Gumshoe (1971)

In the dimly lit underworld of nightclub bingo, Eddie Ginley (Albert Finney) exists as a wry caller, his life echoing the monotony of his job. Craving excitement on his 31st birthday, he takes a daring leap into the unpredictable realm of private investigation, inspired by his passion for Dashiell Hammett novels and the iconic persona of Humphrey Bogart. Trading his comedic routine for a trench coat and rapid-fire dialogues, Ginley adopts the guise of a hard-boiled detective, stepping into a world where reality and fiction blur. Just as his new life begins, he receives a cryptic call from a mysterious fat man, who presents him with an enigmatic package – a gun, a photograph, and a considerable sum of money. Suddenly, Ginley finds himself entangled in a web of deceit and danger, his investigation pulling him deeper into a chilling case of weapon and drug smuggling. But as he delves into the shadows, his personal life unravels. He becomes embroiled in a tense familial conflict with his unsupportive brother, who offers him money to abandon his perilous investigation. The stakes escalate when he stumbles upon his brother-in-law's sinister connection to the crimes he's probing. Ginley is faced with a daunting labyrinth of challenges. He must solve the crimes, expose the smugglers and a potential murderer, all while preserving his sanity in a world that threatens to consume him. In this gritty, noir-esque tale, Ginley must navigate a treacherous path, teetering on the edge of comedy and chaos, reality and fiction, danger and deliverance.

Gumshoe is a comedy movie featuring Albert Finney and directed by Stephen Frears.

It is possible to buy Gumshoe on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Vudu and YouTube.