REVIEW: Farewell, My Lovely

I don’t know if it’s a controversial opinion or not, but the second installment in the Marlowe-led book series turns out to be my favorite (I haven’t read or watched The Long Goodbye yet). I got more used to Chandler’s literary style and the case was more engaging and entertaining than the first novel. The characters were more colorful and interesting. The twists kept me on the edge of my seat more.

But what about the film?

Well, starting as I did with my previous review of Marlowe, Mitchum at this point had proven to be a great actor with a wide acting range, gaining fame for portraying sinister characters like Max Cady or Harry Powell, although he had also played less wicked roles. Regarding the decision to cast him as the famous private detective, on paper it seemed like a great idea and his version was pretty good. In the Spanish dubbing, it works much better than in the original, where he sounds less smooth and almost soporific, as if he were constantly on the verge of falling asleep. Although I suppose the blame lies less on Mitchum and more with the direction of Dick Richards. Perhaps they were aiming for him to sound weary? Whatever the case was, it left something to be desired.

The rest of the cast also manages to stand out, even more than in The Big Sleep. From our law enforcement officers who reluctantly collaborate with Marlowe to Rampling as our female protagonist who, unlike Bacall, perfectly fits the archetype of the femme fatale. Enigmatic, alluring, dangerous, and stunningly beautiful. The other characters, such as Sylvia Miles as Jessie Halstead Florian (for which she received an Oscar nomination) and Jack O’Halloran (in his film debut) as the massive “Moose” Malloy, appear briefly but leave a strong and lasting impression.

That being said, the material everyone has to work with is excellent. As I mentioned at the beginning, the case is full of twists and fraught with dangers from pretty much minute one. I mean, the film starts and it doesn’t take five minutes before someone threatens to kill Marlowe and another five before someone else dies. And things don’t stop, and the danger and suspense are palpable throughout the entire film. Additionally, so far this film contains some of the best quips, like the one about the seven dwarfs or King Kong. This Marlowe is perhaps at his wisecracking peak. In terms of the music, David Shire chooses to forgo Max Steiner’s dramatic approach in favor of a more jazzy feel, which would later come to characterize many of these detective movies. It does a great job of establishing a lot of the atmosphere.

All in all, so far it’s my favorite of both the books and the movies I’ve seen. Which isn’t saying much because there have only been two. Excellent case with great twists that keep you hooked. Not the best Marlowe, but Mitchum does a good job and is lucky to work with excellent material that sees the private detective showcasing his skills as an investigator and delivering good jokes in the process. Entertaining and fun.

Also, I was shocked to see the one and only Jerry Bruckheimer was the producer on this, like, what?!