The best of all attempts to recreate the Forties film noir, this is only one step behind the original 1944 Dick Powell version. Even at 57, Robert Mitchum makes a first-class, credible job of playing Raymond Chandler's ace sleuth Philip Marlowe, and there's plenty of action and seedy atmosphere to bring the mystery stew to the boil. Charlotte Rampling does a good imitation of Lauren Bacall as the society siren, expertly handling her sassy repartee, and there's an early screen role for Sylvester Stallone as one of the bad guys. Mitchum's dark pin-striped suit was made for Victor Mature in the Forties, but Mitchum hated it and complained constantly during filming about having to wear 'Victor Mature's smelly old suit.'

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