Detective fiction has been the subject of previous psychoanalytic investigations. These studies have demonstrated the unconscious fantasies embodied in the story itself. We have been interested in the persistent popularity of detective fiction, in its viccissitudes and, especially, in the appearance of the private detective as a prototypical American hero. The stereotype of this hero, especially as presented in our most popular cultural art form, the movie, has been examined by us. The private detective, a mythic hero, gives us an opportunity to explore cultural response to universal unconscious fantasy and to advance our understanding of Western society's increasing narcissistic preoccupations.