammer were both in love with Velda leading to an end of their friendship. A senator has been murdered and Velda has disappeared.
Hammer is needed to talk with Richie Cole, a dying sailor who refuses to speak with anybody else. According to federal agent Art Rickerby, not only has Richie been shot by the same gun recently used to kill a politician, he is actually an undercover federal agent. Hammer’s investigation leads to Laura Knapp, the late senator’s widow. She is beautiful and she is seductive, but Hammer does not trust her.
He learns that they are all caught up in the fallout from a network of spies operating during WWII. Now a killer nicknamed the “dragon” is trying to silence people who had some information about the spying. At the end Hammer manages to find and kill the “dragon”. He confronts Laura with the his suspicions about her involvement . Laura fires a shotgun that Hammer had disabled in order to test her loyalty and Hammer gets his answer. It is not clear if Velda is still alive.
The Girl Hunters (1963)
Directed by: Roy Rowland
Starring: Mickey Spillane, Shirley Eaton, Scott Peters, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Charles Farrell, Kim Tracy, Lloyd Nolan, Benny Lee, Murray Kash, Bill Nagy, Ricardo Montez
Screenplay by: Mickey Spillane, Robert Fellows, Roy Rowland
Production Design by: Denis Johnson
Cinematography by: Kenneth Talbot
Film Editing by: Sidney Stone
Costume Design by: Rene Coke, Dan Millstein
Art Direction by: Tony Inglis
Music by: Philip Green
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Colorama Features, Zodiac International Pictures
Release Date: June 12, 1963 (Los Angeles)
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