Found a copy of this on the excellent Cinephelia website. It's a solid, tight adaptation. None of the famous Robert Altman flares are here - the cat food, the music, the overlapping dialogue - the role of Marlowe doesn't seem obviously "Elliot Gould". But the novel has been knocked in to shape - it's been years since I read it, mind, but it's a simple, effective structuring, with a clear story - Marlowe helps friend Terry Lennox escape to Mexico then defends him when he's accused of killing his wife and commits suicide; in another case he searches for a writer who has taken off, and someone Lennox owes money to comes after Marlowe.
There are several vivid characters - the debt collector, the alcoholic writer who beats his wife (clearly based on Chandler), the friend Lennox, a dodgy doctor. There's some swearing and attitude.
It's not a magical adaptation but it completely holds and you could see a great director sprinkling fairy dust on it.
No comments:
Post a Comment