Post by Eddie Love on Aug 17, 2010 16:15:08 GMT -5
In 1975 Robert Mitchum starred in Dick Richards' film of FAREWELL MY LOVELY. It had the distinction of being the only period-set adaptation of a Raymond Chandler novel and was a surprise hit, mainly because of big Bob. He inhabited the role of an aged Phillip Marlowe, in an evocative production, even if it did lay on some faux Chandler in the narration.
Three years later Mitchum did a sequel, a remake of THE BIG SLEEP. Set in the present day. With the action transplanted. To England. The director this time was Michael Winner, who has a very big reputation in the UK. The good will lavished on Mitchum’s earlier outing wasn’t around this time out.
The new locale wasn’t the only major change. In the novel, and the earlier film, Marlowe’s client is an aged millionaire with two decadent, socialite daughters. In Winner’s film, there’s one daughter...and a monkey. As played by Candy Clark, Camilla Sternwood is now like a live action Curious George. It’s an astonishingly embarrassing performance to watch. The older sister is played by Sarah Miles at her creepily sexiest. (The fact that, in nearly every scene, she wears sheer blouses without a brassiere, may be why this film never found it’s way to heavy rotation on broadcast TV.)
Elsewhere, a very classy British cast has been assembled with stars like Joan Collins, Colin Blakely, Edward Fox and John Mills. As the aged client a frail Jimmy Stewart gives a performance that’s difficult for fans to enjoy. Richard Boone shows up to provide some of his patented brand of menace. And, as one of the heavies of the piece, Oliver Reed looms and glowers and his scenes with Mitchum crackle with intensity. What a pair to watch square off.
Mitchum is still having a great time as Marlowe, even in this odd setting. Indeed, many of the film’s sets are either elaborately over-designed or else shot on locations in the homes of people who lived knee-deep in tacky crap.
Tacky could describe this remake in general, although it’s also fitfully entertaining. It fleshes out some of the kink of the book in a manner the previous film couldn’t. Relieved of the tacked on romance with the older Sternwood daughter, which doesn’t make sense in the context of the larger plot, Winner serves up an all-around more intelligible version of Chandler’s novel. It’s by no means in the same class as Howard Hawkes’ original, a film that has simply one of the great performances of all time in Bogart’s Marlowe. He’s incredibly cool and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.
But, this remake deserves a better reputation. The pace is brisk, and Winner occasionally has some spry moments with the camera. It’s unnecessary, yes, but not entirely misguided. Having changed the location, would it have made more sense to simply cast a British actor as Marlowe? Would it have played better with a proper British villain as crazy Lash Caninio? Possibly.
But, if you like Mitchum and want to see him tangle as Marlowe with a high-wattage cast, this is a serviceable diversion.
Three years later Mitchum did a sequel, a remake of THE BIG SLEEP. Set in the present day. With the action transplanted. To England. The director this time was Michael Winner, who has a very big reputation in the UK. The good will lavished on Mitchum’s earlier outing wasn’t around this time out.
The new locale wasn’t the only major change. In the novel, and the earlier film, Marlowe’s client is an aged millionaire with two decadent, socialite daughters. In Winner’s film, there’s one daughter...and a monkey. As played by Candy Clark, Camilla Sternwood is now like a live action Curious George. It’s an astonishingly embarrassing performance to watch. The older sister is played by Sarah Miles at her creepily sexiest. (The fact that, in nearly every scene, she wears sheer blouses without a brassiere, may be why this film never found it’s way to heavy rotation on broadcast TV.)
Elsewhere, a very classy British cast has been assembled with stars like Joan Collins, Colin Blakely, Edward Fox and John Mills. As the aged client a frail Jimmy Stewart gives a performance that’s difficult for fans to enjoy. Richard Boone shows up to provide some of his patented brand of menace. And, as one of the heavies of the piece, Oliver Reed looms and glowers and his scenes with Mitchum crackle with intensity. What a pair to watch square off.
Mitchum is still having a great time as Marlowe, even in this odd setting. Indeed, many of the film’s sets are either elaborately over-designed or else shot on locations in the homes of people who lived knee-deep in tacky crap.
Tacky could describe this remake in general, although it’s also fitfully entertaining. It fleshes out some of the kink of the book in a manner the previous film couldn’t. Relieved of the tacked on romance with the older Sternwood daughter, which doesn’t make sense in the context of the larger plot, Winner serves up an all-around more intelligible version of Chandler’s novel. It’s by no means in the same class as Howard Hawkes’ original, a film that has simply one of the great performances of all time in Bogart’s Marlowe. He’s incredibly cool and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.
But, this remake deserves a better reputation. The pace is brisk, and Winner occasionally has some spry moments with the camera. It’s unnecessary, yes, but not entirely misguided. Having changed the location, would it have made more sense to simply cast a British actor as Marlowe? Would it have played better with a proper British villain as crazy Lash Caninio? Possibly.
But, if you like Mitchum and want to see him tangle as Marlowe with a high-wattage cast, this is a serviceable diversion.
