Is Marlowe a Racist (or even homophobic)?

[Paul Nightingale]

It should be quite clear that all I have done is offer the English original
of the German quotation Otto posted. As an afterthought I changed the
subject to make it fit better. Please accept my apologies, although I might
add I have never labelled Marlowe a "straight-out" anything. Marlowe is
complex, which is why I find the novels interesting.

Regarding the film version of BS ... the quotation in question corresponds
to the moment in the film cited below. One imagines it must have been easier
for Chandler to write a scene like that; for Bogart to play it as originally
written would have been dangerously subversive. Insofar as we're now talking
about Bogart, I agree with the difference between his performance in the two
films. However, Hollywood's BS is more about Hawks/Bogart/Bacall than it is
about Chandler; I have never liked Bogart as Marlowe and accept that this is
probably a hanging offence.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pynchon-l at waste.org [mailto:owner-pynchon-l at waste.org] On Behalf
Of John Carvill
Sent: 20 August 2009 16:51
To: Paul Nightingale
Cc: pynchon-l at waste.org
Subject: Re: Is Marlowe a Racist (or even homophobic)?

Well, you've altered the subject and thereby widened the accusatory
field. Fine. I already said that Marlowe is not a racist but admitted
the question of his attitude to homosexuals is a different, more
complex matter.

And we have already mentioned examples of Marlowe - and Bogart -
displaying 'non-PC' attitudes. Wanna call Bogart a racist and a
homophobe now? I hope not! Would you remove that scene from the film
of The BIg Sleep where Bogart flips his hat brim up and puts on that
vaguely 'gay' act?

It's probable that Chandler had conflicted feelings towards the idea
of homosexuality. But compare Marlowe with Sam Spade, who enjoys
beating up Joel Cairo precisely because Cairo is obviously gay. Plus
all that stuff about Gutman's 'gunsel'. Compared to all that, Marlowe
is practically a gay rights activist.

Marlowe is depicted in a sympathetic way, but he is quite a complex
character. If we as modern readers recoil slightly from some of his
attitudes, we have to factor in the times, and we should be aware
that, even with all his flaws, the character of Marlowe was, while
still tough and manly, actually pretty sensitive and, especially for
his time, progressive.

Attempts to paint him as a straight-out racist or homophobe or Fascist
or brute, will all ultimately fail.