User Reviews

Much is said concerning the merits of re-imagining the Philip Marlowe character in the swinging sixties, bringing to it a pop culture emphasis that seems eons away from Humphrey Bogart's turn, but there's three good reasons to consider this Marlowe adaptation.

First-rate cast stars the always affable James Garner in the title character. He's a modest Marlowe, not arrogant, assuming nor especially gifted at his trade, he toils and the rewards follow (albeit with some distress involved). Lovely Gayle Hunnicutt plays the femme fatale along with little sister Sharon Farrell, while Rita Moreno trumps them both with a critical role as a stripper of more than passing resemblance to Hunnicutt.

Then there's the surprise packet, namely, Bruce Lee with just a couple of scenes, one of which involving him demolishing Garner's office like it was made of balsa wood. A perfectly timed scissor kick shatters the overhead light shade (a good foot above his own head), before he dons his sunglasses, turns on his heel and casually walks out the door he's just kicked in half. It's a stern warning to Garner to lay off, but equally hilarious in its approach of which both Lee and Garner seem aware. If you take nothing from the film, you'll always remember that scene.

And finally, if you're familiar with them, the theme tune "Little Sister" is a catchy jazz-pop song by Orpheus, the band who had four albums of jazz-psychedelic pop in the mould of what would later become the signature of Lighthouse, Chicago and others of the ilk. Great adaptation, a real time capsule of the era and well worth a look.

A young girl from Kansas hires Los Angeles private detective Philip Marlowe to find her missing brother. Marlowe's investigation leads to two dead bodies and a blackmail plot concerning an actress. Decent adaptation of the Raymond Chandler novel "The Little Sister," updated to the '60s. Garner's not an ideal Philip Marlowe but he's charismatic and enjoyable to watch. He has good chemistry with Rita Moreno, who steals every scene she's in. Bruce Lee has a small but memorable part. Carroll O'Connor and Kenneth Tobey are good as a couple of cops easily frustrated with Garner. A little too mellow and lacking grit for a hardboiled detective story, though it's still entertaining. More Rockford than Marlowe. A minor quibble: there's a scene late in the film that takes place in a wooded area but is very obviously filmed on a sound stage. I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if the movie had been made even ten years earlier but for a 1969 film it was very noticeable and fake.

Now it's James Garner's turn to take on the role of Raymond Chandler's legendary private detective Philip Marlowe in an updated screen adaption of Chandler's novel, The Little Sister.

The original novel had the title character be the little sister of a film star who has come in from Manhattan, Kansas to look for their brother who's gone missing. To reflect the update the film star is now the star of a family situation comedy with an image that won't stand up to scandal, especially if it's learned that she's been intimately involved with a notorious mobster.

I have to say that this film was updated far better than Robert Mitchum's version of The Big Sleep, although it's not nearly as good as The original Big Sleep and Murder, My Sweet. Garner is appropriately cynical and appropriately noble in the right moments.

Carroll O'Connor and Kenneth Tobey are a pair of homicide cops who are naturally frustrated with Garner who seems to be blocking them from clearing up several murders after he's hired to find the missing brother. Actually as per usual he's just trying to keep them from reaching wrong conclusions.

Gayle Hunnicutt is the TV star and the little sister is Sharon Farrell and if the film were remade today you would be casting Jessica Simpson in Farrell's role. Rita Moreno is one fetching stripper who goes way back with Hunnicutt. She and Garner work well together and Garner had her on his Rockford Files TV series a few times as Rita Capkovic, a woman of middling virtue.

One thing I do have to criticize. Bruce Lee has a small role as the kung-fu bodyguard of gangster H.M. Wynant. Personally I cannot believe that Garner could have taken out Lee that easily, tricking him the way he did.

Though Marlowe is not a bad film, I don't think most viewers will like how Bruce Lee ended up.

