Fri 11 Sep 2026
Archived PI Movie Review: THE BRASHER DOUBLOON (1947).
Posted by Steve under Uncategorized[10] Comments
THE BRASHER DOUBLOON. 1947. George Montgomery as PI Philip Marlowe, Nancy Guild, Conrad Janis, Florence Bates, Roy Roberts, Marvin Miller. Based on the novel The High Window by Raymond Chandler. Director: John Brahm.
The novel, of course, that author Raymond Chandler originally told was The High Window, in which private eye Philip Marlowe is hired by a crabby old woman who wants him to find a coin missing from her late husband’s collection. Her secretary convinces Marlowe into accepting the case, even though he knows he is being lied to.
Very nearly the perfect private eye movie, and I’d say it was if I understood the plot a little more. The atmosphere, the characters, the southern California winds, all just right. Nancy Guild has a naive, innocent allure that is also just exactly right.
September 12th, 2026 at 7:52 pm
I’m intrigued. I don’t remember this one at all. Can it be as good as it might be? I’ve gone looking for it, and have come up with a couple of cjoices on YouTube. Let’s see if I remember how to do this:
September 14th, 2026 at 3:14 pm
How nice to see some love for this film, which I haven’t seen for many years. While at the time I didn’t care for Montgomery (either George here or the even more annoying Robert in The Lady in the Lake, which he also [mis]directed with a subjective camera) as Marlowe, I always thought that both the novel and this version were underrated. It had previously been filmed as Time to Kill with Marlowe repurposed into Michael Shayne (Lloyd Nolan), just as he was into The Falcon (George Sanders) in The Falcon Takes Over. Evidently he was not yet a marketable commodity.
September 14th, 2026 at 3:37 pm
P.S. April 1988 was the month my wife and I wed…
September 14th, 2026 at 8:22 pm
I agree with you about the film — as much as I can, since I don’t really remember it, but U trust my judgement! — and the two Montgomerys, neither of whom have the kind of personalities that make them stand out to me — a failure on my part, perhaps — which is a long way around of getting to the point, which is, I *really* have to watch it again.
September 15th, 2026 at 8:24 am
One of my long (REALLY long)-range projects is a massive Marlowe re-read encompassing the appropriate short stories, the novels that were (as applicable) cobbled together from or drew on them, and (at least selectively) the film adaptations.
September 15th, 2026 at 11:44 am
Sounds like a worthy project to me. Though between you and me, I think if there were ten of you, it might help in facing the challenge. Otherwise a most hearty Yes! from me>
September 16th, 2026 at 2:23 pm
Hoping I live long enough to retire and write full-time…
September 16th, 2026 at 8:58 pm
I had misgivings about this project, but thought in something better, George Montgomery would be fine. I still believe that.
September 17th, 2026 at 7:38 am
Was quite pleasantly surprised when I saw him in a supporting role in Battle of the Bulge, made almost 20 years later, and liked him a lot.
September 18th, 2026 at 1:16 am
Your mention of the Southern California winds is such a specific way to describe the atmosphere. It is interesting that the setting and personalities can feel exactly right even when the plot remains slippery. The discussion of earlier adaptations changing Marlowe into other detectives adds another reason to compare the films with the novel.