The Long Goodbye

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Lucky episode 13. We’ve come to the end of the train tracks of our season of film noir. Fate has led us here and dropped us — we’re not responsible for where we ended. It was dark, it was fated, it only lacks a voice - over. Hold on — where have we ended up? We’re in neo - noir, and back with one of the masters of the hard - boiled school that contributed so much to the film genre. Appropriately, it’s the film version of the last complete novel of Raymond Chandler. But my, does the novel go through the wringer to get to the screen! And do fans of Chandler get mad! Sure, the film was made 14 years after Chandler passed away. And sure, the rights to the story were acquired. This isn’t F. W. Murnau and Dracula, I mean, Nosferatu we’re talking about. 

But it is neo - noir; it comes out of the New Hollywood from one of the more original directors to ever hit the screen. So it was adapted, it was molded, they made it something unique and appropriately noir for the era, 1973. And, theysignificantly improved Chandler’s story. The novel The Long Goodbye is indeed Chandler’s longest, most winding, most unlikely, and not his tightest work. Oh, you’re a Chandler fan and think it’s his best, most heart - felt work, since the characters are reminiscent of his alcoholic state of the period, his struggle to write something decent, and lament for his lost wife? No worries. Is this where I’m supposed to say, “What’s this all about?” and you say, “Shut up! We ask the questions here?” Go ahead, We’re tough guys. Let’s untangle this ball of yarn…

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