Bogey and Bacall in a noir thriller not to be missed. Humphrey Bogart plays Philip Marlowe, Raymond Chandler's famous character. Lauren Bacall is Mrs. Rutledge. Between the two of them they comprise one of the hardest romantic couples I've ever seen. In the midst of the bizarre black mail and murder case, they fall in love. "I'm in love with you I guess" they say to each other. Harsh.
In my younger days I would have celebrated this as content over form, substance over style. But it serves to remind that they truly don't make them like this anymore. Written in part by William Faulkner this is a movie you actually have to listen to. This contrasts with so many movies today -- the scripts are so bad you can nap for 10 minutes and not miss anything important. I actually saw "That Thing You Do" on a plane and did not spring the $3 for the earphones. I didn't miss a thing. Someone who had seen the movie asked me to tell them the story and, except for not knowing people's names, I could relay the entire story.
But this is a movie carried by stars, not effects. I was almost surprised to see someone riddled by a machine gun and not even get a tear in their jacket. There are no exotic locations, no special effect. Yet the movie is gripping, drawing you in, daring you to figure things out as fast as Marlowe does. I could not keep up. Marlowe is also the smartest P.I. I've seen in a while. He throws a punch or two, but violence is not his tool. His tool is information. He gathers it, he keeps it, and he uses it (modern businessmen would say "leverages" it) to outmaneuver his opponents. Bacall is magical, as the steely and stunning Mrs. Rutledge. She does not scream or faint or cry once (except when asked to as part of a ruse). She holds her own and more. Watch for her as she half sits, half lays in Marlowe's car as they drive home from a casino. It's about time the love interest holds her won with the hero.
Bogart's quick impersonation of a snobbish book collector alone makes seeing this a must.
In my younger days I would have celebrated this as content over form, substance over style. But it serves to remind that they truly don't make them like this anymore. Written in part by William Faulkner this is a movie you actually have to listen to. This contrasts with so many movies today -- the scripts are so bad you can nap for 10 minutes and not miss anything important. I actually saw "That Thing You Do" on a plane and did not spring the $3 for the earphones. I didn't miss a thing. Someone who had seen the movie asked me to tell them the story and, except for not knowing people's names, I could relay the entire story.
But this is a movie carried by stars, not effects. I was almost surprised to see someone riddled by a machine gun and not even get a tear in their jacket. There are no exotic locations, no special effect. Yet the movie is gripping, drawing you in, daring you to figure things out as fast as Marlowe does. I could not keep up. Marlowe is also the smartest P.I. I've seen in a while. He throws a punch or two, but violence is not his tool. His tool is information. He gathers it, he keeps it, and he uses it (modern businessmen would say "leverages" it) to outmaneuver his opponents. Bacall is magical, as the steely and stunning Mrs. Rutledge. She does not scream or faint or cry once (except when asked to as part of a ruse). She holds her own and more. Watch for her as she half sits, half lays in Marlowe's car as they drive home from a casino. It's about time the love interest holds her won with the hero.
Bogart's quick impersonation of a snobbish book collector alone makes seeing this a must.