Private detective Philip Marlow (George Montgomery) is employed by Mrs Murdoch (Florence Bates) to recover a valuable doubloon (which is a coin) which has found it's way into an unscrupulous dealer. Marlow isn't employed to find out who stole the coin though (as only Mrs Murdoch, her wayward son Leslie (Conrad Janis) and the somewhat erratic assistant Merle (Nancy Guild) have access to the safe so it would be a pretty simple investigation), rather he must get the coin back.
But Marlow's investigation is soon getting him involved with shady gangland characters in bad suits, and more than one stiff. Marlow gets interested in Merle but she has some unknown psychological issues, and is being blackmailed by a cameraman...
This is a highly enjoyable film with a tough(ish) and cynical Noir feel. It can be a bit corny but is great fun.
