There's a line in Harper, where Paul Newman says, in response to curious surprise that he doesn't drink, that he's a new kind of detective. He's not, really -- Lew Harper is a private eye in the best tradition of Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade, and the story could easily have been written by Raymond Chandler or Dashiell Hammett. Paul Newman is perfect for the role: he plays his cards close to the chest and has a way of exuding toughness and vulnerability at the same time.