I was reading a lot of Graham Greene and Raymond Chandler and going through a noir phase when I met my wife, and fortunately for me she likes film noir, too. We found imdb.com’s lists of noir movies and enjoyed finding the ones we hadn’t seen yet.
(Their list changes, however, as new votes are constantly tallied. For instance, the 1931 classic “M” was high on the list several years ago, but is gone from it now.)
I got interested in comparing Chandler’s novels to the movies — such as the very different endings The Big Sleep has on screen and on the page. After that we started looking at all the different actors who’ve played private eye Philip Marlowe.
Okay, “got interested” might be soft-pedaling it. I get a bit fixated on finding various performances; my wife is less inclined to list every actor who has ever played Chandler’s Marlowe in the movies, although she is happy to discuss the finer points of their work:
Humphrey Bogart The Big Sleep
Dick Powell Murder, My Sweet
Robert Montgomery Lady in the Lake
James Garner Marlowe
Elliott Gould The Long Goodbye
Robert Mitchum Farewell My Lovely and The Big Sleep
and Powers Booth as Philip Marlowe, Private Eye.
Dashiell Hammett described his Sam Spade as looking like a “blond Satan” (and described the satanic v’s of his brows, cheeks, and chin). It’s mildly ironic then that someone appearing so different became the quintessential Spade: Humphrey Bogart.
Marlowe, however, was never so completely epitomized by one actor. No one has captured Philip to the same degree, becoming the benchmark or signature version.
Boothe looks all right, but he’s over the top in trying to be hard-boiled. Mitchum has the right laconic attitude, but seems oversized for the role. Perhaps because his Marlowe was the first I saw, Bogart’s version “feels” right, although his mug is so distinctive that, when I read the books, I envision someone more average and nondescript in the role. Bogart’s face is so unique (especially his eyes and ears) he is iconically Bogie–not an ideal undercover guy.
Unlike many of my friends here in the Bay Area, I often agree with one of our local movie reviewers, Mick LaSalle. I liked his comment once that everyone in the noir world, good and bad, pays a price.
So I wrote to him and asked “Any thoughts on who did the best job as Philip Marlowe?”
He wrote back: “Of those, I’ve only seen MONTGOMERY and POWELL. I just like Montgomery in everything, but Powell is probably a better Marlowe.”
I registered surprised he hadn’t seen Bogart, and he replied, “… I’ve seen THE BIG SLEEP, so I guess I’d put Bogart as the best Marlowe that I’ve SEEN. I haven’t seen the Mitchum film.”
I stopped short of mailing him a DVD of Mitchum in Farewell My Lovely, but I do think he’s missing a great opportunity at a column, here.
Okay, so I’m compulsive, but it’s still an interesting question, no?
OmbudsBen 
I liked the Powell version of Marlowe more than I thought I would. However, Bogart is just the Man. How can anyone argue about how well he plays Marlowe? (I really loved Bogart as Sam Spade, especially when he tells Mary Astor that he won’t play the sap for her! Ooooh! So good! But the Maltese Falcon was written by Hammett, another Noir writer and not Chandler.)
Nice blog, Ben.
Rob
Bogie is The Man, you’re right.
But isn’t it hard sometimes to forget that you’re watching Humphrey Bogart and for the actor to become the character?
James Garner is awesome; give me Rockford, give me Maverick, he’s it. But Marlowe?
Bogart.
Don’t care if he’s not the Marlowe of Chandler’s books; don’t care if I know who I’m watching.
Bogart.
Yes. To see him enter the Sternwood mansion, Carmen falling in his arms, to see him flirt with Lauren Bacall (they re-shot some scenes a year later to capitalize on their chemistry) is to see Marlowe realized.
I wish Powers Boothe had paid attention.
Regarding Ombudsben’s original post, I agree that there has not been a celluloid quintessestial Marlowe (as I consider — OT — Basil Rathbone to do the job for Sherlock Holmes, say). FYI: I was fortunate to read most of the novels before seeing any of the movies, so I had my own internalized vision of the detective. But a few comments nontheless:
1) How can your reviewer pal Mr. LaSalle “see” Montgomery at all as Marlowe in Lady in the Lake, as that movie tried the technique of showing the story entirely from Marlowe’s (the camera’s) POV, and we hardly “see” Marlowe/Montgomery at all?
