Marlowe (1969)

Director: Paul Bogart
Starring: James Garner, Gayle Hunnicutt, Caroll O'Connor

Synopsis:
Private investigator Philip Marlowe stumbles into a web of serial murder and blackmail while pursuing the case of a missing person.

Impressions:
This movie bears some comparison to The Long Goodbye for being a then-modern update of a Philip Marlowe story with an unlikely choice for the lead role. Unlike The Long Goodbye, this isn't meant to be a deconstruction, which frankly leaves it with a little less to bring to the table. To be honest, this feels more like a theatrical pilot for The Rocford Files. Seriously, if you mentally swap out "Jim Rocford" for "Philip Marlowe", it'll fit pretty well. If you ask me, this works better as a Rocford Files movie than a Philip Marlowe one. If you've seen The Rocford Files, you have a good handle on how Jim Garner handles the private detective role. He's good, but doesn't quite match the hard-boiled image you associate with Philip Marlowe. One thing worth noting is Bruce Lee's role as one of the heavies of the gangster Steelgrave. His only role as a villain. It's kinda cool. All in all, this isn't a bad crime story, but the character's been done better elsewhere. Rocford Files fans will probably enjoy this more than most, though.

Rating:
50/50