Steve Cochran : Would have made a great Philip Marlowe

Would have made a great Philip Marlowe

I can easily see Cochran playing Marlowe; cynical, jaded, but honest. In the Chandler novels Marlowe is described as good-looking in a rough sort of way and I think we would all agree Cochran fills the bill. Cochran as Marlowe, how about it?

"Mr. West, I suggest you get yourself a PEN!"

Re: Would have made a great Philip Marlowe

Great suggestion. I'd like to have seen Cochran as Philip Marlowe in at least one film. That's exactly the type of showcase role he needed to break out and become a big star, but sadly never got. Cochran was great at doing cynical, jaded, rugged and morally gray, but he played sympathetic figures (Come Next Spring) as well as nogoodniks (I Mobster, White Heat). I imagine if he ever did play Marlowe, it would have been close to the charmingly world-weary way Robert Mitchum played him in 1975's Farewell My Lovely.

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Re: Would have made a great Philip Marlowe

I think he would have been a great Eddie Mars playing opposite Bogart in The Big Sleep. Read the novel and you realize that Cochran was born to play that part.

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Re: Would have made a great Philip Marlowe

I liked john ridgely in the part.

Steve Cochran As Marlowe

I can see it. Downside, as a practical matter, Bogart and Dick Powell got there first, and in those days Steve Cochran was just a bit too young to play a seasoned private eye. I prefer Powell as Marlowe (Bogart for the other stuff). Steve was maybe too formidable a presence for Marlowe when the PI was confused, drugged, out of his depth, etc., but he was up to it as an actor. I'd love to know what Raymond Chandler would have thought about this. What I do believe: in a well made and written TV version of a Philip Marlowe series Steve Cochran may well have shined in this particular role as no others (on the other hand, some might see him as better casting for Mike Hammer,–and I can dig it–though on the big screen, Ralph Meeker, charisma challenged though he was, was outstanding. I like Darren McGavin for the small screen. If Cochran got there first he might have blown both these guys out of the water, but he didn't, but I digress…
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