Murder, My Sweet - A Knockout of a Film Noir

Once upon a time at Warner Brothers, Dick Powell was a baby-faced crooner in pre-code musicals, often paired with big-eyed tap dancer Ruby Keeler. They made a great combination.

Years passed, and I guess Powell got bored with his good boy image. He began to take on meatier roles. In Murder, My Sweet he plays Raymond Chandler's hard-boiled detective Phillip Marlowe, who is hired by Moose Malloy to find his former girlfriend, Velma. That case seems simple enough, but then it becomes entangled in another case involving stolen jewels and murder and Marlowe lands right in the thick of it. 

The plot can get a bit muddled at times if you're not paying close attention, so make sure you put down your phone and focus on the film. It won't disappoint you. Claire Trevor is a knockout, as always, gorgeous and dangerous. Anne Shirley brings a bit of innocent romance to the story. Powell's tough guy with a sense of honor and humor is likeable and quite a change from his musical persona, though those roles were likeable, too. It's fascinating to watch an actor grow in his or her confidence and take risks with the status quo. For Powell, it was worth the risk.

He was also a good director. One of my favorites of his is Split Second, wow - talk about a knockout of a Film Noir! The ending of that movie will blow you away!