Rent The Long Goodbye (1973)

The Strange Case Of The Clueless Gumshoe - The Long Goodbye review by Count Otto Black

In many ways this is an excellent movie. The supporting cast are excellent, notably Sterling Hayden as a totally out of control alcoholic writer obviously based on Ernest Hemingway. The screenplay, which was, amazingly, written by the lady who co-wrote "The Big Sleep" starring Humphrey Bogart in 1946, removes some unlikely and unnecessary subplots and provides a far better ending than the one in the book. Robert Altman shows his usual mastery of cinema. Even the running gag about all the music in the film being different arrangements of the title song works splendidly. This should be the ultimate Raymond Chandler film.

The problem is Elliot Gould. It's not that he gives a bad performance. It's just that if you're familiar with Philip Marlowe, the character he's supposed to be playing, which most viewers will be, the hero of this movies comes across as a grotesque parody. I strongly suspect the Coen brothers were inspired by this film to make "The Big Lebowski", in which Chandler homages and tropes pop up constantly, but the central character isn't supposed to be Philip Marlowe; he's just a dim-witted easy-going slob who somehow gets dragged into a Chandleresque situation.

Gould's Marlowe is Jeff Lebowski's slightly smarter older brother. At times his apparent stupidity is revealed to be an act when he does something unexpectedly clever, but these moments occur far too seldom. Mostly he seems genuinely thick and a little unbalanced, constantly mumbling repetitive nonsense even when he's alone, especially his mantra "it's all right with me", which seems to apply to every situation in which nothing bad is happening to him right now. And although he does display occasional flashes of intelligence, much of what happens doesn't require him to do anything at all, especially the convoluted subplot involving a completely psychotic gangster, in which the actions of third parties cause Marlowe to passively drift into and then out of extreme danger while he stands there looking and sounding stupid.

This film would work far better if, like "The Big Lebowski", Gould's character wasn't supposed to be Philip Marlowe, but a completely unconnected person trying to do Marlowe's job without having the slightest aptitude for it. If you've never read any of Raymond Chandler's books or seen any of the other screen versions of them, you'll have no problems with the peculiar characterisation of the hero. But if you know what this extremely famous fictional private eye is supposed to be like, it'll be the equivalent of a movie in which Sherlock Holmes is portrayed as a borderline moron with autism and played by Billy Bob Thornton. Which is a pity, because it's an excellent movie thrown out of kilter by its inexplicably bizarre treatment of a character almost all of its target audience would have expected to be portrayed completely differently. Oh, and in case you're interested, Arnold Schwarzenegger has a walk-on part and takes his shirt off.

Neo-noir Oddball. - The Long Goodbye review by Steve

Eccentric update of Raymond Chandler's best novel met with critical contempt for apparently mocking his legendary detective, Philip Marlowe. Robert Altman called him Rip Van Marlowe, and imagined him going to sleep in the '50s, and waking up in a '70s LA of hippies and goofball gangsters. His identity as a knight in dirty armour is even more incongruous.

Chandler's satirical trick was to portray his hero as a man of integrity who gets into trouble because his environment is so corrupt. In Altman's contemporary parlance, that makes Marlowe a 'loser'. He has no wife, and he has a crappy car/apartment. He is adopted by a cat which the PI goes to extraordinary lengths to satisfy. Much like his clients.

Altman isn't faithful to Chandler's complex narrative; the first 12 minutes are about Marlowe buying his cat its favourite food. In the book, he doesn't have a cat! And yet, there is still a lot of Chandler here and any fan should find this adaptation at least interesting because Altman has obviously thought about him very deeply, even if unconventionally. And about film noir.

Elliott Gould's Marlowe is likely to remain unique as he is so much of its time. He brings depth to the role. Humphrey Bogart and and Dick Powell were wisecracking cyphers, however enjoyable. There's a rich nocturnal atmosphere and a fine score. There's even a first person narrative typical of classic noir as Gould constantly mumbles to himself! It's the best neo-noir of the decade.

A Detective Noir in Colour in the 70s - what's not to like? - The Long Goodbye review by The REAL Film Cricket

A Marlowe detective film made in the early seventies by Robert Altman was never, ever going to be a Bogart noir. Add in Eliott Gould as the lead and I would risk saying you have a film that you will either love or dislike. At the time the film was met with a lukewarm response at best but with the benefit of hindsight many see what a piece of subversive dark fun it was.

Just seeing those involved, with long-term and experienced screenwriter Leigh Brackett adding her touch, I had a feeling it would be my type of film. I am pleased to say I was correct.

The biggest diversion for Raymond Chandler fans was Brackett and Altman moved it all up. This Marlowe, although driving in a vintage car, looking and smoking like a man from a few decades back, is very much living in 1970s Los Angeles. It is clearly a deliberate and humourous nod that they make sure Marlowe looks like a man out of time. That could fail miserably but with Altman behind the camera and Gould in front the chances of it not working were slim.

The opening sequence itself is a hilarious masterpiece and once again in a film we are treated to a fantastic cat actor that walks all over Gould literally and artistically. This sets up Marlowe’s morals and lifestyle and it works.

Although ‘smart-mouthed’ and permanently smoking Marlowe despite being gruff and not sophisticated is the strong moral centre of the story. Gould pulls this off perfectly, making you warm to his often inadvisable quips and comebacks, and setting the ending up as fairly shocking. All around Marlowe are corrupt, treacherous, and self-serving. Dump anyone in this mess and the audience is going to want that person to win, to come out on top and clean.

The film has a great cast, with English-sounding Nina van Pallandt perfect as the wife of a huge drunken novelist husband played with relish and much demonstrative fun by Sterling Hayden. Mark Rydell is great as the non-stereotypical mob-boss surrounded by comedic henchmen, David Arkin, and enormous monstrous ones, Arnold Schwarzenegger (with a moustache and silent). David Carradine turns up in an amusing cameo, the film is a great collective pool of talent and everyone puts a good shift in.

The story zips along at an interesting and fast pace to start off with but if there is a criticism it bogs down roughly over the halfway mark and a few gratuitous sections, and even characters, could have been removed with no detrimental effect. The dialogue is great and in particular the zingers and smart mouthing by Marlowe delivered by Gould is fun.

Overall, The Long Goodbye is not perfect but boy is it a good and extremely interesting take on the detective noir film. Looking back it was a big risk by all involved and although perhaps it looked like they failed at the time the decades since have proved this was a magnificent film.

Never before have I enjoyed the company of scum-bags, murderers and the corrupt more than this, and I live in the 21st century!