I missed it for a good while. Longer than I thought I would. And less intensely.
Smoking…Cigarettes.
Oh, I’ve been quite for years. And years.
I rarely think about it now, unless I’m thinking about how glad I am that I quite. Or unless I’m at the doctor’s office filling out paper work.
Excuse me. Kiosk work.
It’s been so long that I debate, whether or not, to check it off.
Former smoker √
How many? Pack a day.
But for those first…ten?…yeah, ten years, I really missed that after dinner cigarette.
And that talking on the phone cigarette.
And that first cigarette of the morning. That was probably the best one.
It’s a nasty habit. It makes your breath stink. And your clothes. And your hair.
We smoked everywhere. All of us. My friends. Everybody. In the hospital waiting room. At school. On the stage during rehearsal. Sometimes we would stamp it out right there.
On the stage…In college. Mr. Mars, my high school theatre director, would have never gone for that.
We thought we looked cool smoking, like Ava Gardner did. The way she would tap her cigarette on the lighter before she lit it…But we didn’t. We looked stupid.
My friends didn’t even know who Ava Gardner was.
Philip Marlowe, portrayed by Elliot Gould, in Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye (1973) smokes. A lot. Even while he’s chewing gum.
He smoked a lot in Howard Hawks’ The Big Sleep (1946) too, when he was portrayed by Humphrey Bogart. And like Ava Gardner, he looked cool doing it. Weary, yes. But cool.
But in The Long Goodbye, Marlowe looks gross. And not just when he’s smoking either.
His clothes. They look like he’s slept in them–and he has. He even sleeps in his shoes. And he strikes kitchen matches on the wall behind his bed, leaving long black arching lines.
Then there’s way he walks. He lumbers. He’s gangly. He needs a haircut. And his facial expressions; he distorts his face in slow motion. It’s weird.
Plus he mumbles his inner dialogue. Out loud. Redundantly. He’s disjointed. He drives a Lincoln Continental. It’s super old.
Despite all of this, he has glamorous friends and a cool apartment. He lives in Los Angeles. And he likes cats. But not dogs.
One of his friends, a dreamboat actor of sorts, is accused of beating his wife to death. Marlowe sees the crime scene photos. It’s bad.
It’s worse than that. It’s horrible.
The cops say it’s an open and shut case. But Marlowe knows better. He drives his friend across the border so the poor guy can get his ducks in a row, which pisses the cops off.
Now, not only is he burdened by perpetual disconnect, he’s addled with legal problems. He needs a cash infusion. Fast. That comes to him fortuitously, by way of a missing persons case. He’s a private detective, you know.
And thus begins Marlowe’s labyrinth journey into the land of misfit characters where he should be king, but is pawn instead.
Let’s see, there’s the mucho macho writer (a never better Sterling Hayden) as long on wind, pomposity and alcohol as he is tall. And there’s the writer’s elegant, put-upon wife (Nina van Pallandt) and his scurrying detox guru (Henry Gibson)…
There’s the loan shark that Marlowe’s dreamboat actor friend owes money to and his gang of muscle-bound, bikini brief wearing henchmen, one of which is Arnold Schwarzenegger…
There’s the two corrupt Mexican officials (one of them wears that khaki uniform that Mexican officials always wear) who take bribes for the betterment of their downtrodden village–and so they can accessorize their work-in-progress Cadillac/police car. (They like their caffe` with lots of sugar.)
And there are dogs…Fornicating dogs.
Those who know Robert Altman’s work know he likes this kind of thing. Remodeling. Demolition. Deconstruction.
With McCabe & Mrs. Miller he did a rehab job. He tore down some walls, ripped up the musty old carpet and sanded the mahogany hardwoods, but he kept the basic structure intact.
Sure he was subversive. He trespassed on the property of John Wayne and John Houston; he invaded the space of Sergio Leone and Clint Eastwood. But he cleaned up before he left.
With The Long Goodbye Altman deconstructs with a chainsaw. We are left gaping at the ruins–some of us with a rueful smile–while Philip Marlowe walks away with a cigarette between his lips and his conscience tarnished, but intact.
Now I’ll move this movie up which I should have done. This movie has been on my list for a little over a month because I re-read a book by Jim Bouton (Ball Four) and he plays a drug dealer in this movie and he talks about his experience. I like Mash and Nashville…I know I would like this.
