The Long Goodbye (1973)

Probable Score

Not Enough Info

Rate It

Your Score

(0 - 100)

Detective Philip Marlowe tries to help a friend who is accused of murdering his wife. (imdb)

More Information and Actions

Cast and Information

Directed By: Robert Altman

Written By: Raymond Chandler, Leigh Brackett

Starring: David Carradine, Elliott Gould, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sterling Hayden, Henry Gibson, Warren Berlinger, Mark Rydell, George Wyner, Jack Riley, Nina Van Pallandt, David Arkin

Genres: Drama, Suspense/Thriller, Crime, Mystery

Franchise: The Long Goodbye

Country: USA

Where to Stream

Invalid Trailer

Ratings

Collections

Stats

Loading...
loading

The Long Goodbye belongs to 91 collections

1. 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (collaborative: moderated by kozan26 - 234 stars)

2. Roger Ebert: Great Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 80 stars)

3. boobs (collaborative: moderated by Pickpocket - 51 stars)

4. Psychotronic Film and Video Guides (collaborative: moderated by Gregzilla - 40 stars)

5. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2008 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 39 stars)

6. Jonathan Rosenbaum's Top 1000 Movies (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 38 stars)

7. Empire's 500 Greatest Movies Of All Time (public: Ross - 36 stars)

8. New York Times' The Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made (collaborative: moderated by theficionado - 32 stars)

9. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2010 revision) (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 32 stars)

10. National Film Registry (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)

11. The Guardian's 1000 films to see before you die (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 30 stars)

12. Neo-noir (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 28 stars)

13. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2014 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Jehan - 27 stars)

14. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2012 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 25 stars)

15. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2017 revision) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 22 stars)

16. Based on a Book (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 21 stars)

17. They Shoot Pictures' Recommended Viewing (collaborative: moderated by Cinephile - 19 stars)

18. Best of criticker: Drama (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 18 stars)

19. Edgar Wright 1000 Favorite Movies (Aug 2016) (collaborative: moderated by Aron Ericson - 17 stars)

20. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2013 revision) (collaborative: moderated by rant1229 - 16 stars)

21. They Shoot Pictures Neo-Noir (Post-1964) (public: TychoCelchuu - 15 stars)

22. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2011 revision) (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 14 stars)

23. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2020 revision) (public: djross - 14 stars)

24. Films available in HD (collaborative: moderated by kubricksucks - 13 stars)

25. New Hollywood (collaborative: moderated by saudade - 12 stars)

26. List: Essential Noirs in The Rough Guide to Film Noir's Canon (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 10 stars)

27. Cinema Discusso Yearly Consensus (2008) (public: PeaceAnarchy - 10 stars)

28. Best of criticker: Suspense / Thriller (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 9 stars)

29. 1,000 Noir Films: They Shot Dark Pictures, Didn't They? (collaborative: moderated by lisa- - 9 stars)

30. Twist endings (collaborative: moderated by BeeDub - 9 stars)

31. Los Angeles (collaborative: moderated by Zarkon - 8 stars)

32. BFI 100 key Noir films (collaborative: moderated by PeaceAnarchy - 8 stars)

33. Best of criticker: Crime (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 8 stars)

34. Based On Novel (collaborative: moderated by tathiel - 7 stars)

35. Anamorphic Cinematography (collaborative: moderated by Bojangles - 7 stars)

36. David Thomson's 1000 Films (collaborative: moderated by MMAlpha - 7 stars)

37. Cinema Discusso Movies of the Month (collaborative: moderated by ABUNCHOFCATS - 6 stars)

38. They Shoot Pictures 1,000 Greatest Films (2007 revision) (collaborative: moderated by Scottathon - 4 stars)

39. Private Detective (collaborative: moderated by shalev - 4 stars)

40. Djross great movies (public: djross - 4 stars)

41. List: Noir of the Week (collaborative: moderated by KasperL - 3 stars)

42. Best of criticker: Film Noir (collaborative: moderated by avgcrtckr - 3 stars)

43. Cult Movies (Danny Peary) (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 3 stars)

44. Djross masterpieces (public: djross - 3 stars)

45. Djross film as art (public: djross - 3 stars)

46. Best Opening Scenes (collaborative: moderated by mpowell - 2 stars)

47. Films Photographed by Vilmos Zsigmond (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed - 2 stars)

48. Premiere Magazine's 50 Unsung Classics (collaborative: moderated by Jorg - 2 stars)

49. Djross movies that transcend their genre (public: djross - 2 stars)

50. Netflix Watch Instantly (public: dgeiser13 - 2 stars)

51. mwgerb's Netflix Instant Queue (public: mwgerb - 2 stars)

