Philip Marlowe is one of L.A.’s legendary fictional detectives.
In The Times’ magazine, screenwriter Carol Wolper writes about her efforts to create for television a 2010 Marlowe that Raymond Chandler would recognize.
"Many have tried to bring this character to the big and small screen, but success has been elusive," she wrote. "Yet the desire for another shot never goes away. Marlowe is like that person you keep trying to break up with because you know it won’t work out, but you can’t get her (or him) out of your mind."
She concluded: "Maybe a 2010 Marlowe isn’t Caucasian. Or if so, maybe he’s not a complete loner. Maybe he has a pal. Maybe that pal is even female. As blasphemous as that may sound to die-hard noirists, maybe we can worship at the altar of Chandler without being a slave to the past."
Check out her story here, which offers video samples of different actors portraying the private eye (Bogart, Gould, Mitchum, Garner). You can also vote on your favorite.