Poodle Springs (1998) (TV)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

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 | Lamp | Gun Holster | Undershirt

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:

Continuity: While Marlowe is talking to Muffy in his apartment, the newspaper article on the coffee table keeps changing position without being touched -- alternatively jumping on and off the envelope and the table.

Movie Connections:

References From Russia with Love (1963)

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!