I have to admit, I've only seen Marlowe on screen in the
Hawks/Bogart film. Bogey's awfully good, but I read the book
before I saw the film, and I was also picturing more of a
Cary Grant type. I think Grant was more versatile than he
gets credit for. I'm no expert on old Hollywood, but I
imagine that a lot of the "typecasting" in the older movies
had to do with actors being under contract to a certain
studio, and a certain studio being associated with a certain
type of movie. Warner made Gangster pictures, MGM made
musicals etc. An actor didn't necessarily have the
opportunity to stretch they might look for today. I could be
totally wrong about this, it's just an idea.
I would like Bogey's Marlowe more if I hadn't read the book;
as I see it, there's not a big difference between Bogart's
portrayal of Spade and his portrayal of Marlowe, and they're
much different characters on the page.
Of course, I'm also annoyed by the love story aspect of the
Hawks "Big Sleep," though it works well enough on film. I'm
much fonder of the
(Huston) film of "Falcon," though I like TBS the book better
than TMF - if that makes any sense. But, hell, I like them
both. "Falcon" has the better story in either
incarnation.
to everybody, thanks for all the tips on Block, Westlake,
Leonard, etc.
*****************
"Is that what you do for a living?" she asked. "Find
folks?"
"Sometimes," I said. "Other times I just look."
-James Crumley, "The Last Good Kiss"
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