The Long Goodbye
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Movie Reviews of The Long Goodbye
Movie Review: Amazing Film, Decent DVD
Summary: 4 Stars
Another bare bones classic Altman film. This is a unique look at LA in the 70s, sort of like an ironic Chinatown doused in cocaine rather than alcohol.Movie Review: Better Luck Next Time, Mr. Chandler
Summary: 3 Stars
Robert Altman's "The Long Goodbye," released in 1973, based on Raymond Chandler's penultimate novel, is generally considered a film noir classic. It follows Chandler's convoluted plot, kinda sorta, and is, of course, filmed in color: there's a school that says that movies based in Los Angeles, as this one is, may succeed as films noir despite being filmed in color.
Chandler's book was adapted for the screen by Leigh Brackett, who also did the honors for the 1946 Warner Brothers' Humphrey Bogart adaptation of the author's "The Big Sleep." Here, the action is moved from Chandler's L.A. of the 1940's to the city's 1979's, mean, drug-addled. After the murders committed by Charlie Manson's crew, and the motorcycling Hell's Angels at the Rolling Stones" Altamont concert. The city has begun to awake from its long dream of drugs, sex, and rock and roll. The film's cinematography, by the talented Hungarian refugee Vilmos Zsigmond, who also did Altman's "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," captures the look of the city frozen at that time. Harsh sun, bleached colors, threatening pastels. And Altman's camera moves constantly. The many times honored John T. Williams did the sound track, and a witty one it is, too. That theme song pops up all over the place, from supermarket Musack to Mexican, party singalong to piano jazz.
The story concerns Philip Marlowe's decision to help a friend. Marlowe, here played by Elliott Gould, helps Terry Lennox (played by Jim Bouton) to get to Mexico. Lennox will be accused of killing his wife and stealing a large sum of mob money. For his trouble, Marlowe is beaten up, and jailed for several days. Then, what is apparently another job takes him to a guarded, ritzy Malibu beach community, that is, in fact, the site of the murder of Lennox's wife. The gatekeeper does movie star impersonations, nobody is actually the person he/she presents to the world, and several residents have taken screen star type names. His clients on this job are Sterling Hayden, as an alcoholic, Hemingwayesque famous writer, Roger Wade, born Billy Joe Smith. And Nina Van Pallandt, former model, and mistress to that most famous of 1970's hoaxers, author Clifford Irving (he counterfeited a Howard Hughes autobiography). She plays Wade's downtrodden wife Eileen.
Altman was an offbeat kind of guy, and his casting of this movie is, too. Most of the lead parts are played by non-actors: Van Pallandt; Jim Bouton, former New York Yankees star pitcher as Lennox, born Lenny Potts; Mark Rydell, producer-director, as psychotic gangster-gambler Marty Augustine. Henry Gibson,stand-up comic from Rowan and Martin's television show "Laugh In," as the oily Dr.Verringer. Arnold Schwarzenegger, bodybuilder then, in an unbilled, hardly speaking part. These people evidently do as they were directed to do, and deliver their lines, as does David Carradine in a bit, unbilled part as Marlowe's jail roommate. But the leads, Elliott Gould and Sterling Hayden, must have been encouraged to improvise. They talk constantly, and, in the Altman way, frequently at cross-purposes, to deliver what must surely have been the least disciplined performances of their careers.
Frankly, to watch the film again after a hiatus of several years, you can't help noticing that it's virtually two hours long. And that these self-indulgent, undisciplined performances are annoying and tedious, two things a movie of a Raymond Chandler novel should never be. Well, many Chandler books have been filmed more than once, so, with regrets, here's hoping Chandler has better luck next time.
Movie Review: Altmans Chandler, softboiled.Transfer good.
Summary: 3 Stars
If you liked bogart and powell and mitchum as marlowe, I doubt you are going to like Elliot Gould here as the celebrated private eye of the Chandler novels.For one thing , he smokes throughout this picture but he doesn`t inhale!.If you are familiar with the novels and the character,you know this is Altmans Marlowe, not Chandlers.( As a side note, Mr Gould does an excellent reading of Farewell My Lovely in audio book form,not part of this package;so you can`t blame HIM for this performance) In an interview as part of the very good extra on this disc, Gould remarks that this picture is considered "a cult classic," and the great writer and critic pauline kael gave it high praise over thirty years ago when it came out.Most of the reviews on this board are positive as well.But if you buy this movie(I would suggest a rental first) you`re going to get something quite different from bogart and mitchum and hawks and richards.You are going to either like it , or dismiss it (as kael pointed out , compare it to houstons "beat the devil"( an inside lark,roundly loved and hated)The cinematography is outstanding and the transfer captures it well. Note;if you have ever seen a picture called Double Indemnity,co-written by Chandler, Fred Mac Murray plays what was in effect Phillip Marlowe, as insurance salesman. Fred COULD have been the best Marlowe of all!Movie Review: Rip van Marlowe disappoints
Summary: 3 Stars
Robert Altman talks in the added material about his intention of attracting a particular audience for this twenty-years-later reworking of a Chandler classic, probably the subtlest and most complex of his novels. I wonder what sort of audience he had in mind?
To a contemporary audience, the incessant chain-smoking of Gould, even when running (come on!), is only the beginning of the put-off. The plot has been emptied of meaning, and its resolution depends on an unexplained major event which saves the hero from another kind of fate worse than death. And the final act is contrary to all Chandler's character-building. Gould is passable, Nina van Pallandt is credible, as is Sterling Hayden. The camera work is well done, and the pace is slow only at the beginning.
The trouble with filming any of Chandler's novels is that they have complex plots. A lot has to go to make them fit the time available, and you then miss the meanings, the layers and the unfolding.
I'm glad I watched it, but I don't think Chandler would have approved at all.
Movie Review: 70s Altman favorite
Summary: 3 Stars
I, like every other self-respecting film buff, am a huge fan of Altman's films of the 1970s. This is not one of my favorites from that time period, although "good" Altman = "great" any other director. Update of Marlowe tale has Elliot (miscast) as private eye.
The film has a lot going for it, gorgeous cinematography, Gould isn't very good as Marlowe (he's too jokey), but a lot of the supporting roles are great (particular Sterling Hayden).
Regarding Altman's other films from the 70s, here go my votes:
McCabe and Mrs. Miller (4 stars) Altman's best ever. Unparalleled
Nashville (2 stars, don't shoot me film buffs!) Muddled and draggy though I love Carradine's song
Thieves Like Us (3 stars) Not as good as McCabe (not sturdy enough) but still great.
MASH (4 stars) A classic! Love it or leave!
California Split (4 stars) Best poker film ever. Great attention to detail
im out