Mord, mein Liebling (1944)

Mord, mein Liebling: Directed by Edward Dmytryk. With Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley, Otto Kruger. After being hired to find an ex-con’s former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.

“Based on the novel Farewell, My Lovely by Raymond Chandler, Edward Dmytryku0026#39;s film adaptation Murder, My Sweet is one of the essential works in the genre of film noir. The film stars one of Chandleru0026#39;s most famous characters: private detective Philip Marlowe (Dick Powell) has been arrested and explains his story to the police in a flashback. Everything started when Marlowe is hired by a tall, violent man named Malloy (Mike Mazurki) to track down a woman. He is also approached by a rich family to investigate the theft of a valuable jade necklace, but Marlowe soon realizes that there is more at stake than just jewellery. Can anybody be trusted, when everyone from the familyu0026#39;s daughter Ann (Anne Shirley) to a self- proclaimed psychic named Amthor (Otto Kruger) seems to be reaching for their own personal goals?u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDescribing Murder, My Sweet is like listing the characteristics of film noir in general: shadowy and starkly contrasted black u0026amp; white cinematography, morally ambiguous characters, snappy dialogue… All the traditional noir elements work fine in the movie, but what Murder… is probably best remembered for is the surreal dream sequence and its drug-hazed aftermath that powerfully capture the sense of confusion and weakness in front of an overpowering opponent. The striking imagery of the sequence is actually so effective that it somewhat overshadows the other scenes that are largely dialogue-driven. The arguably confusing plot is full of twists and turns that further underscore the unpredictable nature of the world the film is set in – it can be said that the mood is equally important to the plot.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDick Powell plays the lead role quite lightly and doesnu0026#39;t come across as tough as some other noir detectives. The final scene would actually fit better in a romantic comedy, but for the most part Powell can pull the hard boiled image off well enough. Of the supporting actors the most memorable ones are the menacing Mike Mazurki as the easily angered (if slightly cartoonish) u0026quot;Mooseu0026quot; Malloy and Ralf Harolde as the calm Dr. Sonderborg whose indifferent attitude during the drug sequence makes the scene all the more devoid of hope.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEven though film noir hasnu0026#39;t become one of my favourite types of cinema, Murder My Sweet is a rather enjoyable crime story on its own right. As one of the most notable examples of the genre, it is a good starting place for noir novices and essential viewing for any experienced fan of the genre, in case there are any noir enthusiasts that have yet to see it.”