(Updated 01/17/2023)
Few actors have had a career as great as Liam Neeson’s The actor has been working since the late ‘70s, and even his early films – titles such as KRULL and EXCALIBUR – are considered genre classics.
Neeson has also enjoyed his fair share of prestige with films like SCHINDLER’S LIST, KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, and GANGS OF NEW YORK, which saw him working with directors like Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Martin Scorsese. That's enough to define a legendary career, but Neeson also pulled off a major ascension by emerging as a premiere action hero late in life, something he’s still working at to this day.
Depending on how you tally Neeson’s appearances through the years, Neil Jordan’s upcoming MARLOWE will serve as his 100th film. He’s celebrating the milestone by taking a turn as one of cinema’s most beloved characters. The tough-talking private detective has been portrayed by some big names already such as Humphrey Bogart, Elliott Gould, and Robert Mitchum. It takes big feet to fill those shoes. Luckily, Liam Neeson has some of the biggest feet in showbiz and has a resume of 99 movies to demonstrate exactly why he’ll make a great Phillip Marlowe.
The Guy Can Fight
Phillip Marlowe, originally created by author Raymond Chandler in the novel "The Big Sleep," isn’t known for being a total butt-kicker, but he does get into pretty serious scrapes every now and then. You have to believe he can hold his own in a brawl. And while Neeson’s getting up there in age, that hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most bankable action starts around thanks to high-octane thrillers like TAKEN and NON-STOP.
Even if you were just going off his early work in NEXT OF KIN or DARKMAN, Neeson has always been able to create imposing figures you’re better off not messing with.
A Stunning Intellect
When George Lucas wanted an actor who could portray the most thoughtful Jedi in STAR WARS history, he knew where to look. Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn can jump and flip and make a lightsaber dance just like the rest of those robed space ninjas but you might best remember him sitting to quietly meditate in the middle of a battle with Darth Maul. Action is not this Jedi’s first response. He remains calm and thinks things through.
Phillip Marlowe is a bit messier than Qui-Gon Jinn, but he does use his brain more than his fists. Most Marlowe stories are about him solving some insane labyrinthine mystery involving a ton of shady characters. We have to believe Marlowe has the brains required to keep it all straight while gathering even more pieces of the puzzle. Neeson is full of authority, dignity, and brains, making him perfect for private eye work.
A Classy Fella
After all those films, one thing is absolutely clear: Liam Neeson looks good in a classy suit while pensively smoking cigarettes. We’ve seen him prove it over and over again, most notably in SCHINDLER’S LIST. This is a huge requirement for pulling off the Marlowe character. You have to be (unless you’re Elliott Gould) a good fit for the 1930s aesthetic. Neeson sometimes seems almost like a man out of his own time, so no worries there.
It’s difficult to imagine a better film role to mark Neeson’s 100th trip to the big screen. We’ll all find out for sure when Liam Neeson's new movie MARLOWE hits theaters in February.
MARLOWE opens on February 15.
All images courtesy of Open Road Films.