The Long Goodbye (1973)

"It's OK with me." Phillip Marlowe

Anarchic director Robert Altman deconstructs the detective movie with his 1973 adaptation of Raymond Chandler's The Long Goodbye.

Rather than cast a sardonic tough guy for the protagonist like a Bogart or Mitchum, Altman chose quintessential 70s nebbish Eliott Gould to portray pulp detective extraordinaire Phillip Marlowe. Altman mentions, in the included featurette, he wanted to portray Marlowe as if he'd been asleep twenty years since the novel was published, a "Rip Van Marlowe," with his fifties morality up against the permissive 70s with its naked yoga, health food, and marijuana brownies. In Gould's performance, Altman does get the frowsy, befuddled persona he apparently was going for.

I remember hearing Robert Altman's fond reminiscences on the commentary tracks on the Combat! television show DVD set - that these episodes were the best he'd ever done, and I have to wonder if his self appraisal is not more accurate that that of some of his fans who rave over his movies? I've watched several of Altman's movies and have been less than enthralled. They have been competent, yes, but hardly memorable for my viewing dollar. Perhaps its the iconoclasm evident in Altman's worldview that appeals to his audience? I don't know, as I do not look to movies to teach me politics or viewpoints on social phenomena. But be advised that if you look on the imdb.com, there are quite a few gushing reviews of this movie that are contrary to my viewing experience.

Anyway, Elliot Gould (Marlowe) helps his old buddy (Jim Bouton) with a ride to Mexico, but when he returns is arrested as accessory to murder (for his friend's wife). He is locked up and released later when the Mexican officials send word his friend committed suicide. Marlowe muddles his way through a couple of hours, sleuthing through the backwaters of Lost Angeles, meeting several picaresque characters, including a Hemingwayesque writer (Sterling Hayden) his estranged wife (Nina Van Pallandt) and the evil mini-me head doctor played by Laugh-In's own Henry Gibson. After all this gumshoeing, the mumbling, chain-smoking Marlowe finally comes to the conclusion that -- well, I better let you see for yourself, as I don't want to spoil your viewing pleasure.

The MGM DVD contains a good copy of the 112-minute color film in 2.35:1 anamorphic format. There are a couple of worthwhile featurettes, including the one I mentioned entitled "Rip Van Marlowe," in which the director and Elliot Gould reminisce and discuss the film for about 25 minutes and another where cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmund discusses his "flashing" technique of re-exposing the negatives before development, that gave the film its washed out, grainy texture, as Altman desired. There is also a text copy of American Cinematographer magazine's article on the making of The Long Goodbye. Rounding out the extras are five radio spots, subtitles, and the theatrical trailer.

I look at The Long Goodbye as a 70s Time Capsule -- a view of a world that was there for a brief instant and then gone -- similar in some respects to Elliot Gould's (and Bob Altman's) film career. Those of you who like anarchy or iconoclasm for its own sake may enjoy this better than I did. As maverick directors go, I prefer Peckinpah.

Only recommended for fans of Elliot Gould or Robert Altman.

Recommended:
No

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Better than Watching TV