I don't get the title? - The Long Goodbye (1973) Discussion

[–] donpadilla 9 years ago

In the movie it was a cheesy song that got played on repeat over and over. Go read the book.

In the book Eileen Wade and Terry Lennox were married back in the day. Lennox leaves to join the special forces and gets taken prisoner by the germans. Eileen Wade has a hard time saying goodbye to Lennox. Lennox and Marlowe were buddies in the book and Marlowe has a hard time telling Lennox goodbye at the end when he finds out Lennox is not dead.

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[–] Alfabeta 9 years ago

Thanks. It's a missed opportunity that they didn't find a way to tie the title to something in the movie other than the song.

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[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

The long goodbye to the 1940's/50's, the classic noir gumshoe era. After all, Gould's Marlowe is only a visitor in 1973.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

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[–] Alfabeta 9 years ago

That explanation sounds like a stretch on their part then, but alright.

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[–] franzkabuki 9 years ago

Well the movie is drenched in nostalgia, and Marlowe's depicted as an anachronism throughout (always wearing suits, smoking cigarettes, driving a 1940's model car). Not to mention the film begins with a blast of the 1940's/50's music before Marlowe wakes up, and ends with the same after he's completed his mission in that early 1970's environment.

But, yes, do read the book. It's excellent.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

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[–] pturman-929-979676 8 years ago

It's all anachronistic now so maybe that's one reason the movie didn't work for me. The anachronisms contrasting with modernity that they were going for were probably clearer in 1973.

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[–] gtbarker 9 years ago

I thought it was obviously a reference back to 40s noir type titles 'The Big Sleep' referring to death - The Long Goodbye i.e. the goodbye you say forever when someone dies.

'Well I've got two words for you - STFU'

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[–] Alfabeta 9 years ago

Yeah, that's the "official" explanation by the filmmakers, but the title was borrowed from the book which is set in the 40s, so the original meaning behind the title has nothing to do with nostalgia. The story in the book was changed for the film, so the meaning of the title was lost and they had to come up with some other explanation for it and nostalgia seemed like the most logical new explanation to go with.

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