More reasons why I [heart] Philip Marlowe

[elaby]

OMG, I love Raymond Chandler so much. I just finished Farewell, My Lovely and I'm into The High Window now. Farewell, My Lovely has been my favorite so far, and it contained this one scene that's how I first heard of Marlowe - it was quoted in an article I read when I was writing my Sam Spade paper.

The main reason why I love Marlowe so much is because he's like Indy - he gets beaten up, and sick, and scared, and overtired, and other generally human things. Sam Spade's hands shook once because he was mad, and he thought it was funny. Sam Spade is tough in a way that repulses me - he bullies women (or shags them with absolutely no conscience whatsoever), either beats up or mocks any man who doesn't meet his standards of manliness, and would nearly have an aneurism before showing any kind of "weak" emotion.

Marlowe seems pretty tough at the beginning of every book. He's extremely sarcastic, jaded, world-weary, and even edges on crazy occasionally. He also quotes Shakespeare, feels horrible about almost kissing a married woman, and tells a man all of his problems and fears because the man has pretty eyes. That scene in particular is awesome. Let me show you!


Red, "a big redheaded roughneck in dirty sneakers and tarry pants and what was left of a torn blue sailor's jersey and a streak of black down the side of his face", offers to take Marlowe out to this huge gambling ship on a little boat, since Marlowe can't get in by the water taxi after he's shown them he's carrying a gun. Red is described like this:

He had the eyes you never see, that you only read about. Violet eyes. Almost purple. Eyes like a girl, a lovely girl. His skin was as soft as silk. Lightly reddened, but it would never tan. It was too delicate.

This guy keeps whispering to Marlowe with his lips against Marlowe's ear. Figuring out why I like this scene yet?

Later on, when they're boating out to the gambling ship...

"I'm scared," I said suddenly. "I'm scared stiff."
Red throttled down the boat and let it slide up and down the swell as though the water moved underneath and the boat stayed in the same place. He turned his face and stared at me.
"I'm afraid of death and despair," I said. "Of dark water and drowned men's faces and skulls with empty eyesockets. I'm afraid of dying, of being nothing"... I told him a great deal more than I intended to. It must have been his eyes.

And then, once they sneak onto the ship, Marlowe plans to go off by himself.

"Will you come back fast?"
"I ought to make a good splash from the boat deck," I said, and got my wallet out. "I think this rates a little more money. Here. Handle the body as if it was your own."
"You don't owe me nothing more, pardner."
"I'm buying the trip back--even if I don't use it. Take the money before I bust out crying and wet your shirt."
"Need a little help up there?"
"All I need is a silver tongue and the one I have is like a lizard's back."
"Put your dough away," Red said. "You paid me for the trip back. I think you're scared." He took hold of my hand. His was strong, hard, warm and slightly sticky. "I know you're scared," he whispered.
"I'll get over it," I said. "One way or another."


*swoons*

Makes me want to draw fanart. Or something.

I need to find out if this was made into a movie.

Comments

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

Have you read The Vesuvius Club by Mark Gattiss? It's a contemporary novel of a turn of the 20th century English secret agent ... pretty, slutty, likes the lads ... you might like it.

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

Sooo gay. And Marlowe is undoubtedly preferable to that blond satan, Sam Spade. Mind you, The Maltese Falcon is still one of my favourite films.

It was filmed with Dick Powell and then later with Robert Mitchum.

[coastal-spirit.livejournal.com]

Wow, that scene. *boggles* Wonderful stuff, marvelous writing. It must have delighted you to come upon that. Did you find it altogether unexpected? I think that I would like Marlowe a great deal; Sam Spade, not at all (cold unfeeling male chauvinist, ugh, ugh, ugh. It's hard to believe that anyone could find a character like this attractive.)

Yes, fanart!

1975 film version of "Farewell, My Lovely"

1944 version made in the UK and re-named "Murder, My Sweet" for the American film audience

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

*nods*

<-- what she said.

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

I'm reading The Devil in Amber now. There's a lot less gay abandon. (Or maybe just less abandon.)

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I bet I would! Thanks for the recommendation :)

[elaby.livejournal.com]

And Marlowe is undoubtedly preferable to that blond satan, Sam Spade.

Truer words were never spoken!

I need to check out the movies and see how they're done. I looked them up on IMDB and the earlier one seems to have more of the characters from the novel.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I knew about that scene because I'd read snippets from it (pretty much what I posted here) in an article I read back when I was taking the detective fiction class. So I was eagerly waiting for it through all the Marlowe stories! I delighted to find it, but I'm even more delighted that I already am totally in love with Marlowe. He's so awesome. It's like - Sam Spade, in the first few pages, completely dispassionately views the dead body of his partner and then is like "MEH, I didn't like him anyway. Whatever." Marlowe meets a guy (and this kind of thing keeps happening) one day, the next day the guy is dead, and it really wigs him out. Not like reduces him to a little girl crying on the floor or anything, because that would be way over the top, but little things. With the first guy, he talks to his body and can't shake the image for the next few chapters. With the next guy (who he really just met like two hours before) he squeezes his hands into fists in his pockets. Then he convinces himself to just get the hell out of there, since he doesn't even know the guy - and he goes right to the apartment manager's office to let him know. Little human things, you know? Sam Spade didn't have any redeeming characteristics as far as I'm concerned, and Marlowe's just really human in comparison.

Eh heh. *prattles*

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Awesome, thank you!

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

let me dig my copy out and send it over. I'm sure a parcel will be due at some point.

[semyaza.livejournal.com]

I've never been crazy about Dick Powell but I like the earlier film. The Mitchum one is too much of its era.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Whoa, thank you! That would be wonderful!

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I'll definitely check it out :)

[minyan.livejournal.com]

Wow. Oh wow. That's even cooler than what I remember — Marlow gets better with age! He sounds human when he's younger too, but you're right, this is more internal, the sarcasm's more clearly covering so many other things, and he's so simply drawn to this guy. And admitting it and trying not to be, both at once. Unnerving gentleness is so powerful.

Fanart would be awesome too....

[elaby.livejournal.com]

And when I started reading The Big Sleep, I thought we didn't get into Marlowe's head. How wrong I was! It's just a really subtle getting-into. The sarcasm DOES cover so much, and it's so delightful to read.

Unnerving gentleness is so powerful.

You're SO right. Chandler is really a talented writer.