52. Vulture's 33 Essential Neo-Noirs (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)

53. Paste Magazine: The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)

54. The 100 Best Film Noirs of All Time: Slant Magazine (public: TychoCelchuu - 2 stars)

55. Time Out New York's Alt-Canon (collaborative - 1 star)

56. Cats (collaborative: moderated by Svengali - 1 star)

57. Djross 1970s masterpieces (public: djross - 1 star)

58. Djross American masterpieces (public: djross - 1 star)

59. chess (public: twisp - 1 star)

60. Los Angeles Movies (public: stalebread - 1 star)

61. Fav Noirs (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika)

62. Los Angeles in Film (collaborative: moderated by PerryStroika)

63. John Williams (composer) (collaborative: moderated by djross)

64. Ratings (collaborative: moderated by cheapthrills)

65. Slow burn (collaborative: moderated by kito1)

66. Acting athletes (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed)

67. Has its own theme song (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed)

68. Referenced in Zeroville (collaborative: moderated by iconogassed)

69. nminichino DVD collection (public: nminichino)

70. To see (public: pcalado)

71. Djross 1973 top ten (public: djross)

72. 2C (public: twisp)

73. Owned (BD) (public: bizarre_eye)

74. 1973: Year in Review (public: polanski28)

75. Filmspotting Ratings Project: Week 6 (public: PeaceAnarchy)

76. Watch List (public: LookJabba...)

77. Rewatch & Random (public: ForrestQ)

78. jeff_h's films to remember (public: jeff_h)

79. Mr. Hallenbeck's Blu-Ray Collection (public: MrHallenbeck)

80. D:Movies (public: ptkw)

81. KENDELL'S MASSIVE LIST (public: kendell)

82. Available to watch (public: Paxton)

83. Tom's Movies (public: tomwalsh)

84. to-do (public: chxflx)

85. Filmstruck Wishlist (public: kendell)

86. My DVDs/Blu-Rays (public: andyglover)

87. Screen Drafts: Private Detectives (public: TychoCelchuu)

88. Blu-ray Collection (public: TripEuphoric)

89. Hardboiled, Not Noir (public: Russ Bedford)

90. Films Watched 2021 (public: knoroz)

91. Filmin (public: Hadleyreis)

Browse the full list of collections

Show:

All Ratings | With Reviews

Order by:

TCI | Percentile | Date Rated | # Stars (Reviews)