2) Mitchum “oversized?” Physically? Marlowe is described as 6 feet and a half inch, 190 pounds (a large man for the times). I’d say Mitchum (who played the role at a rather mature point in his career) is 6’2″ and 210 or so, not that much bigger, especially since the Mitchum Marlowe’s are set at a later date IIRC…
3) Bogart’s unique presence, to me, renders him Bogart in whatever he does, as ombudsben replies to Roberta. He’s small physically for the part, and rather more world-weary than I see Marlowe. Of course, Marlowe morphs over time, getting more sentimental in The Long Goodbye and Playback — perhaps as a reaction to the inhumanity of the popular Mickey Spillane brand of hardboil?
I’d like to see the Powers Boothe work — just heard of it tonight as I found this site while avoiding work…
In any event, it’s fun for me to speak of these things. My wife is not a big fan of the genre, nor are my friends.
Thank you all for your interesting comments.
David, good stuff all. However, were I to choose the quintessential Sherlock Holmes: Jeremy Brett, all the way! I love the BBC’s remake of the whole Holmes series; when they tried to adapt Doyle’s other work into Holmes stories it was less successful.
It’s been a while since I saw The Lady in the Lake–but I thought we do see Montgomery several times, early on and in mirrors, right?
Btw, Chandler liked that sort of thing, the tricky shots, the gimmicks. If you get a chance to see “Billy Wilder Speaks” (2006) he talks of working with Chandler (they disagreed famously in writing Double Indemnity) and he mocks how Chandler loved having the camera come in through the keyhole and move across the floor and up a woman’s leg, etc.
(Wilder also compares Chandler and Agatha Christie interestingly, preferring Christie’s plots but Chandler’s descriptions.)
Aside from an inch or two of height and 20 lbs., Mitchum’s presence just feels bigger to me. (I’m surprised he’s listed at only 210–perhaps a youthful weight?) Not necessarily quantifiable, but if you see the movie he is physically imposing, often towering over people. What’s IIRC?
I don’t recommend Boothe’s work; also, the plots are excessively rewritten by HBO. But if you really like the genre and want to see the different Marlowe’s it’s worthwhile — appearance-wise, he’s good.
Doesn’t like noir? What kinds of movies does your wife like?
It doesn’t do anything for her to think of how (like so often in real life) everyone in the noir world, good or bad, pays a price?
I love Noir and am a Bogart fanatic so my vote is in. Still, I have to mention Elliot Gould as a completely unorthodox Marlowe adds something “weighty” to the whole debate. Perhaps it was more about Altman’s overall direction, but there is a lot of things about Gould’s performance (and he is an actor I never cared for that much) that hit at the essence of noir. Marlowe as a slob? Sure, but look at who he hangs out with!
Neath
The Gould movie is on my list to see again; it’s been a few years. You’re right, Gould plays him a lot looser–also a function of the era, early 70s, I suspect.
I’m with you on Bogart. Some actors just define a role and become the standard everyone else is measured against(think Sean Connery as Bond).
The biggest problem I had with the Powers Boothe Marlowes was the perfectness of the vehicles. A period piece, the cars would have had to come from private collections. I don’t remember a dent, scratch, scuffed tire, bad paint job,
Oh, and the brightness. For me, noir works so much better in black and white.
Hey, randy, thanks for writing. Yeah I’ve also noticed, in contemporary movies set in the past, with vintage vehicles, how immaculate the cars are. It makes you think that, if you had classics you wanted in movies, you’d offer them to Hollywood with a bit of grime, rust, and or a few dings, yeah? Your wheels could be the vehicular stars of lots of films. If you had body work as a hobby, you could even work out the kinks. Or work them in and out, as it were.
I know what you mean about black and white. My only question is, were we all somehow conditioned to perceive black and white with that enhanced value, or is there really something intrinsic to the sans color approach?
If only Mitchum had been ten years younger when he did Farewell My Lovely, I’d pick him for the prototypical Marlowe. I agree that Bogart was too small. Garner may have been too handsome and Boothe too muscular; he made the coupes look a little like clown cars and could have used an extra 1/8 inch in his hat size.
Who would we pick to fill that hat today? I’d like to see Clooney give it a shot. Or one of the boys from LA Confidential.
