The Black Marble (1980)

A romantic comedy which explores the pressures on police officers.

Director:

Harold Becker

Writers:

Joseph Wambaugh (novel), Joseph Wambaugh (screenplay)

Stars:

Robert Foxworth, Paula Prentiss, Harry Dean Stanton

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Foxworth	...	Sgt. A.M. Valnikov
Paula Prentiss	...	Sgt. Natalie Zimmerman
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Philo Skinner
Barbara Babcock	...	Madeline Whitfield
John Hancock	...	Clarence Cromwell
Raleigh Bond	...	Captain 'Hipless' Hooker
Judy Landers	...	Pattie Mae
Pat Corley	...	Itchy Mitch
Paul Henry Itkin	...	Det. Bullets Bambarella
Richard Dix	...	Alex Valnikov
Jorge Cervera Jr.	...	Dr. Rivera
Marilyn Chris	...	Mavis Skinner
Doris Belack	...	Harried Woman
Dallas Alinder	...	Chester Biggs
Elizabeth Farley	...	Receptionist

Storyline

Pragmatic Sgt. Natalie Zimmermann is paired with Valnikov, a romantic detective of Russian origin who is going through a midlife crisis. They fall in love while solving the case of the kidnapping of a socialite's pet dog.

---

Plot Keywords:

vodka | color in title | cop romance | dog show | alcoholic cop | 

---

Taglines:

The Black Marble" is a motion picture different than anything JOSEPH WAMBAUGH has ever written.

---

Genres:

Crime | Romance | Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1981 (Australia)

Also Known As:

Alle bliver sorteper

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Black Marble Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The amount of the ransom was $85,000.

---

Connections

Featured in Sneak Previews: Going to the Movies (1980)

User Reviews

Lovely Paula Prentiss comeback

In 1980 Paula Prentiss returned to good form after a five-year absence from the screen, with this affectionate version of Joseph Wambaugh's novel. Less concerned with physical action, this is a romantic comedy that deals with the inner world of police detectives. In a way, The Black Marble is the second installment of a trilogy about people in uniform, started with The Onion Field and finished with Taps, all three films directed by Harold Becker, photographed by Owen Roizman and edited by Maury Winetrobe. Roizman used splendidly the Panavision format, while Maurice Jarre contributed a beautiful score. Robert Foxworth, Harry Dean Stanton, Barbara Babcock and John Hancock all gave very good performances. A nice cameo by James Woods.