The Long Goodbye (1973)
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A private eye in 1970s Hollywood navigates a web of mystery and moral decay while investigating the truth behind a friend's death.
The story
In 1970s Hollywood, private investigator Philip Marlowe is approached by his friend Terry Lennox, who seeks a ride to Mexico. Following Terry's disappearance and the subsequent report of his death, Marlowe is left to navigate a series of complex connections involving a missing husband, a local gangster, and a web of secrets. As Marlowe investigates the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the Lennoxes and the struggles of the Wade family, he finds himself navigating a world where traditional notions of friendship and loyalty are increasingly blurred by the self-obsessed culture of the era.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After Terry Lennox is reported dead in Mexico, Marlowe is hired by Eileen Wade to find her missing husband, Roger. The investigation leads Marlowe to discover that the Wades and the Lennoxes were neighbors and that Roger owes a large sum of money to a gangster, Marty Augustine. Marlowe travels to Mexico and eventually discovers that the official story of Terry's suicide is a fabrication. He learns that Roger and Terry were involved in a complex web of affairs and debts. After a series of tense encounters, including a party where Roger eventually commits suicide, Marlowe confronts the truth about the affair between Terry and Eileen. He eventually tracks down the 'dead' Terry in a Mexican villa. After a tense exchange regarding the money and the truth of the affair, Marlowe shoots and kills Terry. The film ends with Marlowe walking away in a state of weary satisfaction as he passes Eileen.
- First release year
- 1973
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Robert Altman
- Writers
- Leigh Brackett · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Elliott Gould · Philip Marlowe; Nina van Pallandt · Eileen Wade; Sterling Hayden · Roger Wade; Mark Rydell · Marty Augustine; Henry Gibson · Dr. Verringer; David Arkin · Harry; Jim Bouton · Terry Lennox; Arnold Schwarzenegger · Hood in Augustine's Office
- Genres
- satirical; neo-noir
- Themes
- moral decay; alienation; identity
- Tone and mood
- satirical; melancholy
- Premise and plot tags
- neo-noir; detective story; satire
- Source material / true-story basis
- Raymond Chandler's 1953 novel of the same name
- Reception
- The film received mixed to positive reviews upon release, but its critical assessment has grown over time. It was eventually selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 93% · scale: percentage · review count: 58; Metacritic · score: 87 · scale: 100 · review count: 17
- Awards and nominations
- Best Cinematographer · National Society of Film Critics · win
- Production trivia
- The film features an uncredited appearance by Arnold Schwarzenegger.; The film's title song was arranged in various styles, including a hippie chant and supermarket muzak.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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