MURDER MY SWEET

US, 1944, 95 minutes, Black and White.
Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Ann Shirley, Otto Kruger, Mike Mazurki.
Directed by Edward Dmytryk.

Murder My Sweet is a version of Raymond Chandler's Farewell My Lovely. It was one of the earliest of the film versions of Chandler's stories. Similar films were made at the time: Humphrey Bogart as Philip Marlow in The Big Sleep, Robert Montgomery in The Lady of The Lake. There have been various versions of Chandler and his popular novels over the decades. James Garner was Marlowe (1969). Elliot Gould was Marlowe in Robert Altman's updated version of The Long Goodbye. The nostalgia of the 70s recreated the atmosphere of the past especially with Robert Mitchum as Marlowe in Dick Richards' Farewell My Lovely and Michael Winner's The Big Sleep.

There are most interesting comparisons with Dmytryk's version and Dick Richards' version, especially with the contrast between the young Dick Powell and the ageing Robert Mitchum Charlotte Rampling's version of Velma more like Lauren Bacall and that of the vigorous Claire Trevor. It is interesting to look back at the private eye genre and the films made when these issues and styles were contemporary.

1. The interest in Raymond Chandler novels over the years. especially his hero Philip Marlowe? The status of Chandler's novels the interest in Marlowe and his particular characteristics and style?

2. Comment on the conventions of the private eye genre? The contributions of the 40s, especially with the works of Dashiell Hammett and Chandler? These were contemporary films of contemporary issues. The impact now?

3. The film title and the novel title? Clues as to the identity of the mystery and the killer?

4. The black and white photography, the seedy atmosphere,, the locations of the city? The style of the places shown. the world of the rich and the poor, the world of the private eye? The presentation of the police and their personalities and methods? Musical score? The interest in psychology and the special effects of Marlowe's blacking out, the special effects of his drug hallucination and the dream symbolism?

5. Dick Powell's style as Marlowe? The hard-bitten experienced private eye, the nature of his narrative and his ironic comments? The use of the flashback technique? Marlowe's skill as a private eye, strengths and weaknesses. personality, impersonal style? The people that broke through his hard shell?

6. Interest in the plot. its complexities and the various strands? The ease in following it, difficulties? Pacing and audience interest? Moving with Marlowe through the mystery ? or behind him? The quality of the mystery. the personnel involved, the clues given?

7. The figure of the private eye and his relationship to the police, to the traditional detective? The background of his being sacked from the police, down and out and seedy, the small office, the clients, the need for money and the love for money, the type of jobs undertaken, the inherent danger being suspected by the police and hounded by them? The private eye as a hero, antihero, victim?

8. The introduction of Moose, the explanation of his background? His personality, slow nature? Capacity for violence? His love for Velma and hiring Marlowe? His offering the money? His being used by Amthor?

9. The sketch of Mrs. Florian as a type, her part in the mystery?

10. The character sketch of Marriott and the revelation of his role in the mystery? The brutality of his death?

11. Amthor and his wealth, a brutal type with henchmen? His background as a doctor, psychologist, use of drugs? His use of people, especially Marriott and his use of Marlowe? The violence of his death?

12. The social observation of Grayle and his wealth? His remarriage, bond with Velma, with his daughter? His deceiving himself as regards affections? His wealth and his involvement in violence?

13. The portrait of Anne, her relationship with her father, her involvement in the mystery, her presence at Marriott's death? Her jealousy for her father? Distrust of Helen? Suspicions of Marlowe? Conventional heroine and the love interest?

14. Claire Trevor's style as Velma? The mysterious background? When did the audience suspect she was Velma? The reasons for her marriage? Her fear of the truth and the lengths that she went to conceal the truth? Her measures for enticing Marlowe into her plans? Seeming innocence, lies, helplessness? Sensuality? Her responsibility for people's deaths? Her reaction to Moose? The irony of Grayle killing her? The femme fatale?

15. How satisfactory the resolution of the plot? How satisfying? The social comment on the times? The film belonging to a particularly American genre for interest and enjoyment?