The Long Goodbye (1973) The Beatnik and Neo-Noir Classic (Review)

Despite the number of classics that fit under the banner, film noir is a style of crime cinema that has been bizarrely confined to the era of its inception. More often than not, those films made outside of the 1940s and 50s tend to be classics of their respective era. Despite purists of Raymond Chanler taking Umbridge to the authentic of its adaptation, Robert Altman The Long Goodbye is one such classic of its era & one of the beloved director’s many classics, and the latest release from Arrow’s Academy.

Based on the novel of the same name by Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye sees private investigator (Philip Marlowe) unwillingly dragged into all manner of trouble when his friend, Terry Lennox (Jim Bouton), disappears in Tijuana leaving all manner of baggage in his wake. Disappearing to Mexico, Terry soon turns up dead, leaving Marlowe to deal with the local police, a strangely multi-ethnic crime family and a contract to find missing writer Roger Wade. Like any great noir or mystery film, The Long Goodbye pulls together these many disparate characters, plot arcs and red herrings as Marlowe uncovers the truth behind his friends’ death.

Mystery and film noir are two cinematic traditions that don’t follow the same beats as more commonly tread genres, such films are very elusive in their storytelling. Whether it’s the work of Robert Altman, Orson Welles or Robert Siodmak, you quite often don’t see the full picture until the credits roll. While stock in that regard, this script goes out of its way to play with convention, whether its the hyper-masculine Ernest Hemmingway-like Roger Wade (Sterling Hayden) or the eccentric gangster Marty Augustine (Mark Rydell). That quality of Chandler’s source novel and certain creative ticks in Philip Marlowe’s diction makes the Long Goodbye both a classic piece of narrative that keeps on giving and a willfully difficult text.

This iteration of Philip Marlowe is a character that’ll alienate and compel equally. He is a private investigator, so the success of his professional life is predicated on him being shady. His dishonesty isn’t the problem; instead, it’s that this version is something of a proto-hipster. He is a man of aloof mannerisms; constantly making smart remarks and showing no fear, likewise, he’ll consistently mumble odd remarks under his breath. In the smaller moments, he is not a character who is easy to empathise with; even then he shows an unprecedented side to his personality in the final moments that characterise him better than any number of off the cuff comments. Yet in these idiosyncrasies, Elliott Gould delivers one of the performances of his career, carrying this awkward film on his back.

The actuality of Marlowe’s world is assisted beautifully by Vilmos Zsigmond’s poised cinematography which consistently frames the image with an inflated sense of voyeurism.  His work behind the camera gives the film a panoramic quality stretching from the smallest of rooms to the grandest of vista, and more often than not these images are shot from unusual angles and odd corners more akin with surveillance cameras than cinematic norms.

Another defining element in capturing that film noir cool is the John Williams score. The regularity of the score can be compared to Carol Reed classic the Third Man. While it cannot be doubted that the Third Man’s theme is in the pantheon of music written for cinema, it’s also played so often it becomes a parody of itself. Robert Altman and John Williams have seeded the titular songs more cleverly than that, it appears as interpreted through many different musical genres in various states of completion. That versatility shows just how good John Williams can be when given freedom.

Robert Altman is the very epitome of underrated American directors, whether you’re looking at McCabe & Mrs Miller, 3 Women, Nashville or Secret Honor. The Long Goodbye feels more deliberate and tough headed than those other films. As a piece of film noir text, it has a clear classicism about it, however, the way it deviates with its character is just as alienating as it is refreshing. Those with the film will find a release packed with generous extras and a presentation that sees the film look better than ever while still feeling true to New Hollywood. While those against will never be able to get past Philip Marlowe being such a beatnik.

Thanks for reading our late review of The Long Goodbye

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