The first time I saw it I had no expectations. And I admit to liking it more for style than substance. One of my favorite parts are those mid-60's opening credits!
Well, I had quite some expectations of course... it was on the big screen as part of a larger Newman series, and before catching "Harper" I'd seen films like "Sweet Bird of Youth", "Exodus" (dubious film but great Newman performance), as well as some good later filmes including "Mackendrick Man" and that hilarious "Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean"... and being a big fan of early Lauren Bacall films and noirs in general, I found "Harper" lacking in many respects, including screenplay/dialogues, construction of the plot, and also, I regret to say, general style.
Still better than The Drowning Pool!
...And don't you mean "The MacKintosh Man"?