SIFF and Greg Olson Productions Present
L.A. NOIR
shadows in paradise
The Long Goodbye (1973) In Raymond Chandler’s novel, a cop bullies Philip Marlowe: Tarzan on a big scooter. A tough guy. Lets me come in here and walk all over him. A guy that gets hired for nickels and dimes and gets pushed around by everybody. No dough. No family. No prospects. Screenplay author Leigh Brackett, who co-wrote the screenplay for the Chandler/Humphrey Bogart version of Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep (1946): Some critics went into a frothing fit over changes we made. But it seemed right, and honest. Bogart’s Marlowe operated within both Chandler’s world and the restrictions of the Code then governing motion picture morality. Being free of both in the seventies, we felt that we could be bold. After all, Marlowe has been wounded in his most sensitive heart, he’s been betrayed. Elliott Gould: This film is a favorite of mine. I love the ending, it was so brave, all due to Leigh Brackett. I wanted to create an original Chandler character, with my memories of Bogart and Dick Powell (Murder, My Sweet) in mind. I played the traditional classic hero in a world that he has no understanding of—modern L.A.— and that couldn’t care less about him. I chose my own wardrobe; you never saw my tie too closely because it had a small American flag on it. At that time I was so enraged at the disposition of the business toward me and my lack of business knowlledge, that I was always dealing with rage. Robert Altman: I used to think of our Marlowe as Rip Van Marlowe, as if he had woken up twenty years later and found out that there was no way to accommodate himself in this world. Most mystery films start with some heavy action. We went lighter. The one thing we left Rip Van Marlowe with was his faith in the thesis that a friend is a friend. And his friend was Terry Lennox. Terry’s the guy who wins every game he plays. He’s on top, getting favors done for him, so charming. He’s not sadistic or malicious, but he’s one of the selfish people. Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching: So to yield with life solves the unsoluble: To yield, I have learned, is to come back again. Thanks to poet, film curator and teacher Tova Gannana for her film essay and her L.A. Cruising, Radio On pre-film playlist.
September 23, 2025
Directed by: Robert Altman Screenplay by: Leigh Brackett from Raymond Chandler’s novel Cinematography by: Vilmos Zsigmond Music by: John Williams Edited by: Lou Lombrdo THE PLAYERS: Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe Nina van Pallandt as Eileen Ward Sterling Hayden as Roger Ward Mark Rydell as Marty Augustine Henry Gibson as Dr. Verrlinger David Arkin as Harry Jim Bouton as Terry Lennox Warren Berlinger as Morgan Jo Ann Eggenweiler as Jo Ann Brody David Carradine as Prisoner Jack Knight as Hood