The Long Goodbye (1973)

Neo-noir film directed by Robert Altman and based on Raymond Chandler's 1953 novel

PI Philip Marlowe is visited by his close friend Terry Lennox one night and Terry asks for a lift from Los Angeles to Tijuana. Returning home, Marlowe is met by two police detectives, who accuse Lennox of murdered his rich wife, Sylvia. Marlowe refuses to give them any information and is arrested. After three days in jail, the police release him, because Lennox committed suicide in Mexico. Philip Marlowe is hired by Eileen Wade, the trophy wife of Roger Wade. Wade is an alcoholic novelist with writer's block She asks that Marlowe find her husband, who, despite regular alcoholic binges and days-long disappearances from their Malibu home is missing. In the course of investigating Mrs. Wade's missing-husband case, Marlowe visits the private detoxification clinics for rich alcoholics and drug addicts. He locates and recovers Roger Wade, and learns that the Wades knew the Lennoxes socially. He becomes increasingly convinced that there is more to Terry's suicide and the murder of Sylvia.

Cast

Elliott Gould as Philip Marlowe
Nina van Pallandt as Eileen Wade
Sterling Hayden as Roger Wade
Mark Rydell as Marty Augustine
Henry Gibson as Dr. Verringer
David Arkin as Harry
Jim Bouton as Terry Lennox
Warren Berlinger as Morgan

  

Directed by Robert Altman

Screenplay by Leigh Brackett

Story by Raymond Chandler