I picked this biography to read from the library shelves chiefly because of its pulp cover and a flick through the contents revealed that the book, while not a hefty tome, was concisely and well written. I'm not a Chandler nut but I was interested to find out a bit more about him, and I liked his screenplays.
I wasn't disappointed - this is an excellent biography, well researched (it doesn't go into awesome detail but enough), extremely well written with some solid analysis of the books and his life. Raymond Chandler was an odd man but he had an odd life - American born, American father (alcoholic, absent), Irish mother, but Anglo-Irish (he had no love for Catholics), moved to England as a boy, public school educated at the expense of a rich uncle, even worked for the civil service, then back to the US, was friendly enough for a family to adopt him, saw war service with the Canadians (real mccoy war service too, seeing people die and being concussed by a shell), working in the oil business and making a fortune, marrying a woman 20 years older (when he was 31!!), losing his money in the depression - not through poor investments but through being an alcoholic and losing his job, turning to writing in middle age and by putting in hard yards (months over a single story) became conversely very good very quickly.
His first two Marlowe novels were snapped up by Knopf who recognised their quality - but they did not sell well and he struggled financially until two windfalls happened: Hollywood hired him for Double Indemnity and his books started to sell in paperback. Despite increased fame and money he still managed to remain unhappy, turn out one more classic book, become a widower, then drink himself to death - but he still made it to 70.
Chandler comes across very vivid here - the most overriding image is that of loneliness, growing up without a father, living in America with no family around him (when he brought mum over that was little help). When he married he picked a woman 20 years older and they did not seem to socialise. He had a few mates but seemed to shed them after time. He wanted company yet didn't at the same time - not uncommon for a writer, I can relate. He often found it better to communicate through letters.
He was a wonderful writer, Chandler, who like Steven King found the perfect genre for his gifts (would he have thrived in another genres? He didn't write enough non detective stuff to tell). A very good screenwriter, too: he only wrote a few but they included Double Indemnity, The Blue Dahlia, and Strangers on a Train (it's frustrating Universal never financed Payback although Chandler needed strong directors). A very strong style although it seems everyone likes only three of the Marlowes (The Big Sleep, Farewell My Lovely and The Long Goodbye) - opinion seems more divided on the others.
The biggest two surprises: one was Chandler connected to two Australian women during his widower years (when he formed crushes at the drop of a hat): one his secretary, Australian born, whom he tried to "rescue" and who sued unsuccessfully for his estate after he died, and another who was a penpal (he planned to visit Australia towards the end of his life but changed his mind).
The second involves his marriage - one of the great weird love stories: Chandler and Cissy, aged 50, a former beauty who ran with the opium set and had nude photos of her, who was sick for much of her last years, who separated from him in the Depression for a bit due to his drinking, nonetheless clicked with Chandler - he seems to have been devoted to her (well, apart from two affairs), especially towards the end of her life when he could be the real knight in shining armour I think he always wanted to be. They led a self-contained life, few friends. When she died he was devastated. This was the most moving part of an unexpectedly moving book.
No comments:
Post a Comment