Norm and others who have posted on this:
First of all regarding the question in the OP, and of course all the speculation the question raises, not to mention the apparent connection between Taylor's death and the killing of Brody by Lundgren, I have to say, and adding in Chandler's perhaps apocryphal response that even he did not know who killed him, that obviously some would consider this a possible plot hole.
If ever there was a perception of a plot hole that was not really a plot hole, this is it.
First of all it is hardly strictly necesary that anyone, including the viewer, know who killed Taylor. Theoretically the DA's office would like to tie that down, even if the most likely scenarios, thoses being murder by Brody, murder by Lundgren, or suicide, all in effect resolve themselves (Brody is already dead and can't be tried, Lundgren seems ironclad facing conviction for killing Brody, and suicide is a suicide).
But in real life we don't always know what happened in such cases, and knowing how the chauffeur died is not necessary to arrive at the film's ending. In fact I think it adds to the film's charm, giving it that kind of existential element of reality. Think if it from Marlowe's point of view. Among the three most likely explanations, none make any difference to him. Moving beyond those to...
Say someone did it for Eddie Mars, perhaps even Carmen Sternwood? Well Eddie Mars is dead, too, and Marlow has no reason to go after Carmen.
Marlowe as a detective is focused on his case, not on solving every crime or mystery he comes across. His case broadly speaking was to help out Sternwood and his family, and eventually Mrs. Rutledge. By the end of the film he has done that, and solving the mystery about the chaffeur adds nothing to that. So, it is fitting that the end corresponds with the ending of Marlowe's work.
So it's all good, right? But....
Just like everyone else who has posted on this thread, the OP's question still resonates, despite the foregoing, and of course that in itself is also part of the beauty and strengh of this film. Again, an apparent flaw in the narrative structure makes the film better, not worse. Brilliant (brilliant for the viewer, even if the apparent flaw was not intended as such).
I tend to agree with those who start with a recognition that Lundgren was not at the house when Geiger was killed, and had no direct knowledge of who did it. We have every reason to think Geiger was killed by Taylor. We also have Brody acknowledging (no apparent reason to lie here) to Marlowe that he had followed Taylor and had an encounter with him.
But we also have the brief scene where Lundgren and Brody are seen together in Geiger's office. Hm.
One possible explanation is that Brody beat Taylor up, but left him alive, and not even badly hurt enough, on the surface, for Brody to think he had mortally injured Taylor. But... it was enough to leave Taylor's judgment and awareness clouded. Taylor drove off in that state, and ended up driving off the Lido Pier. This would explain Brody's acknowledgement at the same time Brody would behave in a way that did not indicate that he would have thought of himself as having committed murder.
How this relates to the Lundgren killing of Brody? I might have to take some of the previous posts and see the film again. Heh.
Ftr, I love this film.
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nutsberryfarm
11 years ago
i thought he was killed b/c of some other reason unrelated to this case.
Life's like a Cabo Carne Asada: never know how spicy it's gunna get.
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