Marlowe is a movie directed by Neil Jordan starirng Liam Neeson. With Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange. It is based on a novel by John Banville.
Marlowe is one of those films that probably shouldn’t have been made, and let me explain why: the main character has all the connotations of a classic that has reached a “sacrosanct” status (The Maltese Falcon, by John Huston) and is probably the one of the most untouchable characters in the history of cinema, then played by the greatest star in the zenith of the golden age the seventh art – Humphrey Bogart.
About the Movie
Whether it was well-made, brilliant, or even if Orson Welles had directed it, I would have reason to be a bit reticent with this film. And, indeed I am, for the obvious reason that it dares revisit an untouchable classic.
Liam Neeson provides us with a similar role – if not identical – to Bogart’s, in a story that respects Raymond Chandler’s take, and is overtly tinged with a cinematic wink to itself.
What’s more, it is directed by a certain Neil Jordan, who has his own style – which isn’t always sufficiently lauded, and in this film he does something totally different from the film classic: it is woven around flashbacks and manages to compose itself through the camera movements with vivacity. The film counts on a very elegant scenography, an aspect that is always worth mentioning.
By the way, I must mention Diane Kruger, always beautiful and distinguished, who plays the role to perfection, and Jessica Lange, who knows how to provide an elegant touch in every shot.
Marlowe is elegant, faithful to the original, and moreover, gives generously to the viewer on a visual sense. Nevertheless, it neither aims to nor knows how to be an iteration. We suspect that neither Liam Neeson nor Neil Jordan intended it to be, but they take the bold step to create a movie as an homage to Bogart and Huston.
If you have seen the original, give this version a chance, as Marlowe will prove to be a very agile film in terms of staging, excellent performances, and especially, it knows how to refresh the story and the character of the great detective in its own way.
Enjoy it.
The Director
Neil Jordan is an Irish filmmaker and novelist, who has written and directed a number of acclaimed films and television series.
He has directed nine feature films, including The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, The Butcher Boy, Byzantium and Ondine.
He has also wrote for several television series including the BAFTA award-winning The Borgias and the British series, Riviera.
He was born in Sligo, Ireland on February 25th, 1950 and is married to actress Brenda Fricker.
In 2020, he was awarded an honorary OBE from The Queen for his contribution to film and television.
The Star: Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson is an acclaimed Irish actor and producer, known for his powerful performances in a variety of roles. He is best known for his Academy Award nominated role in Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic Schindler’s List, as well as iconic turns in films such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Taken, The Grey and the Batman trilogy.
Born on June 7th, 1952 in Ballymena, Northern Ireland, Neeson was raised Catholic. He studied at Queen’s University Belfast before dropping out to pursue a career in acting at age 25. After landing his first feature film role in 1981’s Excalibur, he quickly established himself as one of the most sought-after actors of his generation. Over the course of four decades on screen, he has earned numerous awards and accolades including Golden Globe nominations for Michael Collins (1996) and Kinsey (2005), a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor for Love Actually (2003) and an Emmy nomination for his work on the miniseries Kennedy.
Cast
 Liam Neeson / Philip Marlowe |  Diane Kruger / Clare Cavendish |
 Jessica Lange / Dorothy Cavendish |  Danny Huston / Floyd Hanson |
 Alan Cumming / Lou Hendricks |  Ian Hart / Joe Green |
 Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje / Cedric |  Daniela Melchior / Lynn Peterson |
 Patrick Muldoon / Richard Cavendish |  Colm Meaney / Bernie Ohls |