Rita Moreno steals this movie! Plus, she had great chemistry with James Garner which is why they used her on Rockford files. Somewhat complicated plot about P.I. Garner finding a missing brother of an actress who also happens to be dating a gangster. Cameos by Bruce Lee, Jackie Coogan, Carroll O'Connor etc. Great 1960's Los Angeles/Hollywood locales (the strip joint used in the film went on to become the famous Roxbury on Sunset Blvd). I love everything about this movie, the clothes, the cars, the great 60's style overall. Rita Moreno in a platinum blond wig doing a strip tease at the end is worth the price of admission! She even shows a little nudity (if viewed un-edited) which is rare for a star of her magnitude to do in the late 60's. Sharon Farrell is another actress with lots of charisma who is used to little here. Gayle Hunnicutt (who I love) is miscast here as Sharon Farrell's sister, although she adds a lot of glamour. The script is a little hard to follow but it is quite an enjoyable movie as the action never slows down for too long.

Following a typical Chandlerian plot involving lots of intrigue, sex, lies, booze, and violence, Garner makes a mildly charming, laid-back Marlowe, trading a fair share of witty one-liners with the policemen, toughs and many eager young women he encounters, as he tries to unravel a convoluted missing persons/blackmail/murder case. Gets an interesting edge from the sixties characters and attitudes (Marlowe's hairdresser neighbour providing light relief, the stoner hotel at the start) but staying very much in the world of sleazy hoods and wealthy stars associated with earlier Bogey takes on Chandler. Bruce Lee's performance as a toughie sent to threaten Marlowe with some spectacular chop-socky is a high-point but sadly brief, and Garner is no Bogey, and the director is no Howard Hawks. Good-ish stuff, but confused by too many personality-free characters (rather than by a complex web as in The Big Sleep), and lacking Bogart's ice-hard edge, Garner is a smooth, witty and fairly convincing Marlowe; likewise the film, fairly convincing, but no classic.

Shifting Chandler's private eye to the '60s seems to work fairly well, although I still miss the film noir look of the gritty '40s melodramas with either Humphrey Bogart or George Montgomery as Marlowe. In addition, filming this one in color to take advantage of some Los Angeles locations, was not necessarily the best idea.

JAMES GARNER works well as Marlowe, although I still prefer the dry delivery of Humphrey Bogart and his one-liners in THE BIG SLEEP. But Garner is at his physical peak and makes a persuasive private detective on the trail of someone's missing brother. Along the way, he gets involved with the usual assortment of disreputable characters who occupy seedy hotel rooms and the shady side of town.

With a supporting cast that includes CARROLL O'CONNOR, JACKIE COOGAN and RITA MORENO (as a stripper), it's a stylish updating of Chandler's novel, "The Little Sister". And let's not forget BRUCE LEE who does a Karate job on Garner's office wall and furniture.

Too many of the early scenes drag and it's an hour into the story before the plot gets any livelier. In short, the plot remains rather flat and devoid of any real urgent suspense in spite of the fact that it deals with ice pick murders.

Summing up: Despite the okay performance from Garner, it remains a flabby exercise in suspense, lacking the terse quality of Chandler's stories and doesn't really perk up until the last ten minutes.

Marlowe (1969)

While not a great one, this is an unusual version of Philip Marlowe on film. James Garner is an odd choice in a way, but he's handsome and charming. The photographer, Bill Daniels, is a stalwart from the classic years of Hollywood, and it shows, with nicely filmed scenes (in color). Daniels is famous as Garbo's main photographer, if that gives an idea of his long lineage.

It's definitely 1969. New Hollywood is here, and there is a certain cheese factor that is part of the game, and not in the best ways. And the story itself is just not Raymond Chandler's best. Director Paul Bogart does his best, but for a comparison of a noir crime update, you might prefer the wonderful "The Long Goodbye" from 1973.

But here we are. Garner is really good, in fact, and if not a Humphrey Bogart type, that might be really appropriate. Still, he's indifferent to pretty women until he isn't, he drinks, he's sarcastic, he is appropriately weary. Here he smokes a pipe, and he remains interesting.

There is (for me) a simple appeal to the sets and the time it was shot. It's a crazy time in US history (great crazy). Everything is updated—there is no sense of recreating the 1940s, but rather of just setting the old story (from the 30s) into the new world.

There are some fun curiosities, like Carroll O'Conner (the leading male in "All in the Family," which started the year before)—who isn't quite convincing as a tough cop. And the gay hairdresser played by Christopher Cary. And the side actor who does karate on Marlowe's office (for real) by the name of Bruce Lee (in his first American film). And two beautiful women (as usual) who play more pithy parts than you'd expect (clever or strong) until, of course, the stripper scene at the end. One of them, the fabulous Rita Moreno, had a continuing career with Garner in the "Rockford Files" for t.v. And finally another William Daniels (unrelated) who played Dustin Hoffman's dad in "The Graduate" two years early, and who is so different here you might not recognize him.

