Review of The Long Goodbye (1973) by Daniel V — 15 Sep 2014

A critical and box office failure at the time of it's release it has gone on to become one of the most well guarded movies featuring oft-portrayed Private Eye Phillip Marlowe. Second in stature only to The Big Sleep(1946) starring Humphrey Bogart as Marlowe and Lauren Bacall as his femme fatale.

Elliot Gould of M.A.S.H. the movie and more importantly as Jack Gellar father of two of our best friends Ross and Rachel Gellar. Time has been very kind to Robert Altman and his gumshoe. Problem with the 70's critics, at least the older ones, they had a certain ideal picture of Phillip Marlowe(Cough.

.. Bogey) Anyone trying to fill Bogey's shoes has one of hellava job to do. They didn't think he did it then. I think he filled them just fine, but in a completely different way. Marlowe here is a loser in life and on his last legs regarding his career as a P.

I. is drying up. It's just him and his cat. One thing that makes this picture unique is that they update the time period but they don't update the character. A 50's gumshoe doing his thing as we would in the 50's but doing in 1970's Los Angeles.

One of the best and simple examples of this, in the 40s and 50s every character in movies smoked. In 1970 health conscious LA, Marlowe is the only one who does. An out of time Phillip Marlowe makes for a very interesting character study.

Altman does exactly what he sets out to do, make a 1950s film noir with the grit of 70's cinema. I thought it would be difficult for me to suspend disbelief since I pretty much grew up with Elliot Gould the schlumpy father on Friends instead of the Elliot Gould the matinee idol and great actor.

Within 5 minutes, Jack Gellar disappeared and Phillip Marlowe completely took over. I need to watch some more of his 70's stuff. Add an amazing John Williams score and you have one fantastic movie.