The Black Marble

The Black Marble
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Harold Becker
Screenplay by	Joseph Wambaugh
Based on	The Black Marble 1978 novel by Joseph Wambaugh
Produced by	Frank Capra, Jr.
Starring	Robert Foxworth Paula Prentiss Harry Dean Stanton
Cinematography	Owen Roizman
Edited by	Maury Winetrobe
Music by	Maurice Jarre
Production company	The Black Marble Company
Distributed by	AVCO Embassy Pictures
Release date	March 7, 1980 (1980-03-07)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$3 million
Box office	$2.5 million

The Black Marble is a 1980 American mystery-romantic comedy film directed by Harold Becker, based on Joseph Wambaugh's 1978 novel of the same name. Produced by Frank Capra Jr. and featuring a musical score by Maurice Jarre, the film stars Robert Foxworth as the emotionally troubled LAPD Sergeant A.M. Valnikov, Paula Prentiss as his pragmatic partner Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman, and Harry Dean Stanton as Philo Skinner, a desperate dog groomer who kidnaps a prize show dog for ransom.

Set in Los Angeles, the narrative follows the unlikely pairing of Valnikov reeling from alcoholism and grief and Zimmerman as they investigate the canine abduction. Their professional collaboration evolves into mutual empathy and romance, while Valnikov confronts his personal struggles amidst the quirky but tense police procedural. Though not a commercial success (grossing $2.5 million against a $3 million budget), the film received critical praise for its distinctive tonal blend of drama, comedy, and romance, notably earning Wambaugh the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture.

The title “Black Marble” refers to a metaphorical “bad-luck draw,” reflecting the characters’ sense of misfortune until they find redemption through connection and resilience.

Plot

Pragmatic Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman of the LAPD is paired with Sgt. Valnikov, a romantic detective of Russian descent who is going through a midlife crisis and who drinks heavily due to the pressures of his job. Together they investigate the kidnapping of a Beverly Hills socialite's valuable pet dog. It was carried out by sleazy gambler Philo Skinner, who runs a beauty parlor for pets and is desperately in need of cash to cancel his debts.

The teaming of the officers not only helps Valnikov to put himself together, but the pair also falls in love. While containing more humorous elements than most of Joseph Wambaugh's stories, it continues to explore Wambaugh's common theme of the psychological burdens of police work.

The title of the film comes from a phrase used by Natalie. The term "black marble" is synonymous to choosing the short straw or having bad luck. She states that she is always picking the black marble and does not want to anymore. She initially considers Valnikov a "black marble," but ultimately no longer believes this to be true.

Cast

• Robert Foxworth as Sgt. A.M. Valnikov
• Paula Prentiss as Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman
• Harry Dean Stanton as Philo Skinner
• Barbara Babcock as Madeline Whitfield
• John Hancock as Clarence Cromwell
• Raleigh Bond as Capt. 'Hipless' Hooker
• Judy Landers as Pattie Mae
• Pat Corley as Itchy Mitch
• Paul Henry Itkin as Det. Bullets Bambarella
• Richard Dix as Alex Valnikov
• Jorge Cervera Jr. as Dr. Rivera
• Marilyn Chris as Mavis Skinner
• Doris Belack as Married Woman
• Michael Dudikoff as Millie's houseboy
• Lou Cutell as Mr. Limpwood
• Anne Ramsey as Bessie Callahan
• Michael D. Gainsborough as Capt. John "Jack" Packerton
• Robin Raymond as Millie
• Billy Beck as Man at Cemetery
• Herta Ware as Grand Duchess
• Christopher Lloyd as Arnold's Collector
• Adele Malis-Morey as Woman at Cemetery
• James Woods as The Fiddler
• Jane Daly as Bullets' Girlfriend

Production

After the success of The Onion Field in 1979, writer Wambaugh joined producer Frank Capra Jr. to make this dramatic comedy. Both films conform a diptych about the private lives of police officers, under the direction of Harold Becker. Actor James Woods, the protagonist of The Onion Field, also appears in this one, in a cameo as a fiddler.

The producers wanted actress Paula Prentiss for the role of Natalie Zimmerman. After the release of The Stepford Wives in 1975, she had decided to raise her children and thereafter only made television movies, such as Having Babies II and Friendships, Secrets and Lies. For her comeback to films, Prentiss was asked to gain weight to play Zimmerman's character.

Reception

Roger Ebert, in his Chicago Sun-Times review, which was written on February 22, 1980, gave the film three-and-a-half of a possible four stars. Ebert described it as an "unusual and distinctive comedy," and concluded: "This isn't a seamless piece of work, but it's infectious and charming." Gene Siskel gave it 2 and 1/2 stars, stating that the police thriller part worked but the romance did not. The two critics gave the film a lot of publicity when it was randomly chosen as the screening film for a special episode that showed the entire process by which Gene and Roger prepared for their jobs, went to the screening room at a much larger theatre, and then wrote up their reviews for their respective newspapers.

Although The Black Marble was not a commercial hit, it won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for film given by the association Mystery Writers of America.

The Black Marble holds a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews.

Awards

1981 Edgar Allan Poe Awards

• Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Motion Picture — Harold Becker

External links

• The Black Marble at IMDb
• The Black Marble at the TCM Movie Database
• The Black Marble at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
• The Black Marble at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Black Marble at Box Office Mojo