Poodle Springs (1998) (TV)

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers (WGA):

Robert B. Parker (book) and
Raymond Chandler (book) ...

Release Date:

25 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Sex. Murder. Marlowe. This town has everything.

Plot:

An aging Phillip Marlowe gets mixed up with blackmail & murder among elite social set in 1963.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Stripper | Flashlight | Telephone | Desert

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Caan	...	Philip Marlowe
Dina Meyer	...	Laura Parker-Marlowe
David Keith	...	Larry Victor / Charles Nichols
Tom Bower	...	Lt. Arnie Burns
Julia Campbell	...	Miriam 'Muffy' Blackstone-Nichols
Brian Cox	...	Clayton Blackstone
Nia Peeples	...	Angel
Sam Vlahos	...	Eddie Garcia
Michael Laskin	...	Manny Lipshultz
David Byrd	...	Seymour
Joe Don Baker	...	P.J. Parker
Royce D. Applegate	...	Ivan, the Motel Manager
Billy Beck	...	Old Man in Jail
Gary Bullock	...	L.A. Captain
Michael Cooke	...	Captain

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Avnet/Kerner Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When James Caan is first seen lighting his cigarette, he uses a pack of safety matches, which has its striker on the back of the matches. These were not introduced until c. 1970. In 1963, he would have used matches where the striker is on the front of the matchbook.

Movie Connections:

References The Thin Man (1934)

Pretty good resurrection of Marlowe, but not as good as the source novel

The screen play Stoppard wrote from the credited Chandler/Parker novel is not bad, if far fetched, but not as good as the source. As a tough guy P.I. flic, this borders on fantasy, what with the additions and changes Stoppard made. Why the name changes, by the way? Linda Potter becomes Laura Parker, and Angel's character is reversed. Palm Springs, aka Poodle Springs winds up on the Nevada border. About the only thing not changed is the killer, and you'll have to see the film to find that out. Well, Caan makes a good Marlowe, looking satisfactorily battle worn, and the rest of the cast won't disappoint you. Direction is fair, but the editing is as lousy as usual for these days. Overall, this is an enjoyable private eye tale, if you can forget the novel, but that hare-brained conspiracy to move...; but hey, I'm about to give away too much!