Murder, My Sweet

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Alec B One of the most pure noirs. Its everything you expect (shadows, wise cracks, femme fatales, endless twists, etc.) and is always great fun. Also, so many beautiful interior designs. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 05/09/25 Full Review Paul G It's watchable but I didn't find the story the easy to follow and the language at times is very old-fashioned. Note, I have read the book and really like the authors writing but this did not work so well for me. Aside from that, Dirk Bogard is very hard to beat as Philip Marlow. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/10/25 Full Review Jay A The movie is a great adaptation of Chandler's novel, given that it was made in the studio system of 1944 which always needed a romance connection, and a hopeful ending to any film being made under the Hayes Office strictures. Dick Powell, in a career-shifting move manages to move successfully away for the romantic comedy musicals he was branded for and into an actor seen as a tough-guy. Still a great film-noir success. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/23/24 Full Review JJJJJJ J Overly cliche noir that is held together by it's quick pace and avant garde dream sequence. It just follows so much of the noir genre to a tee never sticking itself out to do anything special while never really investing in or developing much of what is needed to make much of the basic noir theme's work. It just comes across as a mis-mash of ideas. As a whodunit though the film is still engaging enough, it moves quickly so as an audience member you are always trying to piece everything together while really never having the time the adequate time to put the pieces together. From a cinemagraphic standpoint there was one standout sequence in which the character is drug very reminiscent of vertigo in my mind makes this film worth the watch imo. Overall I think it is a good watch for hardcore film fans just for that scene. For the general viewer or even noir fan it is probably a skip. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/29/23 Full Review Matthew B By the 1940s a number of actors associated with light-hearted comedies were seeking to reinvent themselves by showing that they could take on tougher roles. This may have reflected the hard-headed world of the 1940s, where a large number of men had gone to war, and were dealing with the aftermath of the conflict. This situation was mirrored in some of the movies of the 1940s. This was the golden age of the film noir. This comparatively new genre depicted a greyer world where the heroes and the police were almost as violent and unscrupulous as the villains they faced, and moral certainties were being challenged. Dick Powell, an actor mostly known for appearing in comedies and musicals, was looking for a stronger role, and he had already been turned down for the lead role in Double Indemnity. Undaunted, Powell sought the lead in another movie made the same year. This was Murder, My Sweet, an adaptation of Raymond Chandler's second novel, Farewell, My Lovely. Indeed this was the film's original title, and the name by which it goes in Britain. The title was changed in America because it made the film sound too much like one of Powell's musicals, and it was feared that this would deter audiences. Indeed it is thought that the film did better at the box office after the name change. The casting of Powell was not welcomed by everyone. The director Edward Dmytryk was initially horrified by the decision to cast Powell. He need not have worried. The movie went on to make a profit of nearly $600,000, and Powell had earned his spurs enough to be offered a number of other roles in thrillers and film noirs. Powell was fortunate in his choice of movie. Murder, My Sweet is one of the best 1940s film noirs. It is made with a technical flair that produced striking images, the dialogue is punchy, sharp and witty, the acting is uniformly good, and the characters stay in the memory too. The film is also a notable example of effective use of a voiceover. Not everyone is an enthusiast for Powell's performance in the film. The film noir purist would consider his approach too light and comic for the material. Perhaps it does not help that the leading actor is frequently dwarfed by his co-star. Indeed allowing for the sordid subject matter, Murder My Sweet is not an especially dark movie. It is thrilling and exciting, but there seems little reason to doubt that it will end well. On the other side of the argument, there are others who consider Powell to be the best Marlowe ever, and even Raymond Chandler liked his performance. Powell seemed happy playing a grittier role than usual, and he brings a hard-edged charm to the role. There is in fact no reason why a film noir needs to be pessimistic or depressing to be any good. All that is required is for the film to tell its story in a stylish and intelligent manner, and in this respect, Murder, My Sweet excels. I wrote a longer appreciation of Murder, My Sweet on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2018/10/11/murder-my-sweet-a-k-a-farewell-my-sweet-1944/ Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/30/23 Full Review Steve D You can guess where it is going but it is still entertaining. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 05/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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