To make Raymond Chandler's impeccable prose and words into a movie is a difficult task indeed. The famous noir American writer with his unique private eye Philip Marlowe, had a talent to tell a story in his own unorthodox and highly stylish way like no other before him or after him. Before I watched the movie of Howard Hawks I had already read most of Chandler's books and I had announced him one of my all time favorite authors. Howard Hawks' movie is an interesting retelling of the story and an equally interesting cinematic version. But I think that if you have read the book, then the comparison is really useless.
The movie tries eagerly to capture the irony and character of Philip Marlowe through the performance of Humphrey Bogart who plays the famous private detective and in a way succeeds but not the extent of being equally satisfying as the book. The movie in general is a serious and honest effort to bring in life the captivating story of Chandler. By many the film is considered a masterpiece of noir film, but I won't go that far. Yes the movie has charm, undeniable charm, but if you have read the book then the film's charm is simply overshadowed. There is most certainly an atmosphere in the movie, an uncertain, "smoky" atmosphere but it was a basic effort to turn the book into a moving picture. The film never went that far as to surprise the audience. Yes it's efficient, yes it's thorough, but it lacks that certain factor that would levitate it to a higher level of that of the unforgettable movie. As a conclusion I must admit that I prefer a thousand times to read the book one more time than to watch the film one more time. I enjoy it and I would recommend it, but that's how far I will go with that movie.
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