MovieChat Forums > The Long Goodbye (1973) Discussion > The constant cigarette smoking schtick w...

The constant cigarette smoking schtick was not a plus

posted 16 years ago by Eric-1226
10 replies | jump to latest

Despite a few negatives, I generally liked Gould's portrayal of Philip Marlowe - yes, I understand it was supposed to be some "updated" interpretation of the character or something along those lines. But the excessive cigarette smoking done by Marlowe was too forced and too much of a distraction. And I'm not saying this because I'm against smoking, in fact I take a puff now and again myself, but it was just that the imagery was too forced and obvious, making the whole thing visually clumsy throughout.

Same as the reaction I had to Bill Murray's character and his constant cigarette schtick in "Rushmore."

[–] BCMTthompson 16 years ago

Marlowe's smoking is an omage to Walter Neff and Sam Spade, among others. The great noir heroes all smoked constantly. Much of this film is reference to classic films noir. It is Altman's update and reinterpretation of film noir.

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[–] decastro3 15 years ago

It's meant to reinforce the idea that Marlowe is a walking anachronism. He chain smokes through the whole film, and nobody else smokes a single cigarette. Marlowe, as portrayed by Gould, is a man wandering through a decade that he doesn't exist in. The car, the suit and tie, the smoking...he's, as Gould and Altman say, "Rip Van Marlowe"...when he wakes up at the opening, he isn't waking up from the night before, he waking up from 1953.

So, "It's okay with me."

[–] ridge-m-1 9 years ago

Please watch at least 20 film noirs of the classic period to understand that these films take place in a different era from the repressed and politically correct times we find ourselves existing in today.

Chain-smoking, along with the consumption of a lot of alcohol, are staples of film-noir. If the viewer finds that "distracting", one might suggest staying away from these usually second feature, B picture, crime dramas.

It was not a "schtick". Read one Chandler novel and keep track of many times the iconic shamus lights up a Camel. This viewer loves it when Marlowe strikes a match on the wall of the Wade's Malibu home. "It's ok with me."

How unfortunate that the OP cannot fully enjoy the art presented on the silver screen.

[–] heyuactor 9 years ago

...too forced and obvious, making the whole thing visually clumsy throughout.

I agree.

"Did you make coffee? Make it!"--Cheyenne.

[–] krasnegar 7 years ago

I hate to disagree with someone who obviously loves my favourite Western (maybe favourite MOVIE) at least as much as i do ... but read the Chandler novels. Watch "The Big Sleep" (written by the same screenwriter, BTW) or any of a number of REAL noir films.

Read Leslie Charteris' "Saint" books.

Read/watch any hard-boiled/noir fiction/films.

EVERYBODY smoked - even the women.

[–] Foster (876) 6 months ago

Watch some older movies --- They smoke in every scene, and there's always booze

YOU don't like smoking --- Don't smoke -- Who are you to demand NO ONE can smoke especially in a movie

YOU are going to judge a movie or a character based on their smoking??? Grow Up