Hardboiled Detective: Difference between revisions

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The hardboiled detective is generally a [[Knight in Sour Armor]] or even an [[Anti-Hero]] who lives in a world of [[Black and Grey Morality]]. He's a [[Private Detective]] or [[Amateur Sleuth]]—usually the former. His services are required because [[Police Are Useless]], so he'll never be a cop, though he may be a [[Retired Badass|retired]] one. Expect him to keep a [[I Need a Freaking Drink|bottle of scotch]] in his desk, which is probably located in an office in the [[The City Narrows|low rent district]]. Recent depictions typically include the trademark [[Badass Longcoat|trenchcoat]] and [[Nice Hat|fedora]] made popular by [[Humphrey Bogart]].

Originating in the early part of the twentieth century, hardboiled detective stories quickly became a major subgenre of [[Mystery Fiction]]. Later, they became strongly associated with [[Film Noir]]. [[Raymond Chandler]] is considered the master of the genre, but it was [[Humphrey Bogart]]'s depiction of detective Sam Spade in the 1941 film, ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]'' (based on a novel by [[Dashiell Hammett]]), that became the [[Trope Codifier]].

Originating in the early part of the twentieth century, hardboiled detective stories quickly became a major subgenre of [[File talk:Mystery Fiction]]. Later, they became strongly associated with [[Film Noir]]. [[Raymond Chandler]] is considered the master of the genre, but it was [[Humphrey Bogart]]'s depiction of detective Sam Spade in the 1941 film, ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]'' (based on a novel by [[Dashiell Hammett]]), that became the [[Trope Codifier]].

By the [[The Sixties|1960s]], the hardboiled detective had nearly become a [[Dead Horse Trope]], but continuing interest in [[Film Noir]] kept it from the brink of extinction. Today it is most often seen in parodies and [[Fantastic Noir|genre crossovers]] (the '''Hardboiled Detective''' [[Recycled in Space|In SPACE!!]]), but can still be played straight in Noir revival or homage. The style and language of the hard-boiled detective tends to remain solidly anchored in the [[The Thirties|1930s]] and [[The Forties|1940s]], though, no matter where he appears. Expect him to call his gun a "gat", to refer to women as "dames" and their legs as "gams".

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* Steve Ditko loved Hardboiled Detectives, and his two (very similar) characters Mr. A and [[The Question]] are objectivist takes on the Trope.

* The title character of the Spanish comic ''[[Blacksad]]'' is a hardboiled detective in the 1950s—and a cat.

* Nightbeat from ''[[The Transformers (~~Comic~~ ~~Book~~)|The Transformers]]'', ''[[Transformers Classics]]'', and IDW's "-ations" is a [[Humongous Mecha]] homage to the genre, up to and including sporting a [http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:MarvelUK-230.jpg fedora and trenchcoat] and [http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bird_of_Prey! "Bird of Prey!"] in particular being almost a retelling of ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]''. Whether he's an [[Amateur Sleuth]], a "consulting detective" for the Autobots, or a [[Private Detective]] varies depending on the continuity, but he always has the same general hardboiled, noir-ish personality.

* Nightbeat from ''[[The Transformers (Marvel Comics)||The Transformers]]'', ''[[Transformers Classics]]'', and IDW's "-ations" is a [[Humongous Mecha]] homage to the genre, up to and including sporting a [http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Image:MarvelUK-230.jpg fedora and trenchcoat] and [http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Bird_of_Prey! "Bird of Prey!"] in particular being almost a retelling of ''[[The Maltese Falcon]]''. Whether he's an [[Amateur Sleuth]], a "consulting detective" for the Autobots, or a [[Private Detective]] varies depending on the continuity, but he always has the same general hardboiled, noir-ish personality.

== Film ==

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* ''[[Spenser For Hire]]'' was a rarity; a Hardboiled Detective with an even harder-boiled partner.

* Michael Garibaldi of ''[[Babylon 5]]'' has flashes of this from time to time. Picked up, bizarrely enough, by G'Kar of all people.

* In ''[[Star Trek: The ~~Next Generation|Star Trek the~~ Next Generation]]'', Dixon Hill is a hardboiled detective holodeck character that Captain Picard is fond of playing.

* In ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', Dixon Hill is a hardboiled detective holodeck character that Captain Picard is fond of playing.

* Parodied in the [[PBS Kids]]' show, ''[[Between the Lions]]'', which had a recurring skit featuring "Sam Spud, [[Incredibly Lame Pun|parboiled potato]] detective".

* ''[[The Electric Company]]'''s [[Punny Name|Fargo North, Decoder]] was as hard boiled as a kid's show could show.

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== Western Animation ==

* ''[[The Fairly ~~Odd Parents~~]]'' in ''Where's Wanda''; Timmy wishes to become such a detective after the disappearance of Wanda, and ends up spoofing Sam Spade and Rick Blaine.

* ''[[The Fairly OddParents]]'' in ''Where's Wanda''; Timmy wishes to become such a detective after the disappearance of Wanda, and ends up spoofing Sam Spade and Rick Blaine.

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[[Category:Crime and Punishment Tropes]]

[[Category:Seekers]]

[[Category:~~Hardboiled Detective~~]]

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