Enigma

SINOPSE

Also known by its American title Murder, My Sweet, this terrific adaptation of the Raymond Chandler novel was the movie that established former crooner Dick Powell's new hard-boiled image. He out-Bogies Bogart playing the impoverished private eye Philip Marlowe, caught up in two tough and nasty cases that eventually dovetail into one. Quintessential film noir, this is superbly directed by Edward Dmytryk, with an economic use of voiceover that now stands as a skilful example of the device. Mike Mazurki is a perfect Moose Malloy, but it's Claire Trevor as Velma that you'll remember. Parts of the plot were used previously in The Falcon Takes Over, and the film was later remade with Robert Mitchum as Marlowe, but this tight black-and-white masterpiece is as good as it gets.