I realize I’m just moving men around in leads, but MacMurray or Holden would have been interesting choices back in the day. You’ve got to have the right combination of good (but not model-quality) looks, serious (but not over-) bearing, and insubordinate wit.
Derek, I agree. Mitchum could have been excellent.
And I really like your musing on MacMurray or Holden — it would have been great had they been given a shot.
Re LA Confidential, are you thinking Russell Crowe? He might make a wonderful Marlowe. Spacey could do the bored-with-it-all worldweariness, too, that would fit Marlowe well.
What a pleasant surprise to run across this site. I have just finished the Marlowe books for the umpteenth time and was just getting into the movie versions. I was very impressed at the way Powers Boothe read the voice over naraton in the TV series (which you can still find on Yahoo.com. He did 11 in all)
My favorite would have to be either James Garner or Robert Mitchum. Mitchum did the role very late in his life and so fell somewhat short of achieving Marlowe. Garner was good but not serious enough. What can I say about Bogart except that he was playing Humphrey Bogart, not Philip Marlowe. Can’t find the print of the George Montgomery film but he was panned as over dramatic by critics. Forget Elliot Gould and the contempt that film maker Robert Altman had for Chandler’s novel in “The Long Goodbye” maybe Chandler’s best work.
Dick Powell was very good but stuck with a “Hollywood” type script that fell way short thought good for its day.I heard a rumour that there was a film with Van Heflin as Philip Marlowe but don’t know what story. May have been a mistake. Would love to have seen Gerald Mohr as Marlowe on film since he did the radio shows and was very good. Oh yes, James Caan also did Marlowe but played him as a very different Marlowe. Didn’t like it. So I would take a composite of Boothe Powrs’ voice and Robert Mithum’s looks with the humour of James Garner and construct my perfect Marlowe. Thanks.
Just so you know, Raymond Chandler said on a few occasions that he always pictured Cary Grant as the perfect look for Marlowe.
Word from the master himself! Thank you, John. I suppose Cary Grant would have made a great Hollywood Marlowe. But he’s maybe just a bit too Hollywood handsome for the Marlowe in my mind.
I’ve read all of Chandler’s Philip Marlowe books, and I’ve seen all the Marlowe’s except Powers Booth. I think Dick Powell’s was the best, with James Garner’s being pretty damn good, too. In my opinion, Marlowe of the books wasn’t so much tough as he was experienced, and not all of his experiences had turned out well. He had developed a sardonic attitude. I thought Powell captured that the best.
Chandler thought so too.
Thanks, Walt!
Good points, Ira. Yes, Marlowe’s voice certainly evinces lots of experiences, much of it bitter or painful, and that is key to his character in the criminal milieu he often works.
On a bit of a tangent, it reminds me of Danny DeVitos’ scene in The Big Kahuna, on how we don’t have character until we have regrets. I found it here:
Regarding Chandler, I’ve read some biographies of him, and much of his published correspondence. He was an officer in world war one, and was one of the few survivors after leading his men into combat–which he rarely ever spoke of. I’m guessing he had some character-building experiences before his long drinking binge in roaring twenties LA.
Thanks for the link to the video clip, Ben.
It’s hard to choose the best screen Marlowe. For one thing, it seems we may have to clarify the question, because some people seem to be answering the question “Which is the best adaptation of a Chandler novel.” In other words, I’ve noticed that in offering a response, many people go beyond the actor’s performance and physical attributes.and get into the films’ production values and the quality of the scripts. I think it’s important to get past those things. The film Marlowe pales in comparison to The Big Sleep, but Garner looks more like Marlowe than Bogart does, and he never once tugs on his ear. One other thing that has struck me is that Murder, My Sweet, The Big Sleep, and even The Lady in the Lake (Montgomery’s performance may be the hardest to judge because the film is so high concept) are all contemporaneous with Chandler, and therefore, Marlowe himself. The films and performances thereafter have the added baggage of either evoking period or making the mistake of trying to update the character, which makes judging the performance a murky task. Powers Boothe and company seem to be trying so hard to evoke the period that sometimes they border on parody. However, in casting Powers Boothe, they knew what they were doing and I think, given the circumstances, he did an outstanding job. As far as the actors who played Marlowe in Chandler’s lifetime, I prefer Powell to Bogart because I think Bogart is a better Sam Spade and Powell’s performance is less mannered. I think Garner is the best Marlowe since that time, .