Stars	User	Rating
6	TonythePony	84 _82nd
Nonchalant, ambling detective story told with Altman's patented verbal flourishes. The plot, at times, is a little confusing, but that doesn't diminish the joy of watching Marlowe saunter about in his dude-like search. Gould gives a laid-back performance, his constant mutterings serving as an almost de facto narration, contrasting with the soused bluster of the brilliant Sterling Hayden. N.B. This film may induce smoking or at least compulsive lighting of cigarettes.
5	burmashave	90 _85th
best neighbors ever
4	Noblet	88 _91st
I can't help but love Elliot Gould's performance, even though he's downright terrible in one particular scene. And I can definitely understand why others can't stand him from start to finish. I also love the ending even though it's not really earned at all. Hayden's character and Altman's direction are undeniably superb. Pretty much everything just worked for me. It's just a strange ass film all around, and I like that.
3	Nathan S	5 _93rd
Another film in which Robert Altman revises, deconstructs, and ultimately destroys classic genre conventions. Marlowe is a walking anachronism - a golden age cliche out of place in the scummy 1970s - and Elliot Gould owes more to Dick Powell than Humphrey Bogart. He's impervious to women but elsewhere naive and vulnerable, resembling nothing of the clear headed and hypermasculine P.I. we're familiar with. Best of all, Altman treats his revisionist take with a sense of humor seldom found in noir.
3	wetwillies	100 _98th
Elliot Gould's performance in this is my absolute favorite in any film. The decision to put Philip Marlowe in the 70's is awesome. Using only the title song as a soundtrack is brilliant. Everything about this movie just blows me away. I don't know how anyone couldn't love it. (two times)
2	twincinema	75 _64th
I am not smart enough to watch Raymond Chandler film adaptations. I spend the whole film saying "wait, remind me what's going on again?" At least we get a young Elliott Gould speaking wisecracks.
2	frederic_g54	7 _57th
The opening 10 minutes consists of nothing but Elliott Gould trying to feed his cat and it's one of the best examples of character introduction I've ever seen. Equally notable is the film's subtle camerawork, capturing everything in an understated fashion. The plot was far too meandering to justify its bloated running time - then again, it's Altman - but the characters, style and excellent performances kept me engaged throughout.
2	sebby	80 _91st
My favorite Altman. Elliott Gould is a total dude, Arnold sports a sweet mustache, lots of breasts, etc. Just another great film from the era.
2	sidehacker	75 _66th
I kind of just wanted a movie about Elliott Gould and his cat but this is good too.
2	WWallce4prez	84 _85th
Yeah, Elliot Gould is very cool. His mumbled one-liners bounce around this neo-noir's great, and succinct script. As good as this all is, however, it is all made better by Arnold randomly flexing his pecs as he undresses. I lost it.
2	Okkervil	78 _79th
Gould is magnetic in the chain-smoking private-eye lead role, and even when in some scenes his acting lets him down, his undeniable charm and wit pulls him through. Altman's direction is brilliant too, with some great camera work and two or three supurb scenes. The slightly loose storytelling and some rather poor support performances (Van Pallandt particuarly) are the only real, but significant negatives. I loved the final couple of scenes though and overall it's very enjoyable.
2	Henrik	85 _90th
Excellent neo-noir, retro-noir or whatever you wanna call it, from when Altman and Gould could do no wrong. Leigh Brackett's script twists and turns in true Chandler fashion, and Sterling Hayden - the epitome of cool - is not to be missed.
2	billkerwin	95 _94th
This film turned me off at first, but it impresses me more every time I look at it. Robert Altman's Philip Marlowe is updated to a post-Vietnam Hollywood where crumbling values make evil and idealism equally difficult.
2	Zipster	90 _81st
Its entire impact comes from the way it messes with the genre and the way Altman's admirable signature attempt to subvert some of American history's most forthright myths frustrates the basis of all private eye movies, which is that the hero can walk through murky alleys, see beyond doubt, and tell right from wrong. The man of dignity from the 1950s is lost in the punch-drunk self-seeking of the 1970s.
1	Moribunny	75 _84th
Altman's laid-back, babbling take on realism doesn't always work for me, but here it manages to transform the predictable Raymond Chandler adaptation into something never before seen in the noir idiom. Elliott Gould is a cute, completely fresh reading of private eye Philip Marlowe, but Sterling Hayden steals the show.
1	djross	94 _99th
Falsely accused of betraying Raymond Chandler’s novel, this seems to me to be a genuine interpretation of its spirit, transported to the world of the 1970s. For me, it is probably Altman’s second greatest masterpiece, after CALIFORNIA SPLIT.
1	Pickpocket	8 _82nd
Not one of my favorite Altman's but still pretty damn enjoyable and awesome. You're either gonna love or hate Elliott Gould but I found him to be pretty badass. Nice Schwarzenegger cameo and you gotta love all the random Altman esque things happening in the background at all times. Minus the lung cancer this movie gave me it was pretty sweet.
1	nilkynarfy	95 _96th
