Year: 1944
Director: Edward Dmytryk
Starring: Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, and Otto Kruger
There is something perplexing about Murder My Sweet, and it isn’t just the twisting plot. It has all the ingredients of a great noir from the 40s but doesn’t cook up to be a very filling entree. For some reason, despite being based off of a Raymond Chandler story and despite all the double-crossing, murder, despicable characters, adultery, brutality, blackmail, robbery, drugs, and sexuality, it falls some what flat. For some reason it doesn’t seem to quite connect with the audience, and for some reason it is hard to become invested in the characters.
It is still a good ride, but it doesn’t have the impact that some of the other movies from the era did. It doesn’t really stay with you after watching it. The bulk of the performances seemed mediocre to me, but the gritty story line and the stylistic flare redeem it some what, making it still worth watching, especially if you are fan of the era or a fan of film noir. It does visually cook up just the right atmosphere.
Maybe I am prejudiced against Dick Powell who plays Chandler’s well known Philip Marlowe because I recently saw Bogart play the same character in The Big Sleep, or maybe it is because Powell’s primary former film experience had been fluffy musicals. Maybe he just didn’t have what it took to step into Chandler’s dark view of Los Angeles and the shady characters who dwell there. Either way I found his performance sub-par. Maybe he just didn’t look like Marlowe to me, kind of like Timothy Dalton as Bond, his manner and looks just distract me from my love and interest in the character.
If you want to experience the best the 40s, Chandler or Film Noir have to offer, look else where first. Murder, My Sweet won’t satisfy your hunger for any of those things, but it does make a decent snack.
By: Greg Dickson
Obscure Classics 
April 15, 2008 at 11:25 pm
Neither one captures the “essence” of Marlowe, I’d argue in terms of accuracy Powell’s interpretation (or more accurately, the screenwriter/director of Murder) achieved a much closer image to Chandler’s vision. Of the many film versions of Chandler’s work during his lifetime, this was actually his favourite incarnation of everyone’s favourite Private Eye. For me at least, neither Powell nor Bogart capture the Marlowe from the page in the least.
That being said, I agree with you on the film. It’s fleetingly interesting, but lacks a necessary punch or energy to be truly (remotely) memorable. There are interesting elements, like him passing out, but overall the film is flat and doesn’t delve deep into it’s environment, visually or conceptually. It’s very b-movie, and I don’t mean that in a good way… or even as a defence. Just okay.
April 16, 2008 at 11:28 am
Powell is definitely my favorite Marlowe of the classic era. I don’t think he was just closest to Chandler’s Marlowe, but that he also just really captured the character and the noir sensibility.
As for the film, I have conflicting feelings on it. I enjoy and I think it’s style is pure noir. Dmytryk was a director who really handled atmosphere well, and Murder My Sweet has what I think is an essential noir style. I found the actual storytelling aspect of the film to be quite dull and unbalanced. And Claire Trevor, usually so amazing in noir, seems lifeless in this.
March 23, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Dick Powell is my favorite Marlowe as well. I can believe him saying, “My bank account was trying to crawl under a duck.” Mitchum, who personified world wearniness, comes in second.
Bogart is Sam Spade, an even more cynical character.