“and he never once tugs on his ear”
I got a chuckle out of that, Michael. I’m with you on how the Powers Boothe version bordered on parody, too. sometimes you get the sense that those in charge of producing and directing might have learned so much in going through the process a first time that they might do a far superior job the second time through.
If anyone has seen North By Northwest then you would think Cary Grant would have been an excellent choice to be cast as Philip Marlowe.
Thanks, Danny. Good point on Cary Grant, and by usual movie-making standards, it’s clear to see how he could have been a blockbuster Philip Marlowe for the studio. It would be fun, also, to hear what Chandler would have thought of him, were he to visit the set. Don’t you think Grant would have had to modify his accent–or Chandler’s teeth would have been on edge?
I have seen most of the films adapted from Chandler’s work and have read, I believe, every novel and short story that Chandler published, going back to the ‘Black Mask’ days. This doesn’t make me an ‘authority’, of course; just a somewhat-informed individual with an opinion.
Watching Robert Mitchum in ‘Farewell My Lovely’ (1975), I felt (and feel) that of all the portrayals of Philip Marlowe I have seen (by Humphrey Bogart, James Garner, Dick Powell, James Caan, Elliot Gould, Robert Montgomery, George Montgomery, Powers Boothe and several others), Robert Mitchum stands out as probably the most realistic Philip Marlowe of them all. Shop-worn, hard-bitten but with a streak of kindness and chivalry within; aging but still very vital and with a solid ‘authority’ (for want of a better term) in the role, Mitchum made as perfect a Philip Marlowe as has ever graced the screen in ‘Farewell My Lovely’. I felt that his portrayal fit Chandler’s description of Marlowe’s persona, as set forth in his essay ‘The Simple Art of Murder’ (1950), better than any other actor.
Unfortunately, this was followed up in 1978 by a version of ‘The Big Sleep’, a film in which he probably won’t impress you in the same way. That is not Mitchum’s fault; it’s the screenwriter’s. Sadly, it was decided, for whatever reason, to transplant the story to England; a transplant that doesn’t work very well. The gritty world in which Marlowe lives is not a very good fit for the English countryside and the locales and characters lack the film-noir geist that Chandler’s world evokes: the crazy mixture of glitz, glamour and grittiness that was post-prohibition Los Angeles.
All the same, I consider Mitchum’s, on the basis of this one film, to be one of the best portrayals of Marlowe in cinema. After seeing it, I wished that Mitchum had been cast in that role, during various stages of his career, in film adaptations of the entire Chandler canon.
Good point regarding how much the screenplay, setting, director, etc., can affect success. For instance, perhaps the Dick Powell version of Murder, My Sweet, from the protagonist’s point of view, may have sounded revolutionary when proposed but cinematic reality fell far short. So how good might Powell have been in a more conventional version?
I like Mitchum a lot. Wouldn’t it have been great to see more of Chandler’s movies with him as Marlowe?
Boy… poor ol’ Elliot Gould gets might short shrift here. He’s my pick ’cause I think he conveys that mix of a man who is not mean yet dead tired of what this life has put him through. And he likes his cat, which certainly reflects Chandler and fits with Marlow’s qualities, no? Not sure if he’s necessarily “the best” but he’s a lot better than what many have said here… I always think of Mitchum being the best version of Marlowe during the PLAYBACK era rather than THE BIG SLEEP.
I read somewhere that Chandler had Cary Grant in mind when he created Marlowe and always wished Grant had played him. Interestingly, Clive Owen was in talks to play Marlowe several years ago, but the project fell through.
Thanks for the comment, Jason. I always like Playback, and look forward to re-reading it. What do you mean by the Playback era? That Mitchum should have starred in a movie based on Playback?
I like Elliot Gould, too. Perhaps my not liking that 1960s version of The Long Goodbye was due in part to the hippies / counterculture theme it had feeling out of whack for me with the essence of Chandler’s Marlowe.
RIP Powers Boothe.
Elliot Gould is the last surviving Philip Marlowe.
Mitchum’s the man, without question…it’s too bad he didn’t play him a decade or 2, earlier.
Interesting point, Al. Mitchum was born in 1917; when he plays Marlowe in 1975 and 1978, he’s in his late 50’s, early 60’s.
Imagine the performances he might have given in the late 1940s and early ’50s, when he was in his young 30’s.