While traditional noir thrived in the 1940s, Marlowe helped bridge the gap to the 1970s "neo-noir" movement. It traded the classic black-and-white shadows for a vibrant, sun-drenched, yet cynical vision of 1960s Los Angeles.
The film is perhaps most famous today for featuring Bruce Lee in one of his earliest American film roles. He plays Winslow Wong, an intimidation specialist who famously demolishes Marlowe's office with his bare hands and feet. Marlowe (1969)
Written by Stirling Silliphant, who was a student of Bruce Lee at the time and specifically wrote the role of Winslow Wong to showcase Lee's martial arts. While traditional noir thrived in the 1940s, Marlowe
The story follows private investigator Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a Kansas woman to find her missing brother in Los Angeles. The investigation pulls Marlowe into a web of blackmail, professional hitmen, and the Hollywood movie industry. As Marlowe digs deeper, he discovers that the missing brother is tied to a series of ice-pick murders and a rising film star's secret past. He plays Winslow Wong, an intimidation specialist who
The film features a quintessential late-60s score by Peter Matz, including the theme song "Little Sister" performed by Orpheus. Critical Reception
James Garner (as Philip Marlowe), Gayle Hunnicutt, and Rita Moreno
Based on Raymond Chandler’s 1949 novel The Little Sister Release Date: September 21, 1969 Plot Summary