Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Movie Editions: Farewell, My Lovely (Murder, My Sweet)

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The movie, of course, was called Murder, My Sweet, but Tower Books retained the original title for this movie edition. Murder, My Sweet was actually the second of three film adaptations. The first was very freely adapted for the George Sanders Falcon franchise, as The Falcon Takes Over (1942). Dick Powell is a good Marlowe, but as a deadly dame, Claire Trevor pales alongside Audrey Totter (see yesterday's Lady in the Lake).



13 comments:

Laurie Powers said...

I would love to get my hands on a first edition of that book.

Richard Prosch said...

I'd like to see a movie today promoted with the three lines: Two-fisted! Hardboiled! Terrific!

Evan Lewis said...

I heartily agree with you both!

Walker Martin said...

And the funny thing is how on earth did Dick Powell convince them to let him play the hardboiled Philip Marlowe. Because prior to this movie, he had played in musicals and was often the fresh faced good guy who looked like a young kid.

But this film changed his career for the better.

Evan Lewis said...

That helps explain the change in title, and the "Two-fisted! Hardboiled! Terrific!" lines on the title card. But I've always been surprised they made the 1-sheet so romantic. The only romance in this one is Moose's devotion to his Velma.

Kenneth Mark Hoover said...

Great movie!

Anonymous said...

I love these great old hard-boiled movies - there ain't nothing like 'em.

Evan Lewis said...

Drew?? Drew who? Don't me it's that Jazz Explosion guy!

Cap'n Bob said...

This is my favorite Chandler book and movie. Gotta disagree about Claire Trevor, though. I think she was a terrific actress.

Evan Lewis said...

Ah, but can Claire Trevor cool a drink without ice cubes?

Brian Drake said...

Seeing this post makes me want to watch the movie again! I pop it in every year or so so I'm due for another viewing.

Powell was no problem for me as Marlowe because my only prior exposure to his work was his PI radio shows (Richard Diamond and Rogue's Gallery). I've always seen Marlowe as a small man fighting a big machine. Powell seemed to embody that. Bogart was too tall.

Evan Lewis said...

And Bogart knew it. In the book, Marlowe was Doghouse Reilly, the Man who Grew Too Tall. In the movie, both Bogart and Carmen Sternwood make remarks about him not being very tall.

Richard R. said...

Powell is probably my favorite Marlowe, though the Bogart version is great and those films are probably the best. As I commented in the LADY IN THE LAKE post, Robert Montgomery is my least favorite.