It was an hour and a half later. The body had been taken away, the ground gone over, and I had told my story three or four times. We sat, four of us, in the day captain's room at the West Los Angeles station. The building was quiet except for a drunk in a cell who kept giving the Australian bush call while he waited to go downtown for sunrise court.
- From Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler
I am a major Raymond Chandler fan and so watched part of "Murder, My Sweet" the other day. It was one of Hollywood's early stabs at "Farewell, My Lovely" and they'd decided to toughen up the title.
Dick Powell as Philip Marlowe? He never conveyed the proper amount of menace. Even worse, he mumbled Chandler's great quips and that alone should have warranted the electric chair. To be fair, other actors have also tried the part with mixed results. Bogart was probably the best. Robert Mitchum was game but he was old and tired by the time his chance arrived.
So here's a question: If you were casting Philip Marlowe using today's actors, who would be a contender?
Quick thoughts:
- Russell Crowe
- Christian Bale
- Others?
2 comments:
If you don't have it, I suggest acquiring a copy of the Raymond Chandler Papers. Lots of good stuff there about the Chandler, the characters, his writing process and more.
Wally,
Your recommendation has several virtues:
1. I value your opinion;
2. The book sounds very interesting; and
3. I can tell my wife that she can blame you for the purchase.
Michael
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