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The Long Goodbye Reviews

1973

70
from 3137 members

Director Robert Altman, famous for his ability to turn any genre inside out, takes aim at film noir with this evocative adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel. Altman's Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) is a relatively unsuccessful private eye living and working in 1970s Los Angeles. Stepping into the shoes of the infamous .. Read more

Starring	Elliott Gould, Sterling Hayden, Jim Bouton, Mark Rydell
Director	Robert Altman
Genres	Drama

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Critic's review of The Long Goodbye
View all critics' reviews (2)
- Ugly, boring travesty of a well-respected detective novel, the apparent intention being to reverse the author's attitudes completely and to substitute dullness and incomprehensibility.
- 33041
- - Halliwell's Film Guide
  - 02 Mar 2006 at 15:43
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Most helpful member's review of The Long Goodbye
View all members' reviews (41)
- - 12
  - 2
  Any casual viewers of ...
  
  Any casual viewers of this film will undoubtedly by left confused and bemused by this somewhat rambling literary adaptation. The plot meanders, the characters ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 15820
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Clucky
  - Cardiff, Wales
  - 24 Aug 2004 at 15:53
Most recent members' reviews of The Long Goodbye
View all members' reviews (41)
- - 0
  - 0
  Disappointing Robert Altman film
  
  I thought this was a boring and chaotic film that was supposed to be a thriller. However I lost all interest in 'who done it' less than half of the way ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 1091669
- - Ferry41
  - 171 reviews
  - Oxford
  - 12 Feb 2012 at 20:14
- - 0
  - 0
  California Dreaming
  
  Quite snappy, especially the clipped wisecracks, and at times captures the essence of the peculiarities of Chandler's writing, but on the whole a 'just ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 984314
- - born2run
  - 76 reviews
  - Isles of Scilly
  - 19 Apr 2011 at 20:03
- - 1
  - 0
  Pretty Cool
  
  This has to be one of the best films of the 70s, with Elliott Gould making a pretty cool Philip Marlowe. Just how he strikes his matches on any available ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 862681
- - Cato
  - 554 reviews
  - Lydbury North
  - 17 Feb 2010 at 12:21
- - 1
  - 0
  Great Chandler Thriller.
  
  In my opinion, the best adaptation of any Chandler novel.
  
  Sure there are liberties taken with the source novel, but then that's true of all ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 849132
- - SteveMason
  - 58 reviews
  - Nottingham
  - 14 Jan 2010 at 15:52
- - 0
  - 0
  Very Long and kind of bland
  
  Raymond Chandler dialogue is witty, urbane and sharp, and so, usually, were his plots. All twisty subterfuge, slippery cops and complex women, his prose is ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 790141
- - a customer
  - Lewes
  - 27 Jul 2009 at 21:59
- - 0
  - 0
  Didn't know what to expect...
  
  but I didn't expect this. It was passable, but I felt it missed something vital. I probably would of been a lot fairer on it if it was something I came ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 784193
- - JimiTheSaint
  - 61 reviews
  - London
  - 15 Jul 2009 at 09:53
- - 1
  - 0
  Groovy..
  
  I can understand this not being everyone's cup of tea but I really enjoyed it. Elliott Gould's louche take on the classic Marlowe is almost horizontal. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 752014
- - irmt
  - 4 reviews
  - London
  - 03 May 2009 at 22:38
- - 0
  - 0
  Adios!
  
  Totally overrated Chandler adaptation with a game Elliott Gould and impressive Jack Rydell playing second fiddle to a ridiculous, overlong cameo by Sterling ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 747905
- - russio
  - 144 reviews
  - Harlow
  - 25 Apr 2009 at 12:25
- - 0
  - 0
  Dull
  
  This is a terribly dull film, it is so slow. I am a fan of older films, but not this one. It took me three viewings to watch it as I kept falling asleep.
  
  Report this review
- 705286
- - redline2010
  - 2 reviews
  - Uxbridge
  - 09 Feb 2009 at 12:57
- - 0
  - 0
  Bit of a muddle
  
  Very stylish and innovative but ultimately unfulfilling.
  
  Ending totally didn't tally with the rest of the film. A shame, was expecting a lot.
  
  Report this review
- 701809
- - a customer
  - Whyteleafe
  - 04 Feb 2009 at 13:01
View all members' reviews (41)

- - 12
  - 2
  Any casual viewers of ...
  
  Any casual viewers of this film will undoubtedly by left confused and bemused by this somewhat rambling literary adaptation. The plot meanders, the characters ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 15820
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - Clucky
  - Cardiff, Wales
  - 24 Aug 2004 at 15:53
- - 4
  - 1
  Loved this take Phillip Marlowe
  
  There are many films featuring Philip Marlowe, the detective featured in the books of Raymond Chandler, and Humphrey Bogart remains the most renowned (The Big ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 66515
- - Adam H. Gallimore
  - the middle of Dorset
  - 24 Jan 2005 at 02:47
- - 4
  - 1
  Intelligent Genre Deconstruction
  
  Robert Altman's deconstruction of the PI genre, specifically Philip Marlowe is intelligent, challenging, amusing at times and pulled off with an amazing ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 95702
- [Highly rated reviewer]
  - McClennan
  - 424 reviews
  - St Helens
  - 23 Apr 2005 at 12:09
- - 3
  - 0
  Abysmal
  
  Terrible film. It was lacking in almost every aspect that made the book great. It altered the characters, the atmosphere and the entire plot, and replaced ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 425873
- - a customer
  - London, England
  - 31 Mar 2007 at 21:44
- - 3
  - 1
  Brilliant revisionist drama
  
  The film is fantastic. It is mainly held together by Elliot Gould who gives a marvellously understated ironic performance. There are some truly hilarious ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 327550
- - tjkellyexploited
  - Herefordshire
  - 18 Mar 2005 at 09:23
- - 3
  - 1
  mumbles
  
  The Long Goodbye, a gleefully cynical, black hearted masterpiece from the late Robert Altman.
  
  A friend asks for a lift to the Mexican border and ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 395285
- - a customer
  - Belfast, N. Ireland
  - 17 Dec 2006 at 00:17
- - 2
  - 0
  No No No No No...
  
  On it's own merits, this film was ok. It had some nice little filmic moments in it and... well, I can't manage any more praise than that. As an ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 555658
- - FutureMan
  - 48 reviews
  - London
  - 19 Apr 2008 at 16:19
- - 2
  - 1
  Don't miss this
  
  "The Long Goodbye" is my favourite Raymond Chandler novel, so I was very interested to see this 70s update. Happily, it's an outstanding film. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 330824
- - Torgo
  - UK
  - 13 Apr 2005 at 14:06
- - 1
  - 0
  Groovy..
  
  I can understand this not being everyone's cup of tea but I really enjoyed it. Elliott Gould's louche take on the classic Marlowe is almost horizontal. ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 752014
- - irmt
  - 4 reviews
  - London
  - 03 May 2009 at 22:38
- - 1
  - 0
  Great Chandler Thriller.
  
  In my opinion, the best adaptation of any Chandler novel.
  
  Sure there are liberties taken with the source novel, but then that's true of all ... read more »
  
  Report this review
- 849132
- - SteveMason
  - 58 reviews
  - Nottingham
  - 14 Jan 2010 at 15:52

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Buy from Amazon.co.uk

- - Buy
- The Long Goodbye
  
  Director Robert Altman, famous for his ability to turn any genre inside out, takes aim at film noir with this evocative adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel. Altman's Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould) is a relatively unsuccessful private eye living and working in 1970s Los Angeles. Stepping into the ...