Okay, so what ends up happening is a weird mix of humor and cleverness. The movie really wants to entertain, and yet it keeps inside the hard edged world of classic 1940s noir with references to tough guys and ice picks in the neck. It has almost absurdist humor and then it seems (somewhat) to want to take the crime and the criminals and the sleuthing seriously. It doesn't quite jive.

Blame the era, maybe, but watch "Klute" or other detective yarns from the era and you can see an opportunity that went astray. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but only by kicking back. The story is a bit jumbled, either at its root or in its telling, but I think they thought viewers would enjoy the whole situation and all these interesting actors at work. It only goes so far.

Marlowe is directed by Paul Bogart and adapted to screenplay by Stirling Silliphant from the novel The Little Sister written by Raymond Chandler. It stars James Garner, Gayle Hunnicut, Carroll O'Connor and Rita Moreno. Music is by Peter Matz and cinematography by William H. Daniels.

Los Angeles private detective Philip Marlow (Garner) is working on what he thinks is a simple missing persons case, how wrong he is!

Q as in Quintessential - U as in Uninhibited - E as in Extrasensory - S as in Subliminal - T as in Toots!

Another of the interpretations for the great Chandler creation of Philip Marlowe, unsurprisingly met with mixed notices - just as all the others have done. You do wonder what Chandler would have made of the role portrayals that came out post his death? I like to think he very much would have enjoyed Garner's take, because this Marlowe is a quip happy wise guy, unflappable and cool, he portrays so much with just a glance, and the girls love him.

The story is juicy in its little complexities, spinning Marlowe into muddy waters the further he investigates things. His life is always under threat, be it by serial ice-pick users or Asian martial artists (Bruce Lee no less in a nutty couple of scenes) wishing to inflict death, or of arrest by an increasingly frustrated police force. Bogart and Daniels keep the whole thing stylish looking, with film noir camera tricks and colour photography infusing the period details. While the supporting cast, notably the ladies, give Garner some splendid support.

It's a different Marlowe for sure, but a thoroughly engaging and entertaining one. 7/10

Vintage Garner, solid sleuth story with sophisticated plot twists! Somewhat in the same cut as Paul Newman's "Harper", but bearing Garner's unique brand of sardonic humor: Sort of a modern Bret Maverick and a soon-to-be Jimmy Rockford!

Good late 60's detective romp through West Coast life, interweaving the societal trends of that time period (Hippie, straight, boozer, "sleazer", etc.) Bruce Lee is a welcome interlude, especially in his scene at Marlowe's office.

However, Rita Moreno is the real treat in this one: probably her best dramatic performance! One wishes she had been cast in more roles like this one to let the public see her for the multi-dimensional actress that she was.

One last "shout out" to Peter Matz for his super soundtrack which added the appropriate audio flavorings to the respective scene changes, while keeping the atmospheric late 60's mood in full swing.

This is a mish-mash where the original cynical Marlowe of the late 40s meets the laid-back and careworn private detective of the 60s. We move from all those shadows that dominated the noir films to the bright lights of the swinging 60s. And it doesn't really work; nor should it. To me, it comes over more as a satire on the originals with plenty of good one-liners and a surreal couple of scenes with Bruce Lee.

The storyline is too complex to set out here and I suspect there will be many differing versions of just what the story actually is. Not that that matters too much as I think it may be better simply to see it as a satire or, perhaps, a parody.

Gayle Hunnicutt was out of place although Rita Moreno maybe makes up for that. Garner is, well, Garner. See it as a curiosity rather than as something that is important or significant in the history of film.

Interesting variation on 'The Little Sister' by Raymond Chandler with '40's film noir replaced by a colorful and stylish '60's motif. The film does a good job of keeping certain Chandler elements in the forefront...the violent thugs, the irritable cops, and the classy woman in distress are all here, as is Marlowe, portrayed as a prototype Jim Rockford. Garner does a good job in the lead; his performance is really truer to the Marlowe character than Bogart managed in 'The Big Sleep' (but then that wasn't the point of 'The Big Sleep', now was it?). Supporting characters are, in some places, excellent, while lacking a bit in others. Carrol O'Connor, Rita Moreno, Bruce Lee (whose role was far too brief), and Sharon Farrell are either convincing or fun, but the female lead and the villainous but sympathetic killer are rather flat.

