20 Awesome Movies That You Haven’t Seen… And Should!
14. The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973)
The cast of this film includes Sterling Hayden, Nina Van Pallandt, Jim Bouton, and Mark Rydell, but it is anchored by its star Elliot Gould.
Gould plays the role of Philip Marlowe, a man who is described as being morally decent but trapped in a selfish and self-obsessed society.
The film’s story is set in Hollywood during the 1970s and offers an updated take on the novel, which was set in Hollywood during the 1940s. Marlowe is a private investigator who finds himself caught in the lies of some of his friends and acquaintances.
As the story progresses, Marlowe must unravel the truth behind the apparent suicide of a friend. What he discovers in the end throws the audience for a loop, and he is left with a decision at the end of the movie. Confronted with the truth, does he punish his friend for his lies and betrayal, or does he allow his friend to go on living and swallow his own guilt now that he knows the truth?
“The Long Goodbye” in Blu-ray is available – click here
The film did not get positive reviews from critics when it was released, but over time many critics have come to consider it a great movie because it pushed boundaries in its genre at the time.
