DVD Review: Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: The Complete Series

DVD Reviews, Reviews

Mike Hammer reworked the detective genre in the post-World War II era. The pulp novel character didn’t mind beating out a clue out of a suspect. He was an amazing cad when it came to women. He had a relationship with his secretary Velda, but that didn’t keep him faithful. He was a tough guy to the core. Oddly enough this R-rated character became one of the first TV detectives when Mike Hammer became a weekly series in 1957. The producers toned down his language, bedroom romps and the violence. They did leave in enough punches and kisses to shock your great grandmother. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: The Complete Series brings all the two fisted fun that lasted two seasons.

This is a low budget series. Back in 1957, TV wasn’t that profitable of a medium. The first big difference between the books and TV was the lack of Velda. Mike now handled his own scheduling. He still had Captain Pat Chambers (Bart Burns) as his source on the NYPD. The episodes were only half an hour instead of the normal hour dedicated to a dramatic sleuthing show. A majority of the action took place on soundstages instead of locations around New York City. There was plenty of B-roll to connect scenes. The one place they didn’t scrimp was casting Darren McGavin (A Christmas Story) as Mike Hammer. He’s got the right attitude for making Hammer a character safe enough for network censors yet not soft enough to turn off fans of the novels. He’s a bit of a hustler, wise guy and charmer, but maintains a punch for the wrong folks.

“The High Cost of Dying” has a prisoner on death row wanting Hammer to find his loot to save his kidnapped wife. Mike agrees to the deal and hides the details from the cops. “Letter Edged in Blackmail” gets the sweet scent of Angie Dickinson. Ever wonder what Mrs. Cunningham looked like when Happy Days was supposedly taking place? The answer is here. Marion Ross stars in “Peace Bond.” Mike goes on a vacation and gets arrested for murder. “The Living Dead” lets Mike beat up The Man From U.N.C.L.E.‘s Robert Vaughn arrives in Manhattan thinking his woman is having an affair with Mike. Turns out she’s reuniting with her extremely rich and elderly father. The guy is a bit of a recluse so Hammer doubts the validity of her claim. What’s interesting about this case is that not all the answers are given. Mike just needs to know enough to turn it over to the cops and exonerate himself as a suspect. That’s what makes this series a step above many detective dramas that want to explain everything.

The second season keeps up the sleazy elements of the Big Apple. “Accentuate the Negative” flashes to a murder at a creepy modeling academy. Somebody killed the photographer, but why? Turns out their main fundraising involves the Art Photos. Barbara Bain (Mission: Impossible) smiles for the camera. “I Ain’t Talkin'” speaks of a love of a sister for her misguided brother. She begs Mike to get her brother out of the gangster life. The brother is DeForest Kelley, Dr. McCoy from Star Trek. How could he go bad? “Jury of One” seats Ted Knight (Mary Tyler Moore Show). Ted gets to play an attorney who swears he lost his case when goons intimidated members of the jury. “Swing Low, Sweet Harriet” turns Lorne Greene (Battlestar Galactica) into a philandering husband blackmailed by his mistress. She wants more than he’s willing spend to keep her quiet. He needs Hammer to smash the evidence. It’s refreshing to see Lorne playing a rat instead of pious patriarch.

What’s interesting in watching Mike Hammer is that McGavin is laying down the roots for Carl Kolchak. He does a voiceover before the big action scenes. Both characters have the same attitude. You can tell them apart. Hammer has nicer suits, doesn’t carry around an Instamatic camera and will throw a punch at anything that goes bump in the night. Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: The Complete Series is satisfyingly addictive with the tight running time and McGavin’s pluck.

The video is 1.33:1 full frame. The black and white transfers are mostly fine. There’s a couple episodes that are rougher than others, but they look better than what I was seeing last year on RTN. The audio is Dolby Digital Stereo although it sounds like original mono track.

There are no bonus features.

Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: The Complete Series revives a great private eye series. Darvin McGavin doesn’t make Mike Hammer seem toned down for television. This is essential viewing for fans of Kolchak: The Night Stalker. By having all the episodes in one boxset, nobody will hire Mike Hammer for The Mystery of the Second Season Delay.”

New Video Group presents Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer: The Complete Series. Starring: Darren McGavin. Boxset Content: 78 episodes on 12 DVDs. Released on DVD: September 6, 2011. Available at Amazon.com.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.