All in all, a movie I wouldn't mind owning.

Taking a brief break from a string of obscure and not so obscure horror movies, I thought this might provide some light relief. Its bright and colourful enough but the sparkling humour doesn't last too long into the film which becomes pretty complicated but is still fun to watch. True enough to the Chandler story, Garner is maybe just a little too one note. Rita Moreno, on the other hand puts in an amazing performance, complete with a super striptease sequence at the end. Bruce Lee was a surprise participant, providing, what I assume was intended to be a comic turn. This is not as good as the early b/w Chandler movies nor as good as the 1973 Altman movie, The Long Goodbye (Gould might have got some tips from Garner's performance in this) but its a decent enough effort.

Raymond Chandler's private dick Philip Marlowe from the 1940s is plunked down rather unceremoniously in the swinging late-1960s, with lethargic results. Based on Chandler's book "The Little Sister", this bland detective yarn starring James Garner doesn't even have a visually interesting production to recommend it. Paul Bogart's direction is torpid, and the writing equally unexcitable (the filmmakers here don't have an appreciation for Marlowe's roots--he's a square straight-shooter who isn't updated for the new era, and the irony is lost on everybody). The dry deadpan humor perhaps set the stage for Garner's TV series "The Rockford Files"--but raked out over an entire film, the cheeky asides just seem smug. Bruce Lee steals the spotlight in a bit as a karate-kicking henchman; otherwise, pretty tired. *1/2 from ****

Though James Garner does a good job as Raymond Chandler's immortal private eye, Marlowe (1969) is just a passable mystery thriller. The pacing is a big sluggish and aside from Bruce Lee smashing up Garner's office, nothing about the movie sticks out in the mind. When it comes to post-classic Hollywood takes on Chandler, you're better off with The Long Goodbye or Farewell My Lovely, both from the 1970s.

Marlowe is best as a time capsule of the late 1960s. The jazzy soundtrack, mod and hippie fashions, and the locales all reek of the period, and that was where most of this viewer's pleasure was found. If that's enough for you, then catch it on TCM whenever they play the thing.

The 1970 film "Marlowe" is an adaptation by noted scenarist Stirling Silliphant of a Philip Marlowe detective novel by Raymond Chandler. It is the novel I, as a writer, rate as his masterpiece, "The Little Sister". The storyline and characters belong the realm of Hollywood and the underworld of drugs, crime and movie wannabees of the 1940s, even though some of the characters, including Marlowe, comes from other backgrounds. The interesting thing is that the film is an adventure level hard-boiled detective mystery, whereas the book would have been able to be adapted as a dramatic-level work. But taking the film as it is, it is a strong story-line. What is happening in the film is a drug racket run by the bad guys selling to movie people. Marlowe, played by James Garner with less force than once might have expected, is hired by a young woman to find her brother. His office is demolished by a karate expert, Bruce Lee, a harmless detective is murdered, he is nearly killed, and he meets a Mexican stripper played by Rita Moreno, as he tries to unravel the connections between the missing brother--now a contract killer, the movie people (including Gayle Hunnicutt, a kookie client (Sharon Farrell) and the doctors supplying the drugs, before one of their operatives finishes him off. The film was made in color, and it is an attractive one, well-lighted. The director Paul Bogart did a solid job keeping the abundant action moving. Original music for the film was composed by Peter Matz, very good cinematography by the noted William H. Daniels and art direction by Addison Hehr and George W. Davis. The elaborate set decorations were supplied by Henry Grace and Hugh Hunt, and costumes were created by Jean Louis, Florence Hackett and James Taylor. The film features a number of scenes outdoors and in locations such as a burlesque theater, a mansion, an office building, an apartment house, and more. The production comes off as bright and vivid, contrasting the daylight of semi-desert Los Angles with the darker events and nighttime goings-on depicted. In the cast, Gayle Hunnicutt is fine as a young woman and suggests the qualities of a future actress. Rita Moreno is very good, as usual, except that the way her character is played is not as Chandler wrote it; it was a part written with Jane Russell in mind, to be underplayed; Carroll O'Connor is delightful as the short-fused Lt. French; Jackie Coogan as Grant Hicks and Sharon Farrelkl as Orfamae Quest have some of the best parts of their careers. others notable in a fine cast include Paul Stevens as the villain, William Daniels who makes a fine foil for Garner, Kenneth Tobey, Christopher Cary, Corinne Camacho, George Tyne, Roger Morgan as the missing brother, the aforementioned Bruce Lee as Sylvester Wong (with a great death scene) and Read Morgan. This is a very entertaining detective yarn, with above-average dialogue scenes injected here and there, and characters interesting in their situations. As late as it was in Hollywood history, this film is well cast, well-mounted and interesting. Those who would wish the original novel to be produced as a dramatic work about deeper human character and relationships get more than a taste of those qualities here; but this is an adventure, and thanks to Garner's breezy professionalism, it fulfills that function quite well. Many detective stories have been made since this one, but few have came off so competently.

