There is a book by Jon Tuska called The Detective in
Hollywood (Doubleday, 1978) that explores the timeline and
filmography of the actors who played Marlowe, Spade, etc. The
book dissects the literary sources and the whole
harboiled-noir canon in incredible detail, and includes many
interviews with many of the talent who were still alive at
the time that it was written. This is an essential book if
you can find it. Also has the quotes where Chandler calls
Veronica Lake "Moronica" and describes Alan Ladd as
"essentially, a little boy's idea of a tough guy."
Beyond small, famous exchanges ("Tall, aren't you?" "I don't
mean to be.") I don't recall Marlowe actually being
physically described in the books. Which leads me to the
heretical theory that Robert Montgomery's subjective-camera
version of The Lady in the Lake, in which Marlowe is never
seen (except in brief window reflections, etc.) is
theoretically the most accurate "look" at Marlowe we should
get. The viewer sees the action and unfolds the mystery as
the reader does, in the first person. Okay, it was a failed
experiment, but on paper it made sense.
I agree with Dick Lochte about Powers Boothe: snoozeville.
And if Elliot Gould is Marlowe then Neil Diamond is Elvis.
While we're on the subject, the two best casting choices for
a literary-to-film detective were both made for Mike Hammer
adaptations: Ralph Meeker in Kiss Me Deadly and Armande
Assante in I, the Jury. I don't think there's ever been a
perfect celluloid Marlowe, though I'd like to see Russell
Crowe give it a try.
George Pelecanos
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