Philip Marlowe, another Raymond Chandler creation, was first made famous by Humphrey Bogart's portrayal in The Big Sleep during the hay-day of noir. True, there is something classic about Bogart's performance (he is the quintessential P.I., after all), but that's what make's Robert Altman's subversive re-imagining so great. In 1973, Altman set out to adapt Chandler's The Long Goodbye as a "send-up" of the classic 1940s detective character navigating 1970s Southern California. What makes this approach work is the abandonment of any "fish out of water" scenarios that might seem natural to this set-up. It's not tacked on, or even all that noticeable. The story, along with Elliott Gould's wonderful performance, are allowed to operate naturally within the conceit.
While studying English and Philosophy at Rutgers University, Andrew worked as a constant contributor to the The Rutgers Review. After graduating in 2010, he began working as a free-lance writer and editor, providing his input to numerous areas including reviews for the New York Film Series, The Express-Times, and private script and story consulting. He is currently the Director of Film Studies at The Morris County Arts Workshop in New Jersey and publishes essays on the subject of film and television at his blog, The Zoetrope.
