I just read The High Window again. Damn, Chandler was good. And TIME TO KILL, the first film version - while a long, long way from being half as good - ain't bad either.
Having done several of these book-to-film comparisons over the past few weeks, it's pretty much what I've come to expect. The basic plot is intact, with many corners cut. Some of the main characters retain their names, while others were changed. A few minor characters are missing. There are several surprising scenes where Chandler's dialogue was lifted directly from the book.
Lloyd Nolan, of course, is not playing Philip Marlowe. He's supposed to be Mike Shayne. It seemed odd to me that with so many Shayne novels and stories out there, they would borrow one from Raymond Chandler. A quick check, though, revealed that prior to 1942 there had already been six Shayne films - but only five novels and two stories. The rest of Shayne's long career was still ahead of him.
Having read only a couple of Shayne stories (one by Halliday and one by James Reasoner), I can't really judge Nolan's performance in that role. As a Marlowe substitute, though, he's just too friendly. He's nice to everybody, good, bad and inbetween, and rarely drops a cutting remark. Likeable, sure, but not in a Marlowe way.
I suppose it's time to take another look at THE BRASHER DOUBLOON, with George Montgomery wearing the Marlowe shoes. If I do, you'll hear about it here next week.
Have you missed any of our Forgotten Books on Film? Here's what's gone before . . .
Apr. 3: MEET NERO WOLFE / Fer-de-lance
Apr. 10: THE LEAGUE OF FRIGHTENED MEN
Apr. 17: THE WESTLAND CASE / Headed for a Hearse
Apr. 24: LADY IN THE MORGUE
May 1: THE FRENCH KEY
May 15: THE GLASS KEY
May 22: THE FALCON TAKES OVER / Farewell, My Lovely
May 29: WOMAN IN THE DARK
I liked it, confusing plot and all.
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