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Well, I’ll say that I didn’t like The Long Goodbye at first. I attempted to watch it twice and couldn’t get through it. I finally got through the whole thing a couple of weeks ago and a light bulb went off in my head. I loved it. Now I can’t get enough of it. I rewatch it and rewatch it. I think it’s brilliant. If you are a big fan of the Bogart Marlowe, or some of the other classic Marlowe’s, you might not like it. For me, that wasn’t the problem, I like the classic Philip Marlowe character but I don’t revere it.
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I’m going to give it a try this week Pam. It took me a few times to like Mash and Nashville…I don’t know what it is about his movies.
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Good. I’m interested in hearing what you think about it. I don’t know the movie Mash. Nashville, I didn’t like. I’m not intrigued by it. But I should give it another go. Who knows? I might like it to once I’m enlightened. Ha!
–Pam
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Nashville I watched at first…this is embarrasing to admit but just to see what Nashville looked like when I was a kid. I didn’t like it but was drawn back to it later and liked it…with Mash it was the same…I didn’t like it at first but was drawn back.
Altman movies…at least what I’ve seen are different. I’ll let you know Pam.
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Excellent, Pam!
I smoked too, for most of my life. And still use a vape, after giving up cigarettes in 2012. I didn’t know anybody who didn’t smoke in 1968, when I started.
Usually a fan of Altman, but have rarely liked Elliot Gould in anything.
Including this. No idea why that is. It just is. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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The first two times I tried to watch The Long Goodbye I couldn’t get through it. Then, about two weeks ago, I watched it again and got through the whole thing. I loved it. I’m not a big fan of Altman or Elliot Gould, though my favorite film of all time is McCabe & Mrs Miller. Go figure. Anyway, glad you’re not smoking cigarettes anymore. And thanks for reading.
–Pam
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Inventive way, as always, to set up this review/deconstruction Pam.
I love/loved smoking. Rollies. Down the pub chain smoking with beer and banter. Smoking ban! Thought I’d never enjoy the pub again! Obviously it didn’t stop me. I never smoked in the morning. Loved one after dinner but broke that one. Actually my favourite was an excited one, after I’d come out of a record shop with some random finds.
Managed to get it down to just smoking when having a beer, every day! But now got a mellow vape, not a cloud machine. Tobacco flavor. My local is fine with it. Beer, banter and able to puff away without leaving the table, well apart for a wee and more beer.
I’m sure I’ve seen The Long Goodbye but like I may of said before I think I got it mixed up with The Silent Partner. I need to watch it again to see a lived in his clothes Marlowe smoking like a chimney. Oh and of course fornicating dogs!!!!!
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Thanks, Mikey. Yes, smoking is personal. We all have/had our own style and reasons for doing it. It’s social and its solitary. It’s celebratory and it’s mournful. It is psychological.
I think you will really like The Long Goodbye, IF you aren’t to attached to a romantic notion of the Philip Marlowe character.
Thanks for taking the time.
–Pam
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Glad I got it under control now but once in a while OOOoooo I’d loved to have one. But don’t! Still I will be buying a big fat cigar for xmas. ….. I’m not emotional connected to Marlowe, so all should be fine. I will get to it soon and I’m sure I will like it.
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Now you would think being in music business,I would be a smoker but never was. But my clothes would reek of it after a long night at the club because it seems like every single musician has to smoke. Its as bad as every blues player has to shoot heroin…..part of the code or something like that.
Not really a Altman fan (but we already know this) so I’ll stick with Bogie’s Marlowe….
Didn’t James Garner do a Marlowe movie as well….Bruce Lee was in it.
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Yeah, Garner did, but I didn’t see it. I like Bogart, The Big Sleep is a wonderful movie, but as for the whole Philip Marlowe mystic, I don’t have a particular affection for it. Raymond Chandler was a great author. He created a great character, but there are characters I like more.
I’m with you on Altman, although my favorite movie of all time is McCabe & Mrs. Miller. And I think The Long Goodbye is a masterpiece, now. Two weeks ago I would have told you I didn’t like it. Go figure.
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My favorite Elliott Gould film is “Capicorn One” which came out in 1975….that movie is so much fun and pretty exciting to boot. He must have lungs of steel because he was always smoking in his movies.
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Never saw that one, Michael. I’m not really a Elliott Gould fan, but I thought he was fantastic in The Long Goodbye.
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Oh my stars,Capicorn One is a real hoot…..huge all-star cast for a 70s film and Hal Holbrook plays a bad guy!! I remember being so surprised at that……Elliott was very good but Telly Savalas steals the picture as a drop duster pilot.
