Murder, My Sweet Literary Elements
Edward Dmytryk
The Murder, My Sweet Community Note includes chapter-by-chapter summary and
analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography
and quizzes written by community members like you.
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Director

Edward Dmytryk

Leading Actors/Actresses

Dick Powell, Anne Shirley, Claire Trevor

Supporting Actors/Actresses

Otto Kruger, Mike Mazurki

Genre

Crime, Drama, Film-Noir

Language

English

Awards

n/a

Producer

Adrian Scott

Setting and Context

California in the 1940s. Based on Raymond Chandler's 1940 novel, "Farewell, My Lovely"

Narrator and Point of View

Narrator and POV is that of Philip Marlowe

Tone and Mood

Film-Noir, Mysterious, Suspenseful, Dramatic

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist is Marlowe. Antagonists are Moose, Helen, Amthor

Major Conflict

Marriott is killed while Marlowe is with him. The police and everyone in the Grayle family is searching for who committed the crime.

Climax

Helen Grayle turns out to be the murderer and her husband shoots and kills her. But when Moose discovers her body he kills Mr. Grayle because Moose was in love with Helen, but knows her as Velma.

Foreshadowing

Photo of Velma and then seeing Helen foreshadows that something dirty is going on as the two women look eerily similar.

Understatement

Marlowe's love for Ann is understated

Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques

n/a

Allusions

The black water closing in on Marlowe is an allusion to him going into the darkness after being knocked out.

Paradox

Helen is the one who killed Marriott, but hires Marlowe to find his killer.

Parallelism

The opening scene with Marlowe's eyes bandaged parallels the final scene where the interrogation ends.