Here's a nice movie edition dust jacket from an undated Grosset & Dunlap book, along with the half sheet and 1-sheet posters. For the record, this is my favorite hardboiled detective film.
I like this movie alot also, even though many viewers have complained about everything being told from the point of view of the camera. It's great seeing Totter as an editor of pulp magazines. Her office has several fake pulp paintings displayed.
I love the pulp angle, too. And I really like the camera gimmick. But what really makes it for me is Steve Fisher's screenplay, Robert Montgomery's delivery and Audrey Totter's wild eyes.
This is a film I want to like, but, though I did sit through it years ago, the last two times I tried to watch it I only got a short way before stopping it and sending the DVD back to Netflix. It's the POV, of course, that puts me off, it's just to darn contrived, there's more time spent on camera angles and figuring ways to "see" things and not enough on the screenplay. I do like this novel, and the short story upon which it's based, but not this film.
Admit it, Evan, you like it because the poster says it stars YOU and Robert Montgomery.
Serially, I liked it, too. The objective camera technique didn't bother me, although in spots it was more amusing than anything. Like when Audrey puckers up for the camera.
I would have liked Mohr better, Steve, if the scripts had more humor. Compared to Sam Spade or Richard Diamond, the Marlowe shows were downright maudlin.
Powell was great as Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet. But I think Richard Diamond actually played to his talents better. I'm don't think Marlowe is supposed to be as funny as Powell is. :)
I agree with Craig. Spade is cynical funny and Diamond (a longtime favorite of mine) is just plain funny when he wants to be. Marlowe always seemed to me to have the cynicism without the humor. To me it's more Chandler's prose that works for Marlowe. The radio scripts made him fairly generic and since radio already had so many great detectives, it was Mohr's acting that made it listenable. Such a great voice!
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I like this movie alot also, even though many viewers have complained about everything being told from the point of view of the camera. It's great seeing Totter as an editor of pulp magazines. Her office has several fake pulp paintings displayed.
I love the pulp angle, too. And I really like the camera gimmick. But what really makes it for me is Steve Fisher's screenplay, Robert Montgomery's delivery and Audrey Totter's wild eyes.
I don't think I have even seen this one. Like the cast though.
This is a film I want to like, but, though I did sit through it years ago, the last two times I tried to watch it I only got a short way before stopping it and sending the DVD back to Netflix. It's the POV, of course, that puts me off, it's just to darn contrived, there's more time spent on camera angles and figuring ways to "see" things and not enough on the screenplay. I do like this novel, and the short story upon which it's based, but not this film.
I think Robert Montgomery is the ideal Marlowe. Sure wish he'd done the radio series instead of Gerald Mohr.
I still prefer Dick Powell. We're just not going to see eye-to-eye on this (pun), are we, Evan?
I reckon not, though I did like Dick Powell too. And with Richard Diamond, he certainly proved he would have made a great radio Marlowe.
Hmm i wonder if this movie has ever released in Spain, sounds good!
Admit it, Evan, you like it because the poster says it stars YOU and Robert Montgomery.
Serially, I liked it, too. The objective camera technique didn't bother me, although in spots it was more amusing than anything. Like when Audrey puckers up for the camera.
It's no where near my favorite, however.
I liked Mohr myself.
Gotta say, though, that it's so weird that you see more of Montgomery on these cool posters than you do in the film!
I would have liked Mohr better, Steve, if the scripts had more humor. Compared to Sam Spade or Richard Diamond, the Marlowe shows were downright maudlin.
Powell was great as Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet. But I think Richard Diamond actually played to his talents better. I'm don't think Marlowe is supposed to be as funny as Powell is. :)
I agree with Craig. Spade is cynical funny and Diamond (a longtime favorite of mine) is just plain funny when he wants to be. Marlowe always seemed to me to have the cynicism without the humor. To me it's more Chandler's prose that works for Marlowe. The radio scripts made him fairly generic and since radio already had so many great detectives, it was Mohr's acting that made it listenable. Such a great voice!
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