Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Scott LeBrun Elliott Gould offers up one of his most amusing performances as Raymond Chandlers' private eye character Philip Marlowe. Marlowe is visited in the wee hours of the morning by his friend Terry Lennox (baseball player Jim Bouton). He does his friend a favour by driving him all the way to Tijuana. Some time after that, he learns that, in fact, Terry's wife Sylvia is dead, presumably killed by Terry, who has also offed himself. Then he is hired for a supposedly simple case: find Roger Wade (Sterling Hayden), a boozy writer, for his wife Eileen (Nina van Pallandt). In the time-honoured tradition of detective fiction, Marlowe will discover that the separate stories turn out to be connected.Filmmaker Robert Altmans' take on the whole Neo-Noir genre does take some getting used to. It's a lot more irreverent, and goofy, than some people will expect. Devotees of Chandler and classic film noir will likely be dismayed. Scripted by the legendary Leigh Brackett, the dialogue does flow from the mouths of the cast with real ease, and it is reasonably entertaining to watch as this thing develops. After a while, however, even a viewer such as this one can see where the story is headed.Goulds' version of Marlowe is a real change of pace. He's a quirky, hip, unflappable wise-ass who's willing to head to an all-night supermarket to obtain the only brand of cat food that his pet will eat. And he's just one memorable character in this interesting stew of a film. Hayden plays his washed-up writer for everything that it's worth. Film director Mark Rydell ("The Rose") is clearly relishing his meaty acting role as a brutal Jewish gangster. Henry Gibson ("The Blues Brothers") is an effective weasel as a doctor who expects to be PAID for his services. Danish actress Van Pallandt is alluring as the femme fatale of the piece. And there are a couple of very familiar faces in small roles: Jack Riley ('The Bob Newhart Show'), Rutanya Alda ("Mommie Dearest"), David Carradine as a chatty convict, and even Arnold Schwarzenegger as one of Rydells' goons.Set in a sunny but rather seedy California of the 70s (complete with spacey hippie neighbours for Marlowe), this is an entertainingly convoluted tale, and a rather slowly paced one, but it always remains...interesting. It's definitely an unusual spin on the typical noir film.Seven out of 10.

PimpinAinttEasy Dear Robert Altman, I have not read The Long Goodbye. But I have read a couple of other novels with the Philip Marlowe character. Elliot Gould's portrayal of Marlowe was not what I expected. But it is OK, it was an interesting interpretation of the character. I enjoyed your film. It really isn't a crime film. If I were to make a crime film, I would never make it the way you made The Long Goodbye. Your film is laid-back (the constant sound of waves) and also quite shocking. It has one of the most violent scenes ever captured on film. It is a film of place. You obviously did not care about the plot or the actual crime. Like Thieves Like Us, you seem to be concerned with invoking nostalgia for a certain era and a way of life or a place. The film is full of eccentric characters like the writer played by Sterling Hayden and the nude yoga enthusiasts. The Coens might have been inspired by this film when they made The Big Lebowski. Fans of that film might want to check out The Long Goodbye. After all, both films feature a laid back protagonist who hilariously breezes through tricky situations. Though I guess Marlowe might be a lot more motivated than Lebowski. Best Regards, Pimpin.(7/10)

john_seater There is nothing to recommend this movie. My wife watched it with me and concurs in that evaluation. I have not read the book on which it is based, so I judge it as a stand-alone effort.The plot is silly in concept and routine in execution (e.g., the PI's oh-so-cool and combative way of talking to the police), the characters are flat, the dialog is trite, the acting is uninspired, the incidentals are distracting (the topless girls, the chain smoking). Even the music is tedious. One description I saw before watching it said it is a "send-up" of the detective genre, implying humor. There is no humor anywhere. If it is intended as a spoof, it fails.A complete waste of two hours.

LeonLouisRicci Raymond Chandler's Detective Philip Marlowe fell Asleep and is Awakened 20 Years Later in the now Smogged Hazed Los Angeles and seems OK with it although He is undoubtedly Dazed and Confused.That's the Premise and You are Asked to Give In to that Premise in No Uncertain Terms and Go with the Flow. Marlowe Sure Does. He Stumbles and Mumbles barely trying to regain His sense of Place and Time. He still Smokes continuously and retains a Cynical Humor about the People that still Populate the "City of Angels".A Conglomerate of Artistic Displays are on hand in Altmanesque Fashion. The peppering Overlapping Dialog, a Fluid and Attentive Constantly Moving Camera, and a remarkable Ensemble Supporting Cast. Henry Gibson, Sterling Hayden, Director Mark Rydell, Nina Van Pallandt, and Baseball Pitcher Jim Bouton all Stamp the Film with Indelible Quirky Characters.The Film is an Homage to Hollywood and Chandler. Altman takes a Bite out of Tinseltown but is Kinder to Marlowe, Chandler, and Film-Noir. The Director is at His most Playful here and most of it Works although Loud and Angry Outbursts from Purists and Traditionalists say otherwise.It's Odd, Offbeat, and Obscure, Against the Grain of the Seventies Neo-Noir Realism and was Dismissed and Booed upon its Initial Release.Others saw a Singular Filmmaking Artist at Work and the Movie has Gained Elevated Status over the Years and has become sort of a Cult Movie or Novel Curiosity. Elliott Gould as Marlowe and Altman have Weathered the Controversy, and the Film Emerges as a Seventies Highlight.