Nothing Long about this Goodbye

Robert Altmans The Long Goodbye (1973) presents us with a private eye that I don't know if I would want working for me. By name he is Philip Marlowe, but he is not Bogarts' Philip Marlowe, he is Altmans' Philip Marlowe, and Altman knows that he wants to present this Marlowe as an aloof, smart talking, wonderer. Altman is clearly playing with the film noir genre in The Long Goodbye. He knows how slick the loner private eye is suppose to be and gives us a private eye that isn't always the slickest but still manages to get the job done. 

Much of the characterization of Marlowe should be credited to Elliot Gould, despite his wandering attitude, I found him a funny, likable, and charming loner, and all those qualities "are alright by me." There was one scene, on the beach in which I felt like Gould had trouble with, and it is the only scene where Marlowe really shows some emotion, but thinking back on it, I believe it was done on purpose (doesn't mean it was effective though). 

I've heard a lot of complaints about the lack of plot in this film. I couldn't disagree more, it's not that this film doesn't have a plot, its just that Marlowe doesn't initiate much of it, in fact most happens to him, as he tries to make sense of it and wanders through it. In fact the plot kept me intrigued right from the point Marlowe gets an unexpected guest and drives him to Mexico. 

Altman keeps a constantly moving camera throughout the film, which gives the audience the sense they are just wandering along with Marlowe trying to watch as the whole thing takes place, making it feel like neither us nor Marlowe has any control over the events.  

There is practically only one song that plays over and over in various styles, the song itself is called The Long Goodbye and it was written as an original by John Williams. It's certainly not your normal John Williams score, and the repetition of this song gives a great sense that every where Marlowe goes he finds himself in the same situations. 

The Long Goodbye seems to be almost solely focused on Marlowe or from his perspective except for one scene between Eileen and Roger Wade (played by the great Sterling Hayden) where the couple argue as Marlowe waits outside. I found this odd and it took away from the great flow of the film. 

Overall there is not much to complain about with this movie, but at the same time it wasn't a mind blowing film, it was just expertly made, original and knew what it was trying to accomplish, it also had a bizarre cameo from Arnold Schwarzenegger which is worth checking out.

***1/2