The Brasher Doubloon (1947)

Nog steeds niet op DVD...

Gelezen, quote:

"A private-eye Philp Marlowe film that's often overlooked is "The Brasher Doubloon"

(1947), based on Raymond Chandler's "The High Window" of 1942. It's probably forgotten because, while it came from a major studio (Fox), it was something of a B effort and something George Montgomery washanded to complete his contract that was interrupted by his war service.

It may not have been distinctive enough to break out of the boom in Film-Noir and detective thrillers that proliferated that year. The novel itself is not one of the top-drawer Chandler efforts, coming between "Farewell My Lovely" (1940) and "The Lady in the Lake" (1943).

But on the plus side (and this is again based on observations from a TV viewing in the '70s), it kind of caught the mood of Chandler's L.A., especially in Marlowe's opening narration when he discusses the Santa Ana winds providing an eerie prelude to his entry into the case. It does kind of go for the seedy look RKO achieved in "Murder My Sweet" (1944) and while Montgomery made his mark as a Western star (and later, adventure hero in a bunch of Filipino-made films in the '60s), he's actually quite good as Marlowe. His light leading man style helped ease him into the wisecracking side of Philip Marlowe, and I really believe his performance was as good as that other Montgomery (Robert), as well as Bogart and Powell."

Trailer:

YouTube - ‪THE BRASHER DOUBLOON 1947 TRAILER FILM NOIR‬‏

En dat tegen 2013: een DVD-R release in VHS kwaliteit. Jammer.

Philip Marlowe! Dit verhaal kende ik ook nog niet. Lekker ook weer met de voice-over van Marlowe die zelf allemaal nog even wat commentaar levert op de gebeurtenissen. Over een onderzoek naar een verdwenen waardevolle munt. Tijdens zijn onderzoek stapelen de lijken zich op. George Montgomery is iets minder spijkerhard en cynisch dan Humphrey Bogart, die een jaar eerder Marlowe speelde in The Big Sleep. Valt op zich nog wel mee te leven. Maar dit is ook wel een beetje een B-film met als gevolg een speelduur van 72 minuten die te kort is om het verhaal allemaal lekker gecompliceerd te maken. Wel fijne whodunit met noir-sfeertje.