11 Harrowhouse (1974)

It’s a little odd to me that I managed to find, within a week of each other, two movies I’ve been seeking out for more than two decades. I can’t recall if I actually saw this one in the theater or not, but I certainly saw it on TV when I was a kid, and then never since. So it’s been almost forty years (am I really that old? I suppose so) that I’ve been a fan of this movie, and only recently got to see it again.

It’s an unjustly forgotten gem. Charles Grodin stars and narrates (in some versions, more later) as Howard Chesser, a diamond seller who buys from ‘The System’ located at Number 11 Harrowhouse street (hence the title). He inherited his job from his father, and his contact at the System, Meecham (John Gielgud) never lets him forget it. Meecham continually slights and rips off Chesser, who has little recourse as he requires access to their diamonds. The lone ace Chesser has up his sleeve is his girlfriend, Maren (Candice Bergen, sigh), who is independently wealthy, intelligent, and frightfully skilled (think a blonde Emma Peel). Chesser is contacted by a very wealthy man, Massey (Trevor Howard), who wants him to purchase a 100 carat diamond which Massey intends to name after himself. All goes well for Chesser and Maren until they are drugged and relieved of the diamond, at which point Massey uses his leverage on them to force them to steal a cache of diamonds located underground at The System. To do this, Chesser enlists the aid of a longtime System employee, Charles Watts (James Mason), to provide him with information.

This could have been a normal caper pic, but what sets it apart is the wonderfully dry voiceover narration by Grodin (who apparently wrote that dialogue himself). While the film itself is entertaining and clever, the wry narration is what really makes it sing (at one point Chesser says, “These guys couldn’t be that much smarter than me. They were chasing a motor vehicle on horseback.”). The movie has been released to DVD sans narration, and while I’m sure that’s an engaging experience, you’re very definitely missing something without it (I watched a low-res TV rip of the movie rather to obtain a version with narration rather than watch DVD quality without it).

Grodin is terrific; he’s dry and ironic, almost an anti-hero spoof of the macho superspy. He’s completely comfortable with the fact that Maren is better at the caper stuff than he is (she teaches him how to shoot, and is the one that initially infiltrates the System’s security). Grodin brings an everyman quality to the role that makes Chesser appealing to the viewer, a mid-70s mensch who is the very opposite of a spy like James Bond. For all that he’s terribly engaging, and the voiceover work is brilliant. Bergen is even more appealing that usual; one suspects that Maren realizes she’s the better half of the pair, but she never lords it over him, content to be partner to a man she loves. She’s just as much fun as Grodin, and brings just the light touch to the proceedings. The other three leads – Howard, Mason, and Gielgud – are all uniformly excellent (one would expect no less of them), with Mason giving a touching performance and Gielgud being a real prick.

The film is a perfect example of mid-70s irony; Grodin is hardly the masculine leading man, yet his humor and intelligence render him instantly appealing. Bergen could have coasted on her ample good looks (which they take smart advantage of), but her Maren is confident, capable, and free-spirited, a perfect match for Chesser. At times almost leaning into spoof, 11 Harrowhouse is just the right blend of action, heist movie, and humor, the kind of film they really don’t make any more (think a drier Ocean’s 11, and don’t think about its sequels at all). Again, unjustly forgotten, this film is definitely worth your time to look up – but make sure you get a version including Grodin’s brilliant narration (available on iTunes). Certainly worth your time to look up. Hell, I waited almost four decades and I wasn’t disappointed.

April 28, 2013