A film adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel "Farwell, My Lovely", "Murder, My Sweet" is a great example of noir, with dramatic lighting, many night scenes, and a number of tough characters. Dick Powell--in a dramatic shift from the crooner roles he was used to--plays Philip Marlowe, the private eye who lives in a seedy world of losers and the corrupt. Marlowe's office is a small hole is a trashy building. Yet, he
always needs rent money, so he is not very picky about the cases he takes.
The film starts with Marlowe getting the third degree from the cops. Most of the story is his recounting of two cases, with Powell's voice frequently providing the voice-over narration. In one case, Marlowe agrees to search for a missing woman. The other starts as an insignificant job attending a planned rendezvous. As the cases develop, Marlowe discovers both are complex and dangerous enterprises.
Along they way, he meets Ann Grayle, featuring Anne Shirley in her final screen role. Her motives are obscure, but she definitely gets Marlowe's attention.
He also deals with Ann's step-mother, Helen Grayle (Claire Trevor), who has an eye for interesting men, and it doesn't take much to interest her. A few years after this role, Ms. Trevor will win an Oscar for her work in "Key Largo" in a very different role.
Chandler's Marlowe is quick with the wisecracks and the similes ("She had a face like a Sunday school picnic.") I leave it up to the viewer to decide if Powell fully embodies the tough guy, but I think he does surprisingly well. Watch for the scene where he tries to shake off a drug-induced stupor. As with all Marlowe stories, the characters are stylized and so is the dialogue. But good acting makes even a stylized role realistic. The acting of Miles Mander (as Mr. Grayle) is likewise convincing.
Another attribute of many noir detective films is a convoluted story (see "The Maltese Falcon" for example), and this film is true to form. But the story holds up to scrutiny. Still, I think the viewer will have greater success watching this film without distractions at home. I wonder how many moviegoers in 1944 were able to follow the story while seated in a theater with the usual distractions.
One of the charming aspects of the film is the humorous dialogue, sometimes dark and deadpan, usually from Marlowe. It differentiates Marlowe from Sam Spade, for example, who is more intense.
always needs rent money, so he is not very picky about the cases he takes.
The film starts with Marlowe getting the third degree from the cops. Most of the story is his recounting of two cases, with Powell's voice frequently providing the voice-over narration. In one case, Marlowe agrees to search for a missing woman. The other starts as an insignificant job attending a planned rendezvous. As the cases develop, Marlowe discovers both are complex and dangerous enterprises.
Along they way, he meets Ann Grayle, featuring Anne Shirley in her final screen role. Her motives are obscure, but she definitely gets Marlowe's attention.
He also deals with Ann's step-mother, Helen Grayle (Claire Trevor), who has an eye for interesting men, and it doesn't take much to interest her. A few years after this role, Ms. Trevor will win an Oscar for her work in "Key Largo" in a very different role.
Chandler's Marlowe is quick with the wisecracks and the similes ("She had a face like a Sunday school picnic.") I leave it up to the viewer to decide if Powell fully embodies the tough guy, but I think he does surprisingly well. Watch for the scene where he tries to shake off a drug-induced stupor. As with all Marlowe stories, the characters are stylized and so is the dialogue. But good acting makes even a stylized role realistic. The acting of Miles Mander (as Mr. Grayle) is likewise convincing.
Another attribute of many noir detective films is a convoluted story (see "The Maltese Falcon" for example), and this film is true to form. But the story holds up to scrutiny. Still, I think the viewer will have greater success watching this film without distractions at home. I wonder how many moviegoers in 1944 were able to follow the story while seated in a theater with the usual distractions.
One of the charming aspects of the film is the humorous dialogue, sometimes dark and deadpan, usually from Marlowe. It differentiates Marlowe from Sam Spade, for example, who is more intense.