Page 6, Retriever, 22 September 1975 .. Film

'Farewell, My Lovely'

Recalls Fond 'Memories

For those of you who miss the tough, California and almost every character is gritty private-eye movies of the '40's, you one of the hoods. will be glad to know that Farewell, My The confusion that one encountered in Lovely has been handled in such a manner the novel is, for the most part, cleared up that pleasant memories of Bogart and in David Zelag Goodman's screenplay. Becall are invariably recalled. Goodman eliminates superflous ' Bogey and Bacall in Chandlers~ 'The Big Sleep' In Farewell Raymond Chandler'S characters and tightens the construction of private-eye, Phillip Marlowe, is hired by the scenes. Another of the assets of the Moose Malloy, a recently released bank screenplay is the first-person voice-over robber who is looking for his girl, Velma. given by Phillip Marlowe (Robert Mit­ Before he finally finds Velma, Marlowe is chum) which helps to perserve some of beat-up, shot at and stumbles over Chandler's crackling narrative, which countless corpses. . would have ordinarily been discarded. Robert Mitchum does surprisingly well performance is nothing more than a Most past mystery writers constructed a as the "tired and growing old" Marlowe. characa ture. good mystery, but failed when it came to Those that preceded him in this role in­ Most of the supporting players are Perhaps the most obvious flaw in the standard, but Sylvia Miles, in her role as such important elements as charac­ screenplay is when M~rlowe is held clude Robert Montgomery (Lady in the terization and dialogue. Raymond Lake), Dick Powell (Murder, My Sweet, alcoholic ex-showgirl Jesse Florian, is captive in a whorehouse (it was a' superb. The character of Jesse Florian is Chandler's writing was a departure from sanitarium in the novel). This change in an earlier adaptation of Farewell, My this mold; his mysteries were filled with Lovely), Humphrey Bogart (The Big one of the most interesting in the book and setting serves two purposes: (1) to give the Ms. Miles does it more than justice. Any vivid _characters, snappy dialogue and film an R rating, and (2) to give Mitchum a Sleep), James Garner (Marlowe, an narrative, and even' some social com­ adaptation of Chandler's The Little fan of good character performances will chance to ask the Madam, "What's the undoubtedly take note of Ms. Miles' talent mentary. Unfortunately, Chandler could matter? Cathouse got your tongue?" Sister), and Elliott Gould (The Last never construct a really good mystery. In Goodbye). In comparison with the others, and regret the fact that she is a most Dick Richards' direction is tight, wasted actress (perhaps that will change fact, on several occasions, Chandler had to pleasingly atmospheric, and absent of any Mitchum isn't as good as Bogey, but far have ghost writers come in and help when better than Garner or Gould. now). contemporary visual gimmicks. Together All things considered, this film version he oainted himseH in a comer. with cinematographer John A. Alonso, Charlotte Rampling, on the other hand, his 1940 novel, Farewell, My Lovely is entirely unconvincing as the femme of Farewell, My Lovely has retained all IIi Richards has shot Farewell in a the virtues of Raymond Chandler's writing there is a great array of villians and it is straightforward style that is reminiscent fatale, Helen Grayle. She is called upon to '-"':I'wt for the reader to clearly establish do impersonations of both Lauren Becall and, through benefit of a good screenplay, of the earlier private-eye film classics. have eliminated most of the flaws. ,od's relationship to another. This is They also do a nice job of transferring the (while her hair is down) and Ingrid Jy due to the fact that Farewell is tawdry atmosphere of Chandler's novel to Bergman (while her hair is up). While the ~ ~ '!' '.tltially about corruption in Southern the screen. physicai resembiance is remarkable BEN MALINOWSKI

year old son. While grandma stays at see what look like twenty cops sneaking up home with the kid, Rose and Bobby on him. Suddenly one yells out He's got a proceed to get drunk, do the town, and fall gun! " and in a nice slow motion sequence in love, all in under three hours. we see a cop firing, Bobby being blown up, Mter Rose declines an offer to hop into and Rose running to his side, crying all the Say Aloha the back seat of her car with Bobby, they while. Not surprisingly, he dies, and the decide to go get some more booze. At the music crecendoes as we fade out, with a store, Bobby does the old cigar-stuck-in­ symbolic look at the Hollywood Strip. the-clerk's-back-holdup-trick. As he is The worst part of the movie was not the doing this, Ule typical senile old man with hackneyed plot devices, or even the ob­ a shotgun pops out of the back, and vious (attempted) tear-jerking, but the manages (with just a little help from Rose inane illogic used for reasoning by the to and a bottle of wine) to blow most the characters all movie long. Like--why did clerk's chest and face out into the street. Rose conk the old guy with the wine bottle Since the two are fugitives, they roll in the first place? He was going to call the Rose's VW, and get into Bobby's Hot Rod cops, sure, but all they could have done and attempt a getaway to Mexico. was bawl out Bobby for his poor sense of Now that they are fugitives from The humor. Or, why did she panic about her kid 'Bobby and Rose' Law, murderers, it is all right for them to being found by the cops? All the cops are make and-or be in love! Eventually, Rose going to do to a four year old kid is ask him misses her little boy and they decide to a question or two, and then send him home. return to the town (Hollywood) to get him, first repainting Bobby's car. They get the The movie's only redeeming points were kid, and leave him the car while they get the background music, predominately some ice cream. Here is where the Elton John, with a little Emerson, Lake, Question--what movie, currently en­ . The young lovers, Bobby ' and Rose, are stupidity really starts. The cops recognize and Palmer and others thrown in, and one joying huge T.V. and radio promotion, played by Paul LeMat and Dianne Hull. the car, and take the little kid, while Bobby or two bits of -slapstick, seemingly just combines more blood than Rollerball, Bobby repairs Rose's car at the garage . and Rose run off to-their hotel. All they . tossed in for a laugh or two. more triteness than Love Story or Brian's wnere he works, and sees her, and im­ have to do is let his grandmother get him, The actors seemed to be acting out old Song with the naivity of Walt Disney's mediately begIns to pursue her. He returns but Rose calls the cops--and tells them roles, LeMat expanding him from Bambi? The answer is Aloha, Bobby and her car and asks for a date. She tells him to where .she and Bobby are staying! She American Graffiti, while Hull combined Rose. This movie, like many lately, at­ get lost. As he starts to walk home in the then begins to run back to the hotel in the "Juliet" with "Mrs. Brian Piccolo". All in tempts to cash in on the "youth market" rain, who pulls up to give him a ride, but rain again, natch, while we see that Bobby all, Aloha, Bobby and Rose, is a good way by stringing together old plots, then covers Rose. Since she has relented, they decide has arranged to get a new job and a new to say Aloha to three or six bucks, but not / this goulash with three old favorite to go out after all. car. much else. devices: fast cars, popular music, and The couple stop at Rose's house, where As Bobby leaves the motel room to meet young (sigh) love. we find out that unmarried Rose has a four his uncle who is bringing him the car, we CHIP PHILLIPS