Gould is the most accurate Marlowe, barely edging out Jeff Bridges (The Dude was really Marlowe on weed, but without a job that required owning even a mismatched, ill-fitting, cheap suit). I had no complaints about the movie. Even as a lifelong fan of the book, I was completely okay with what they threw away and what they changed. Really, the only off-part, was that Lennox really didn't fit into the plot very well, even though he was the most important character (same with the book).
1	JooJoo	6 _95th
Gould can take a little time to get used to but once the elements all come into play [Sterling Hayden is key] - it's time for entertainment. Extraordinary cinematography, even for Altman 70s prime.
1	Icarus	82 _69th
Captures the anger of a man in a world that has left him behind--the classic hollywood vibes, the ancient car, and a character ripped from the 1940s all dropped in the midst of the 1970s. The lazy way Marlowe makes his way through this film counters with a simmering rage just beneath the surface, and that only shows up a couple of times. There's a kind of brilliance to the bleakness of this vision, complete with a reworking of The Third Man's closing shot.
1	Luna6ix	79 _69th
"The Long Goodbye" is a good movie, it's not great. It suffers the same pitfalls of other from Chandler and Hammett based movies: there's too much down time. I have only recently come to really appreciate Gould and this movie cements that thought, he gave Bogey a run for his money and Bogey is so closely associated with Marlowe that I could never have thought that possible.
1	JacoIII	40 _54th
I really wanted to like this one, as I love film noir, but something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I think my viewing was way too fragmented.
1	spleen	38 _16th
I admit I don't get this. I don't get Altman's appeal. I don't get Elliot Gould's charisma. I don't get the "great" ending everyone mentions. I feel like I watched a completely different movie than the one others reviewed here. That one sounded awesome, this one, however, sucked.
1	yesistasty	91 _75th
Fantastic. Elliot Gould is charismatic and Altman's use of sound editing and fluid camerawork are truly masterful.
1	In Lieu Of	77 _56th
Pretty good 70's noir. It's weird seeing Elliot Gould in a leading role at that age. My first exposure to him was as Ross and Monica's dad from Friends and then from the Ocean's movies. So it's weird seeing him as the star of a film. He was excellent but it was weird. He was constantly whispering jokes to himself in that weird voice of his, it was strange but in a good way. Anyway, it was well shot and acted throughout and it had a great ending.
1	Cinema_Asia	80 _84th
Gumshoe noir which manages to do the genre's king Raymond Chandler justice. All of Altman's films have this ability to lull you into a serene sense of tranquility before throwing horrific violence into your face out of the blue jolting you back into the reality. Prior to watching this if you would have suggested that Elliott Gould would make a great Philip Marlowe I would say you're full of shit. Gould manages an interesting take as a nebbish but likable Marlowe.
1	stuie299	95 _97th
Simply loved it! Everything from Atlman's direction, to Brackett's screenplay, and caping it off with Gould's brilliant performance. I couldn't give it a 100 because at times the film felt disjointed as things didn't always fit together very well. However, stylistically it was near perfect and when coupled with character of Philip Marlowe it made for a totally engrossing film.
1	Gnalkhere	85 _81st
I am so certain someday I'll make a film similar to The Long Goodbye, but it'll certainly end up like Under the Silver Lake. But get this, I won't show it to anyone else. Only me. Unlike David Robert Mitchell I'm NOT gonna subject people to my seedy LA neonoir fantasy, and nobody outside of me will like it.
1	PubliusD	88 _89th
The best neo-noir. Good companion piece for Chinatown.
1	Paxton	70 _63rd
Most movies I've seen are trying to present you, the viewer, with something, whatever it may be. Not this movie. This movie is indifferent as to whether or not you like it or get anything from it. It boldly plays on, saying, "I am a film. This film, actually." I'd say it's more indifferent than its protagonist, but less indifferent than me at work. 2 quick notes: The wading out of existence long take is phenomenal and Arnold's cameo is, what's the word...right. His cameo is right.
1	mattorama12	86 _95th
Sometimes unholy unions like plot-heavy and Altman, or Elliott Gould and private detective, just work out perfectly. It's such a fantastic spin on the genre. And there's so many fun bells and whistles, like Marlowe's stunning home and the bizarre scene with Arnold. Just an all around classic.
1	aross	60 _60th
Very cool. Gould mumbles his way through but he fits in well in this weird movie. Good opening and ending, but I got somewhat bored in the middle.
1	kito1	70 _73rd
Intimate atmosphere with a nice protagonist (good face); the score is very good and unique. The story is quite messy, but I didn't mind too much.
1	JPFerguson	75 _80th
Everything you could want from a neo-noir film. Gould as Marlowe is pitch perfect, indeed he really is the ideal screen version of Marlowe. The supporting cast is similarly effective in creating the appropriate mood of doom and despair shot through with hope that all will end well (at least for the good guys). The repetition of the theme song does grow tiresome.

Average Percentile 69.67% from 1561 Ratings