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Well, I’m going to watch it then. Maybe today. I’ll let you know. It sounds different. I like different. I can’t resist the cast. I’ve seen Holbrook as the bad guy before, Magnum Force comes to mind, but generally speaking, he’s the good guy, the voice of reason. I like when actors play against type–like when Henry Fonda played the villain in Once Upon a Time in the West, perhaps–for me anyway–the most terrifying villain in film history.
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I saw this film when it first came out and hated it. I hated it because I didn’t get what Altman was doing. I freely admit that. Besides at that point in my life, there was only one Marlowe and that was Bogart. I saw the film again a few years ago and let’s say my opinion changed. Great job as always, Pam. Here is my review at the time of the second coming of this film. https://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/the-long-goodbye-1973-robert-altman/
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Well, I hated it too initially. I couldn’t get through it. Twice I tried. Third time was the charm. I too finally got it.
So I read your great review–twice. If you look at the comments you will see mine there bemoaning my inability to get through the film. Ha!
I like Bogart well enough, but he’s never been a favorite of mine. Even so, I was entrenched in the Bogart/Marlowe lore even though Bogart only played him once. I typically thought of Bogart–with a few exceptions–as being rather elegant and that is how I saw the character of Marlowe. I couldn’t reconcile Gould characterization with the character in my mind’s eye. I was shortsighted. I’m glad I saw the light.
Enjoyed reading your take on The Long Goodbye. Thanks for reading.
Pam
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A lot of film fanatics like Dick Powell’s Marlowe in Murder, My Sweet but I never cared for him in it. The film is good but…. Robert Mitchum played Marlowe twice in Farewell, My Lovely (I highly recommend) and in The Big Sleep (1978) which I do not recommend. James Garner played Marlowe in what was a modern day (1969) version in “Marlowe” based on Chandler’s book, The Little Sister.
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Funny when one just doesn’t like an actor–no reason why. My husband can’t stand Elliot Gould either (though he’s never given a good reason). Mine is Tobey Maguire.
I like the sound of this, though. I wish I had enough time to see all the movies I want to see.
The way you were turned off to it sounds like a movie Jeff Bridges was in in the ’70s that I started watching thinking, “Bor-RING,” but by the end of it–maybe it was just the little monologue he did at the end–I was hooked. Maybe it was just him. He was SO GOOD. I’ve been searching everywhere but have no idea what the frickin’ thing was!
Anyway, I love deconstruction and subversion.
This sounds masterful.
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This movie is right up your alley, Stacey. It’s totally out of the box. In fact it destroys the box.
I’m racking my brain about that Jeff Bridges movie. He’s terrific, isn’t he?
Bad Company, perhaps? It’s a western so I doubt it. Anyway, Bad Company is a fantastic revisionist western. You would like it too.
A lot of people have a thing with Elliot Gould. He’s not my favorite, I rarely think of him at all, but he is stellar in The Long Goodbye. As for Tobey Maguire, I like him. Ha!
Well, I appreciate you stopping by. Hope you and your husband are healthy. Thoughts and prayers.
–Pam
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Yeah, I was looking through all of Jeff’s titles and the blurbs about them…and none of them seem to fit what I remember seeing. I think he was sort of…an alcoholic….possibly living somewhere in LA in the hills….It was a kind of mystery that he got embroiled in….I believe there was a murder to start it off….and then he’s monologing at the end (possibly a VO from an AA meeting?) about…life….experience. Sounds so boring, but it was extremely touching. God, I have a terrible memory!
BTW–I like Tobey the person. There’s something about his face that bugs me, though! His face annoys me, lol !!
Anyway, same to you and yours. We’re good here. Stay well!
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I could be wrong, but the Jeff Bridges’ film sounds like 8 Million Ways to Die from 1986. He plays an alcoholic ex-cop. Rosanna Arquette and Andy Garcia are also in the cast. Does it ring any bells?
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Omg, Paul, that’s it! I guess I wasn’t checking out the ’80s movies ’cause I could have SWORN it was in the ’70s….but that’s it. I don’t know why, but I ended up really liking it. Thanks a lot, lol !!
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Yay Paul!
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Thanks, Paul. That’s very kind of you. I’m glad that you are in the camp of pro The Long Goodbye. It is a very different kind of film, no doubt.