An updating of Raymond Chandler's 1949 novel, The Little Sister, Marlowe is a sophisticated mystery thriller, with quick, humorous dialogue, and slick direction by Paul Bogart. Perhaps unjustly, the film is less appreciated than several of the other adaptations of Chandler's novels featuring private detective, Philip Marlowe, who had been played before this film by the likes of Humphrey Bogart (The Big Sleep) and Dick Powell (Murder My Sweet), and later on by Elliott Gould and Robert Mitchum. Some the criticism leveled against this film is that James Garner is too laid-back as Marlowe, as compared to the hard-edged portrayal of Humphrey Bogart or Dick Powell (even though Garner's Marlowe actually resembles more the actual character from Chandler's novels). In fact, as others have pointed out, Garner brings his own personable characterization of the private detective, obviously very different than Bogart's, but one that brings out the best of his sardonic humour and easy-going charm. Effortlessly lashing out witty replies at every turn as if he invented them, Garner gives the type of performance that would later earn him an Emmy in TV's The Rockford Files (for which this film was likely an important source of inspiration). He gets first-rate support from a string of character actors portraying various low-lifes, showbiz types, criminals, and cynical cops. Much has already been said about Rita Moreno's delicious turn as a glamorous striptease artist and Bruce Lee's hilarious Kung fu scenes. However, equally good are Sharon Farrell as the little sister, exquisitely displaying a manipulative, girlish charm that quickly becomes annoying, and Carroll O'Connor as a hard-boiled, frustrated police lieutenant who gets increasingly exasperated at Marlowe. The plot moves quickly through the convoluted intrigue, set against the backdrop of Los Angeles in the late 1960s, with the cool, jazzy musical score and groovy theme song contributing to render the atmosphere of the period. That said, Marlowe is hardly a perfect film. For one thing, it makes little use of cinematic elements that could have contributed to the aesthetics of the film, such as dark lighting and wider angle shooting. It all seems a bit too bright for a mystery and rather closed in considering the LA location. This may be intentional and reflective of director Paul Bogart's style as a television director, but it somewhat limits the possibilities to convey mood and suspense. Secondly, the female character at the centre of the investigation, played by Gayle Hunnicutt, is not provided with enough screen time to make the viewer seriously interested about her fate. While Hunnicutt is billed as the female star of the film, she really has more of a supporting role, and her interactions with Garner lack any kind of romantic subplot that may have helped the viewer care more about the outcome of this complicated story. Still, the witty dialogue, intelligent plot, and colorful characterizations manage to make Marlowe a fine and enjoyable yarn. Those expecting a kind of neo-noir will be disappointed, but the film largely succeeds to deliver on its own terms.

For those of us who like Chandler, it is an enjoyable movie. Garner and the rest of the cast are good. Carroll O'Connor makes a great LAPD detective and, of course, Bruce Lee is Bruce Lee. The 60's ambiance works and the music is cool. The director gets the style right but the script is incomplete. Chandler's novel has a complex but precise plot; however, the movie omits the murder of another gangster called Sunny Moe Stein, and half the rationale of the plot is gone, so characters like Dr Lagardie don't make sense. It was possible to write a tighter script.

