This is not a film noir by any means, but a throwback to the dime detective novel that with several elements added became film noir in the 1940's. You'd almost classify it as film noir, but as somebody who often calls other similar themed films as noir cannot find that one element to put it in that category. As "The Big Sleep" is combination detective story/film noir, this is combination detective story/political thriller.Opening up with a drunk Mike Hammer (Mickey Spillane) passed out on a dark city street, this quickly moves to his rehab, return to his detective agency, and his return to a case involving the murders of his secretary and a senator that has baffled all who have tried to solve it. Hammer ends up all over this dark city in society, in waterfront dives, and involved with soft looking dames who know more than they are willing to share. Never leaving is that solo trumpet, haunting you as it practically becomes a character in the story.Often stagnant and slow, this lacks in star power but overwhelms you with detail and intensity. At times, it becomes very perplexing, taking a metaphorical side street but suddenly back on the main drag. Of the supporting cast, only veteran character actor Lloyd Nolan is familiar, playing opposite Spillane which is the type of part he played as Michael Shayne and other B movie detectives. The future Bond girl, Shirley Eaton, is a golden blonde vixen, making the most of both her sultry looks and mysterious character. This is new wave cinema at its finest at a time when the old style of Hollywood cinema began taking on new ideas to change with the times. If you're hunting for a masterpiece, this ain't it, but it will keep your brain on its toes and your eyes full front.

With people like Stacy Keach, Darren McGavin and Ralph Meeker acclaimed for their portrayals of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, why he thought it would be a good idea to play his creation himself we'll never know. Were not McGavin or Meeker available for The Girl Hunters.Mickey may have invented Mike Hammer, but that doesn't mean he can or should play him. That's what we got actors for. After this all I would say to him if he was still around is Mickey Spillane, stick to your own racket.After a secretary of his disappears and is presumed dead Hammer goes on a seven year bender. But he gets brought back into the game unwillingly when a dying shooting victim will only talk to him. As angry as that gets police detective Scott Peters he has to go along with it. Hammer is back in the game.It's all involved with the murder of a U.S. Senator as well. From the description he was a Joe McCarthy type character. Hammer gets to quiz Shirley Eaton who is the widow and high on the Washington, DC party circuit. The villains are of course those dirty Reds.I noted that the late Robert Fellows was credited as well as Spillane himself with the screenplay. Fellows was a rightwing sort and for a while a producing partner with John Wayne. I think this one was sitting around gathering dust since Joe McCarthy was in his glory days. It certainly is dated.Not much to say about the production itself. Nothing outstanding in it other than Spillane's horrible acting.If The Girl Hunters proves anything it proves Mickey Spillane was not Noel Coward, the best interpreter of his own work.

This film starring Mickey Spillane as his hero creation, Mike Hammer, does indeed have its moments. The problem is, if we splice those moments together and remove the rest, the film runs, at best, 20-22 minutes; maybe 25 if you add the opening credits. As such, this would made a great 30 minute 1950's television episode.Spillane does a credible job of personifying his character, Mike Hammer. The key reason being, Hammer was crafted as a reflection of Spillane. Therefore, Spillane had only to play himself which, after a lifetime of practice, was not difficult.Then we have to ask, what's wrong with this film? And the answer is, everything that comes between its 25 minutes of glory, as mentioned earlier. In essence, there simply is no film to speak of.The truth of the matter is that, Spillane, should have been content with the chance to portray his character on screen for the first time -as he thought "Mike Hammer" should be portrayed - period. After all, for years he'd complained that he didn't like the previous screen portrayals (with particular venom reserved for Biff Elliot's performance in "I the Jury" in the mid 50's). But being a writer himself, he wasn't content, and interfered with the film's experienced screen writing staff. The net result was not good.Spillane tried to paint in a specific background for the film, that included real bits of his life. The end product was right for a book, but not for a screenplay of a, supposed, action drama.For instance, he insisted on including his close confidant and friend columnist Hy Gardner. Gardner's scene is long and boring, because Gardner himself is boring. If he wanted Gardner included, he should have allowed an experienced character actor to portray him, vigorously, via a good script.One of Spillane's favorite bistros was one of New York's best German restaurants, located on 44th Street in Manhattan. The film spends a lot of dead time showing him walking to that location, and having protracted conversations with the other character actors in the darkened restaurant. The conversations are long and, for the most part, pointless. I'm certain however, for the publicity, the management was quite happy.This film serves two purposes:(1) it does indeed show how the character of Mike Hammer should be portrayed to be true to the Spillane books.(2) It shows how not to make a - almost "Film Noir" - detective film.My suggestion, see Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer in "Kiss Me Deadly". Now that's a detective film and that's "Film Noir".

It isn't that Mickey Spillaine can't act that makes this movie so awful. It's everything--from the amateurish directing and Neanderthal script to the annoying trumpet blasts that rise out of the soundtrack.There's absolutely nothing about this film that works. Everybody fawns over Mike hammer the whole time--with the exception of the mean cop who used to be his friend. There's your plot line.Here's a long shot but it could be that the producers of Goldfinger saw this bomb and stole a couple of items from it (no one would know since about 16 people ever saw this film on its release). First Shirley Eaton--the only woman in this thing --went on to stardom as the golden girl. And there's a scene before the big fight where the bad guy fires his hat Oddjob-style at our hero.What is about guys that can't act (and know it)? They seem to want to bring along others with the same deficiency. So Spillaine has several scenes with a real-life newspaper columnist that rank up there as some of the worst in the movie and, therefore, of all time.If you want something to do while watching this turkey, count the number of times Hammer pulls on and off his trenchcoat. London Fog had to be involved in the production.As for Mike Hammer movies, stay away from "Girl Hunters" and stick with Ralph Meeker and "Kiss me Deadly."