Now! Unlike last week's PLEASE MURDER ME!, THE LADY IN THE LAKE is something I intentionally tracked down. Based on the Raymond Chandler novel of the same name, I wanted to see how the two compared. As friends, fans, readers know, I am a big fan of Chandler (although I am not without my criticisms, as well, of course).
Anyway, let's see how Phillip Marlowe's fourth novel-length case translates to the silver screen.
Additionally, the script diverges from the novel considerably, turning Marlowe into an aspiring writer trying to leave his private detective career behind and... they made it a Christmas movie. The writing thing doesn't affect the plot considerably, but it felt kind of shoehorned in. The Christmas thing is mostly cosmetic, too, although it's used as a plot-point eventually.
So, is it a good movie? No. It's really not. I give Montgomery credit for trying something new and different, but he basically failed.