#344: The Unvarnished Sleuth Pt. 1: The Long Goodbye (Patreon)

Greg Motolla’s new Confess, Fletch revives the character of Irwin Fletcher, popularized by Chevy Chase in the mid-‘80s, but its low-key, shaggy-dog quality is less reminiscent of those films than Robert Altman’s 1973 comic neo-noir The Long Goodbye. So we brought longtime friend of the show and Altman aficionado Noel Murray in to join us in revisiting the director’s hazy, distinctly ’70s Los Angeles take on Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould), a chain-smoking detective who’s like a magnet for trouble — but that’s okay with him. Plus, we address an oversight from our recent discussion of The Thief of Bagdad.

Please share your comments, thoughts, and questions about The Long Goodbye, Confess, Fletch, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730.

Outro music: “The Long Goodbye,” by John Williams, performed by Jack Sheldon