Kattiera Nana I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Monkeywess This is an astonishing documentary that will wring your heart while it bends your mind

rcj5365 A lot of great actors have played Mickey Spillane's bad boy detective. From the list of Hollywood heavyweights from Anthony Quinn to Robert Bray,Biff Elliott,Ralph Meeker,Robert Mitchum,Stacey Keach and even Mickey Spillane himself. Perhaps from the range of actors that were convincing,nobody did it better with style and class better than Darren McGavin. His portrayal of gumshoe tough guy Mike Hammer was not only laid back but was a class act. Mickey Spillane's character was basically the first title used for two syndicated television series that followed the adventures of fictional private investigator Mike Hammer. This was the first of the two television series featuring the gritty,crime fighting detective. The first from the mid-1950's starred Darren McGavin while the other from the early-1980's starred Stacey Keach."Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer",with Darren McGavin in the title role,was the first syndicated television series based on Spillane's title character,the adventures of a tough gumshoe hard-boiled private detective. The series was itself one extremely violent,sexist series that was one of the coolest detective shows of its day. The series produced 78 episodes and it ran two seasons in syndication from 1956 to 1959. The series was produced by Revue Productions/MCA-TV Universal Studios. Filmed in Hollywood of course,with the opening and closing credits of the show using that scenery of New York as its theme. The black and white filming of the series enhances the film noir atmosphere. The entire premise of the show is that the world is an evil and violent place(the setting is New York),and the strong and upright must be as tough and quick as the baddies to set things right.In the space of a half-hour,Darren McGavin normally escapes assassination attempts on his life,beats at least one man to a bloody pulp while continuously flirts with one or more beautiful women,fires of some 50's tough guy slang while solving a murder and a mystery. The pace of this show is very fast and once you watch it you may want to keep up with what happens next. Darren McGavin's character of Mike Hammer was a tough gumshoe private eye while regularly played judge,jury and executioner to an assortment of bad guys and crooked lowlifes each week. All within a 30 minute time slot. In the final analysis when Hammer solves the mysteries and brings the baddies to justice he may have to go beyond or stoop down to the level to take a case ,but you knew he was on the right side. His crusade against crime,while bravely protects the weak,despite taking a regular share of abuse in just about every episode,takes risk to himself by going great lengths to protect his clients' innocent. He is strong,cynical and have to be extremely violent to do what he has to do. Mike Hammer was the epitome of 50's cool and Darren McGavin was a brilliant to watch here.Darren McGavin,after Mike Hammer was canceled in 1959 McGavin switched gears starring in the short-lived western series "Riverboat"(which was also produced by Revue Studios), and would return to played another hardboiled detective in the short-lived 1965 series called "The Outsider",and later on would go on to greater fame as Carl Kolchak in the classic supernatural-detective show of the early 1970's "Kolchak:The Night Stalker" Bart Burns played the role of Hammer's trustworthy ally in the police department Captain Pat Chambers. Burns who go on to guest star in several television series including "Dragnet","Columbo","Ironside",and "The Rockford Files".Speaking of the guest star roster for this classic series from the 1950's,you had stars that were coming up,but made a name for themselves during this time....from Barbara Bain,Robert Vaughn,John Forsythe,to Loren Greene,and even Carl Betz...the list goes on and on. What a show!

austinink I really like the show and the virile "manliness" and cool humor exhibited by Darren Gavin. I'm sorry he has passed on. Some feminists might find the humor demeaning, but we have to remember it was mid-60s. My only criticism is that it was mainly filmed in Hollywood except for a very few exterior shots of New York. It is very Californiaish, particularly in some outdoors shots which are definitely not New York countryside. That's a failing if you really want authenticity about a New York detective, particularly when you compare it to "Naked City" which was filmed on the streets of the city. Luckily some of the episodes are now on DVD. (I wish there would be more of these classic series on TV.)

rosco1947 This series ran from 1956 to 1949; which means I was age 9 through 12 at the time. Yet, despite this, I remember it as one of the most impressive Private Dectective series ever. A much younger Darrin Mcgavin took part in a great many " physical " encounters with the bad guys. Unlike the stereotype " good guy ", with Mike Hammer, anything goes. I mean chairs, tables anything. Those stunt guys had their work cut out for them. So it was truly a joy to see that this actors' career continued successfully. In fact, Jerry Lewis" first movie after his split with Dean Martin, " Delicate Delinquint " starred Mr. McGavin. When he showed that he could comedy as well ( " Christmas Story " ), it was great. Of course most people will remember him as " Kojak " - and I truly enjoyed that series. But for me, he will always be the very feisty Mike Hammer.

revtg001 A lot of actors have played Mickey Spillane's bad boy. Anthony Quinn, Robert Bray, Biff Elliot, Stacey Keetch and Mickey himself. Nobody did it with the convincing style of Darren McGavin. His Mike Hammer was a laid back, class act. A friend of mine said it best. "This guy's the real thing," he said. "When he gets a bad guy down he doesn't hesitate to put feet on him 'til he knows he won't get up. That's real." They filmed 72 episodes of that show. I'd give big bucks to have them on a DVD. I remember watching the show in Texas. A beer company in San Antonio sponsored the show. Each episode opened with the camera moving onto Hammer's office where he sat behind his desk. He would say, "Come on in. I'm always ready for some company." And he would reach behind him to open a filing cabinet drawer and take out two bottles of Lone Star beer. The first time I saw that I said, This is going to work. I was right. McGavin did not like the character Mike Hammer. He thought the whole thing was a spoof and never took in seriously. That relaxed attitude is what made the show great.