Farewell, My Lovely

The 1970s brought deconstruction & re-examination of classic movie genres, and the hard-boiled private eye movie was one of them. Robert Altman's THE LONG GOODBYE was a radical but fascinating take of Raymond Chandler's classic PI Philip Marlow, essentially putting an out-of-place '40s detective in the '70s. And while director Dick Richards keeps Marlowe in tre '40s, the presence& influence of the '70s is still felt.This classic Chandler novel had been filmed previously in the 1940s as MURDER MY SWEET, an excellent adaptation that enabled Dick Powell to change his image from that of pretty chorus boy in musicals to that of a genuine dramatic actor who could play a tough guy quite convincingly. It made a few changes from the novel but kept what truly mattered. FAREWELL, MY LOVELY tells the same story, playing up the '40s vibe while making changes of its own. In ding so, it calls attention to the fact that we're watching a loving but clear-eyed re-creation of a '40s PI movie, rather than an actual one from the period.I won't get into the details of the story for fear of spoiling it for those unfamiliar with it. Suffice it to say that a case tracking down the old girlfriend of an ex-con newly released from prison becomes entangled with a case involving ransom for stolen jade jewelry that goes horribly wrong. Jack O'Halloran is striking as the dumb, impulsive, tragic Moose Malloy, and Charlotte Rampling superbly channels Lauren Bacall without turning it into just bad imitation as Mrs. Grayle. The entire supporting cast is good, with Kate Murtagh standing out as the monstrous brothel madam Amthor.But it's Robert Mitchum's show all the way. He's been criticized as being too old for the part—and he really is some 20+ years older than Philip Marlowe should be—but that doesn't matter in the least. He brings a world-weariness &a sardonic toughness that occasionally reveals compassion that IS Marlowe. And his age is a reflection of the movie's ambience—things are changing, good things don't last, we all grow older & the world grows colder ... but there's still an honorable way to live, and there are still some decent people struggling to survive in the midst of corruption, poverty, decay. Mitchum can convey this with the most subtle of facial expressions & body language, even before he speaks Chandler's dialog in that marvelous voice of his.One caveat: this movie is so well done that you may be tempted to try the ill-advised, awful follow-up, a remake of THE BIG SLEEP that transposes the story to England along with Mitchum. It's as bad as this one is good. Avoid that one at all costs!But for any fan of film noir & the hard-boiled, this one is most highly recommended—I don't think you'll be disappointed. And it'll make you wonder what a series of Marlowe films with a younger Mitchum might have been like in the late 1940s ...

To me Phillip Marlowe will always in my head be Humphrey Bogart but I think Robert Mitchum did a really good job with how cynical and world weary Marlowe was in the books and not long into the film he was Phillip Marlowe. Various characters in the movie commented that Marlowe would do anything for money but the movie held true to the book, that in the end Marlowe does the right thing and is pretty selfless under the cynicism and wise cracks. Overall Mitchum I think better personified the personality and worldview of Marlowe, very quickly overcoming my initial rebellion at him not being Bogey.Just read the book a few days ago. The movie eliminated several characters, changed others, shaved down several scenes quite a bit, added a few minor scenes. There is no character of Anne Riordan anymore for instance, and the more adversarial relationship with Lt. Nulty in the book is transformed in the movie to more of a friendly relationship. The character Jules Amthor, the psychic, becomes in the movie Francis Amthor, a madam and the Indian (Native American, the book says Indian) lackey of Amthor is replaced by a crew of people, none of whom appear Indian.I am not sure the changes were necessary and some added a bit of vulgarity to it (Marlowe didn't curse in the book nor did the book go into a house of prostitution; that scene including some brief female nudity, mainly topless). Also the book wasn't as violent by any means (mostly Marlowe getting sapped, they left those scenes in, and though in the book people do get murdered it is almost all “off camera” so to speak, while in the movie off murder cameras still happen but the movie added gun and fist fights that weren’t in the book).I was amazed a few times how much the movie nailed certain scenes and characters. One scene early on and one character that was a major one were exactly how I pictured them, just perfectly done. To me the movie’s second greatest achievement (after nailing the tone of Philip Marlowe) was in casting the character Moose Malloy (played by Jack O’Halloran). It was probably the best casting job I have ever seen in a case of transforming a written character to one in a movie. I instantly knew who he was when I saw him on screen and it was uncanny how closely he is to what I imagined when I read the book a few days ago.I think the film got period piece details down pretty well in terms of hairstyles, clothing, cars, and the overall look. While the film lacked the characteristic deep shadows of film noir it felt like watching something filmed in the 1940s (the film is set in 1941 though the book was published in 1940).Overall I liked the story, I thought the pacing was good, not anywhere near as convoluted as Bogey’s and Bacall’s _The Big Sleep_, and it does have a fair amount of action. I liked the folding in of a number of lines from the actual book and for the most part most of the book’s plot elements and scenes are at least nodded at, some pared down, others almost exactly like the book. I didn’t mind the few additions in terms of characters and scenes.Look for a bit part as a thug named Jonnie played by Sylvester Stallone, I believe the moment you see him you will instantly recognize him. If he spoke I must have missed it, but you very clearly see him for several minutes in a couple of scenes.

If you like detective movies you will love "Farewell My Lovely". This movie features a young Sylvester Stallone. I highly recommend this movie.

Four things I like about this movie. The setting is back around 1940s when things were simple and easy. I have seen about every Marlowe movie made liking all or most of them from a different actor, only Mitchum has been the only person to play in two movies portraying the sleuth. Robert Mitchum liking him in these kinds of movies. Then the lovely Charlotte Rampling staring in the movie. One of my favorite actresses who could act, plus looking good every movie she played. This was one of the better Marlowe movies I have read. There were the other character actors who played in many movies that may never had been in a leading role.

The DVD image looks good despite the age of the film. The DVD isn't organized into chapters, and the only way to return to the main menu is with the chapter skip back button which, since there are no chapters, returns you to the main menu.