This is a well-done updating of the classic Raymond Chandler character Philip Marlowe, made famous in the film noirs of the 1940s. James Garner stars, in a pre-Rockford Files style, as Marlowe and carries the usual charm and wit for which he's so well known. A standout performance is from Sharon Farrell as the tortured sister. Following on from such films as "The Detective", "Lady in Cement" and "Madigan", this is another fine example of the late 60s example of the lone anti-hero who dwells in a world of corruption and violence. Well-written and acted, and quite funny at times.

After seeing "Goodnight my sweetheart" I had to jump at this. Although I did not find it as...watchable...as goodnight, it was still an entertaining thrill ride. Although I found the character of Marlowe a little too bloodthirsty, but his cocky sarcasm in the face of danger is just great. A definite MUST SEE.

8/10.

This was an okay film about Detective Marlow played by James Garner, however, I firmly believe that Humphrey Bogart gave a more classic approach to the role of this detective. Bruce Lee makes an appearance as Winslow Wong and completely destroys the shabby office of Philip Marlow and almost sends Marlow flying through a window. Carrol O'Connor appeared as Lt. Christy French who did not seem to fit into this role and had a blank expression on his face most of the time and probably hated this role he had to play. Gayle Hunnicutt, Rita Moreno both gave a great supporting role, but this film was not exactly what I expected and I felt like I wasted my time viewing it.

This movie is a touch confused, preferring to keep the style and setting exactly like the 40's but then have it be taking place in 1969 with hippies and all that. It makes it seem like a kind of non-time where nothing fits. Then you have Garner playing an almost comatose version of Marlowe,completely boring and uninteresting despite all the women in the film throwing themselves at him. Bruce Lee's cameo was okay, but his death scene was totally ridiculous. Overall, this just wasn't good despite the source material.

Even though I've never understood who or why people got killed in this film, and I've seen it many times, I still like this movie a lot. I don't know why really, the plot is murky, it's not particularly atmospheric and it looks a little cheap sometimes with the studio-bound sets.

That most of the actresses in the film resemble one another doesn't help either. Rita Moreno looks like Gayle Hunnicut who looks like Marlowes girlfriend. Orfamay looks like the receptionist Marlowe talks to at her hotel. On top of that Orfamay and Mavis do NOT resemble each other and they are supposed to be sisters!!!!

I'm not a huge fan of James Garner but he's fun to watch. The film has an energy of it's own. The performances are all lively and entertaining. The last fight between the sisters is heartbreaking.

The cool clothes, groovy sixties setting and music add to the charm and I repeatedly watch this film without ever understanding who shot who!

Orfamay Quest wants private detective Philip Marlowe to locate her brother.While working on the case he has to face an ice pick killer.Marlowe (1969) is a neo-noir based on the 1949 novel The Little Sister by Raymond Chandler.It's directed by Paul Bogart, who is a distant relative of Humphrey Bogart.He made the character of Philip Marlowe immortal.James Garner's Marlowe is pretty far from Humphrey's Marlowe, but he does a good job.Gayle Hunnicutt plays Mavis Wald.Carroll O'Connor is Lt. Christy French.Rita Moreno portrays stripper Dolores Gonzáles.Sharon Farrell is Orfamay.William Daniels plays the part of Mr. Crowell.H.M. Wynant is Sonny Steelgrave.Former child star Jackie Coogan plays Grant W. Hicks.Then we also see Bruce Lee showing his martial arts skills as Winslow Wong.This Marlowe mystery is pretty mediocre as a movie.It's not James Garner to blame, the story just never catches fire.

Raymond Chandler's 1940s private investigator Philip Marlowe steps into actor James Garner's shoes, which should be a comfortable fit. But, it isn't. This film starts with someone doing an impression of James Bond, poolside, over a swingin' sixties credit sequence. Then, we find Mr. Garner wading through a group of presumably stoned and definitely slumbering hippies. As it turns out, he's looking for the brother of a client in this hippie hotel...

Garner finds several ice-picks, usually in the back of bodies. Ice-picks were often used in the 1940s to pick ice. Karate expert Bruce Lee smashes Garner's office and Garner calls him "a little gay" because he's light on his feet. The climax occurs after about 90 minutes of muddling events, when Rita Moreno in a platinum wig does her main strip tease. She must be wearing more than it seems and she sure knows how to move. Then, it's over.

*** Marlowe (9/19/69) Paul Bogart ~ James Garner, Gayle Hunnicutt, Carroll O'Connor, Rita Moreno