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Great post Pam 🙂 I am glad that you finally became a fan of The Long Goodbye – which is my fourth favorite Robert Altman film after Nashville, McCabe & Mrs. MIller and Short Cuts, but you probably already knew that 🙂 I might have said this before, but updating the setting of Philip Marlowe to the 1970’s was truly a stroke of genius. The various versions of the song The Long Goodbye played throughout is put to creative use here too. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
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Yes, I enjoyed the satirical bent to the theme. I thought it was quite funny when the doorbell played the song and, of course, when Marlowe went into the smokey bar and was trying to talk on the phone over the pianist who was playing and singing the theme. Ha! Just two examples of the many. It’s just a masterful film. I’m glad I finally recognized it for what it is.
I appreciate you reading and commenting.
–Pam
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The first thing I noticed was the conversations between actors. They were overlapped almost talking over each other. You have to pay attention. That makes it have a realism that other movies don’t have.
A couple of interesting things about the making of it…Sterling Hayden…yes he was perfect for it…wasn’t the first choice. Dan Blocker was but he passed away before filming. That would have been different.
The conversations make sense since I read this out of Bouton’s book. “It’s true what they say about Altman being easy to work with. He told me not to worry about the script, I could say anything that came to mind, as long as I said the few lines that were necessary to carry the story along.”
Overall Pam I really liked the movie. There are many similarities about this movie and Mash. Altman put his stamp on both of them.
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Great. I really appreciate you letting me know what you think.
Yep. The overlapping conversations are a Altman signature. My husband has a pet peeve about mumbling in movies. He would hate The Long Goodbye! Ha! But like you say, that’s the way people really talk.
I found it interesting about Bouton. I didn’t know who he was until I did some research for this post. He did a solid job.
Now I have something embarassing to admit–when I told you I didn’t know anything about Mash, I was having brain fog. I thought you were talking about a character named Mash. I know. It’s strange. It actually made me a bit worried…I’ve been searching for words lately, not bad, but not my usual self either. This has been going on for a couple years, actually. I hope it’s just normal aging. Ha!
Anyway, yes, of course, I’ve seen Mash. I didn’t care for it. At all. But I love the series. Maybe I should give the movie a second or third chance considering by response to The Long Goodbye.
Take care.
–Pam
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I thought it was strange you never watched Mash! I do the same things also…yep we are getting older Pam.
He wasn’t an actor but he did do a good job.
I didn’t like Mash either until my 3rd watching…something about his movies I guess. I think my reason was because those characters were burned into my mind from the TV show.
Thanks for recommending it though. First thing Bailey said was cool…this is a film noir.
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I haven’t seen The Long Goodbye, but this is the second time I’ve read about it in two days. I always feel like that’s a sign.
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If you do get around to watching it, I ‘d be interested in reading what you think about it. It’s a very unique film.
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I like the way you approached this film, very different and very enjoyable. You could say the same for The Long Goodbye and Altman’s approach to the Marlowe character.
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Great review! In my opinion, Goodbye is a masterpiece! A truly fascinating reshuffling of the noir sub-genre (The Late Show, directed by Robert Benton but produced by Altman, is almost as brilliant as Long Goodbye!). McCabe is incredible too.
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Yes, I love The Late Show and McCabe & Mrs. Miller is my favorite movie of all time. That said, Altman is very hit and miss with me. I have a strong dislike for Mash and Nashville, two films usually adored by Altman fans.
Anyway, I appreciate you reading and I’m glad you enjoyed the review.
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Have you re-watched Mash and/or Nashville? I have changed my mind about many Altman movies. For example, initially, I disliked Buffalo Bill, Popeye and Long Goodbye. Now I consider all three masterpieces! Anyhow, here are my top 10 Altman movies (in order of preference):
1. 3 Women
2. Buffalo Bill
3. The Long Goodbye
4. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
5. M*A*S*H
6. Gosford Park
7. Popeye
8. Nashville
9. Short Cuts
10. The Player
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A stellar list from an Altman acolyte, perhaps? I wonder if you are familiar with my friend John Charet’s blog Cinematic Coffee? He loves Robert Altman.
Anyway, no I haven’t watched either Mash or Nashville in a good while. I’m afraid that my dislike for both movies was so visceral that to watch them would be like completing a math assignment. Ha! Of course I felt that way about The Long Goodbye too…and now I love it. Go figure.
My list of favorite Altman films is quite different.
1. McCabe & Mrs. Miller
2. The Long Goodbye
3. Come Back to the Five and Dime…
4. California Split
5. Thieves Like Us
6. Kansas City
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Love your list! I think California Split is a very underrated movie. I still need to watch Kansas City… Thanks for sharing! 🙂
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My pleasure.
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