A weary, principled private investigator finds himself embroiled in trouble after a late-night drive to Mexico with a friend (Jim Bouton) leads to unwanted attention from the police (Elliott Gould). He accepts a case from a writer’s wife seeking her missing, hard-drinking husband (Nina van Pallandt & Sterling Hayden), and soon he's dodging gangsters pursuing $350,000 (Mark Rydell, David Arkin, among others) while trying to piece everything together. Henry Gibson appears as a Southern California charlatan. “The Long Goodbye” (1973) is a crime drama/mystery that reimagines Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel by moving the story twenty years into the future. Philip Marlowe (Gould) feels out of place in contemporary, sun-drenched Los Angeles, surrounded by nude beachgoers, all-night stores, luxurious homes along the coast, unusual artists, pleasure seekers, dubious doctors, greedy criminals, and fitness enthusiasts. A young Arnold Schwarzenegger has a brief appearance—essentially a cameo—in his second film role. Screenwriter Leigh Brackett made alterations to the plot, most notably a different conclusion that some traditionalists dislike, but I found effective. These changes, combined with Altman’s distinctive style, initially alienated critics, though both Siskel & Ebert gave it their approval, with Gene enjoying it more than Roger. A later re-release, paired with advertising featuring Mad magazine's Jack Davis (look it up), resulted in a better reception and helped the film recoup some of its costs; since then, it has earned a devoted following. The movie also marked a turning point for Gould’s career as a leading actor, though he continued to work steadily. It took me some time to adjust to the concept of this quiet private eye existing in an unusual version of Southern California and the film's improvisational feel, but I ultimately came around to it. As someone who likes cats, the opening scene immediately grabbed my attention, and there’s a great deal to appreciate about the story—particularly the portrayal of an honest man being pushed around and underestimated by everyone, only to demonstrate his abilities and resilience (it reminded me somewhat of Columbo). To fully enjoy it, you need to be prepared for something unconventional, which is characteristic of Altman's work. The film has a running time of 1 hour, 52 minutes and was filmed in Malibu, Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Morelos, Mexico. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB