Who's currently on your list of actors you would cast as Marlowe (and is Shea on there)?
Shea is of course on my list, but I would only cast him as Marlowe in the absolute most tender adaptation possible. In the same way that Bogart's little man energy brings an air of vulnerability and softness to the role, so too would Shea, and it would be important to capitalize on that as much as possible. Little man, subtext king, soft prince of my heart, it would be a waste to have him play the non-chandlerian tough guy conception of Marlowe.
Meanwhile, when I re-read the books, I do still imagine basically White Collar era Tim Dekay. He's too old for it now (though tbh Shea is also too old for it! Marlowe is 42 in The Long Goodbye!!), but he has a perfect blend of tall, square jaw american masculinity and weathered, scrunchy-mouth soft sadness that is so right for Marlowe, for me. Handsome but not pretty, physically big but very capable of being punched. He's my special marlowe man and I hold him in my heart and imagination always.
it's hard because where are my slightly weathered american men in hollywood these days? u know? everyone is so pretty these days. we are missing a whole demographic of american character actor. this would be a lot easier ten years ago
Others I turn around in my head include, without explanation: toby stephens, noah segan, steven yeun, sterling k. brown, logan marshall-green
idk dude it's hard and getting harder all the time! who's on your list?
