Murder, My Sweet. Farewell, My Lovely

'Farewell my Lovely' was probably the most violent of the Chandler/Philip Marlowe novels but,by focusing the film storyline,extra power was gained in the presentation. Dick Powell's portrayal of Marlowe is different from Bogart's but the requirements are different as this film was certainly more adventurous visually to portray deep, and,for those days, disturbing psychological anguish.

As in the novel, Marlowe really went through the mill - blackjacked,filled full of hop and almost blinded by a stray bullet. The Marlowe voiceover is mostly pure Raymond Chandler with its customary pungent wisecracks - 'I took the job because my bank account was crawling underneath a duck.' and Mrs. Florian was -'a charming middle-aged lady with a face like a bucket of mud'. We had the pencil-moustachioed villains like Dr.Amthor and the fated gigolo Marriott alongside the dim palooka Moose Malloy. Mixing in this noir world were the good and bad dames,the latter of whom can stay afloat and almost command any situation proving that in films noir there are some very strong ladies played in 'The Big Sleep' by Lauren Bacall and,in 'Farewell,my Lovely' by Claire Trevor.

The film used much more imagery as in the reflection of Malloy in a window peering out menacingly and the cobwebs spun by all those little spiders Marlowe saw in his drugged-up state. Hitchcock had tried these techniques too in films like 'Suspicion' where the sets were designed by Salvador Dali and the representation of Marlowe falling through the succession of ever-opening doors with A|mthor depicted as the cause of his misery as he prepared the hypodermic needle was excellent. Marlowe cried for help in the depths of his despair. This psychological 'realism' was quite disturbing but brought added depth to the narrative.

Edward Dmytryk, an excellent noir director, excelled,as did Dick Powell in this version of a truncated Chandler. This great film noir deserves a great deal of respect as it let the camera and effects propel the narrative as great cinema does.

A very good version of the Chandler story, but my favouriote Philip Marlowe still remains Elliott Gould in 'The Long Goodbye'. The direction and filming is excellent but the acting takes a while to get cranked up to the full. I must admit that Marlowe's solution to the crime had me a little bewildered, but then I'm never very quick on the uptake when whodunits are resolved.

A private eye searches for the missing girl friend of an ex con.

Dick Powell is remarkably good as Philip Marlowe in this screen adaptation of Raymond Chandler's book 'Farewell My Lovely'. His graduation from the song and dance man of the 1930's surprised many people. He later went on to become a very accomplished film director. Claire Trevor for once is given a glamorous role and relishes it. It is a change from what became almost her standard role as a night club floozie, gangsters moll or chronic alcoholic. Excellent supporting performances by Mike Mazurki as Moose Malloy, Otto Kruger as Jules Amthor, with Anne Shirley and Miles Mander. Well served by intelligent direction by Edward Dmytryk this is one of the earliest 'film noir'.

Perhaps the quintessential '40s noir detective movie, with musical star Dick Powell surprisingly good in the Philip Marlowe role, not as tough guy as Bogart or Mitchum, but just right as the mug who gets caught in the middle of a crazy, incoherent plot. The dialogue is marvellous, as are the performances and cinematography especially in great hallucinatory sequence. I wouldn't worry about keeping up with the plot, even if it is simpler than The Big Sleep!

Hugely successful Chandler adaptation. A deliriously dark thing of deep shadows, violence and atmosphere - Dick Powell was perfect as Marlowe.