Philip Marlowe on the big screen

Dick Powell gives a terrific performance as Marlowe. Tough, funny, energetic with a real eye for detail. The story has been changed a bit to save time but the spirit is there. Anne Shirley is simply wonderful as the love interest and Claire Trevor simply icy as the femme fatale. Mike Mazurki is creepy as hell as Moose Malloy. The story moves at a great clip and is full of snappy dialogue. Probably the best Marlowe adaptation ever made. See this film at all costs!

Great Bogart-Bacall vehicle has terrific atmosphere and great supporting characters. The spirit of Chandler's convoluted plot is there but they made way too many changes to the story including changing the killer's identity! Sacrilege! Still, Bogart and Bacall make this worthwhile. Taut and suspenseful but too bad about all the major plot changes.

Director Robert Montgomery's camera presents us the story form Marlowe's point of view. A little too gimmicky but it moves at a great clip and includes some solid acting. Montgomery's portrayal of Marlowe is a little too snarky and Audrey Totter is all over the place but they still manage to pull it off. Lloyd Nolan hits the perfect note as the corrupt police detective. They haven't tampered too much with the story so that definitely helps. Please seek this one out.

George Montgomery is simply too lightweight to play Marlowe but they have kept most of the story intact and the denouement is well presented. Nancy Guild makes a great love interest. Worth checking out.

James Garner as Marlowe in the 1960s. This is well done and mostly well updated. The mystery is ok but unspectacular, but that was also the case of the original book. The best part is Bruce Lee as a henchman who destroys Marlowe's office (not in the original novel, but very effective here). Pretty good overall.

Robert Altman took Chandler's story and completely shook it on its head. Elliot Gould as Philip Marlowe? As strange as this is, it actually works. He is definitely a fish out of water. An odd collection of supporting actors including Mark Rydell as one scary villain. If you have seen the film, you remember the one scene with Rydell and his goons roughing up Marlowe. It contains one of the most sadistic moments ever filmed(Marlowe is not the victim). Sterling Hayden is quite good in his scenes with Gould. Jim Bouton as Terry Lennox is another odd casting choice. The film makes excellent use of the California locations.Weird adaptation but well worth your time. By the way, they changed the ending big time but it actually improves on the original. Look fast for Arnold Schwarzanegger and Keith Carradine in small parts.

Nostalgic, sad, nuanced adaptation of the novel of the same name. This was shot as a period piece and succeeds. Robert Mitchum puts in an excellent performance as the world weary Marlowe even though he is much too old for the part. The changes made here are all cosmetic and do not harm the story. Excellent use of colour to convey a feeling for the 1940s. Look quickly for Sylvester Stallone in a non-speaking role. Amazing film.

They updated the story from 1940s Los Angeles to 1970s London England. What were they thinking? The acting is , for the most part, awful. The story moves at a good clip but it is impossible to reconcile with the change in location. Candy Clark is awful. Richard Boone is awful. Sarah Miles is awful. Only Robert Mitchum manages to hold his own but he certainly looks like he was doing it for the money. Avoid at all costs.

James Caan is average as Marlowe. They have changed the story to make it even more convoluted than the novel and this murks everything up. Not as bad as the 1978 Big Sleep but damn close. Chandler must be rolling over in his grave.