Scobie Malone is a 1975 Australian film based on the novel Helgas Web by Jon Cleary about detective Scobie Malone Thompson. The film is also known as Helgas Web and Murder at the Opera House.
Eventually it is revealed that Helga was killed while fleeing Captain Bixby Cul Cullen. Malone becomes convinced of the guilt of the Minister, but powerful influences intervene and he gets off. The Minister resigns, citing ill health, and travels to Europe with his wife. Malone criticises his boss, Inspector Fulmer Walter Sullivan and is suspended for insubordination for ninety days. Fulmer later suggests he come back, but Scobie elects to stay by the pool for the full ninety days.The film rights to the novel were originally purchased by Brian Chirlian and John Shore, who hired Cleary to do the screenplay. Casey Robinson, a famous Hollywood screenwriter who had retired to Sydney three years earlier with his Australian wife, then became involved as producer. He did not like Clearys adaptation and elected to do it himself in collaboration with another writer. Some key changes were made from the book, notably turning Scobie Malone into a womaniser who lives in a singlesonly apartment block and has sex with a large number of women, including air hostesses whose name he cant remember. ........
Source: Wikipedia