Murder, My Sweet - 1944

Murder, My Sweet - Released Dec 9, 1944. Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Girl: "You're being sidetracked"

Marlowe: "What do you mean sidetracked?"

Girl: "You'll find out"

The Maltese Falcon may have set up the standard for the tough-guy investigator out on a limb, and Murder, My Sweet takes the genre into similar waters, but without the bullet-proof Bogart attitude to shield the protagonist. Dick Powell's version of Philip Marlowe has the cagey private investigator pushed around, beaten-up, drugged (with heroin) and generally played with by everyone because no one can keep their story straight about the missing person of Velma, ex-con Moose Malloy's ex-girlfriend (she probably never was his 'girlfriend,' but he thick-headedly is convinced she was) and Marlowe is hired to find her.

Why is everyone dodging Marlowe's questions and making up soon-to-be-penetrated lies? Raymond Chandler's book hits the screen with veteran screen-crooner Powell playing Marlowe as a mostly-average guy with a special knack for untying knots, though he has to first get it wrong several times.

Guy: "I don't think you even know which side you're on."

Marlowe: "I don't know which side anybody's on."

There is a high definition Bluray relase at Amazon - Murder, My Sweet - Blu-ray

See also Dick Powell's other noir masterpiece, Cry Danger - 1951

Original page May 2016 - Updated April 2018

You will see Amazon links on this web site because I am an Amazon affiliate. I earn from qualifying purchases.

Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon - 512 Pages

"A dazzling portrait of an incredible woman. Elizabeth's life was more captivating than any film could ever be."— Demi Moore

"Brower’s book takes the reader into the private world of the most famous celebrity of the 20th century. Elizabeth’s heart, mind, and passion come vividly alive on each page. We see her as a woman who struggled and ultimately survived to rewrite the playbook on celebrity and power. I never wanted it to end!" — Brooke Shields

"Brower is quickly becoming a brand-name Washington writer because of her ability to deliver juicy tidbits and insider information while steering her books toward a mainstream audience without sacrificing historical credibility." — Christian Science Monitor on TEAM OF FIVE

Amazon Link to pre-order Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon Hardcover

Audio Book version - Elizabeth Taylor: The Grit & Glamour of an Icon

[This is an affiliate Amazon link which may provide a commission earned for this site. If that happens, we'll probably buy an old movie on Blu Ray with the proceeds.]

What's Recent