Neeson to follow in Bogart’s legendary footsteps
LIAM NEESON is set to follow in the footsteps of Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart as he takes on one of his iconic roles. The actor is set to play tough-as-nails private detective Philip Marlowe in an adaptation of the book, The Black-Eyed Blonde.
The crime thriller was written in 2014 by Benjamin Black, the nom de plume for the crimewriting exploits of Ireland’s own John Banville. The character of Marlowe was created by writer Raymond Chandler and first appeared in the book The Big Sleep. That was adapted into a movie in 1946 which starred Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
The Big Sleep was remade in 1978 and saw the character played by Robert Mitchum, and again in Farewell, My Lovely. Marlowe has also been portrayed by Elliot Gould, James Garnet and James Caan. Neeson’s film will be set in San Francisco in the early 1950s and sees the detective trying to track down the missing lover of the blonde of the title.
William Monahan, who penned the script, said: ‘It’s hard to tell who has the more of a lion’s heart and soul, Philip Marlowe or Liam Neeson. I hope I’ve done the both of them, and a picture I could not anticipate more, some service.