Jason Schwartzman discusses the movie that “changed my life”
From his breakout role in Wes Anderson‘s Rushmore to his intriguing presence in mainstream cinema, Jason Schwartzman’s journey in the film industry has been nothing short of dynamic. Despite being part of the extended Coppola clan, with The Godfather director Francis Ford as his nephew and Roman, Sofia and even Nicolas Cage as his cousins, the actor has been able to forge his own path, with his distinct choices defining him more than his DNA does.
From a rebellious teenager in Rushmore to gaining mind-bending interdimensional powers in 2023’s delightful new Spider-Man animation, Across the Spider-Verse, Schwartzman’s range is undeniable. Now, as anticipation grows for his role in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on the film that left an indelible mark on him – because every actor, no matter how seasoned, has that one performance that sets the bar, inspires and propels them forward.
For Schwartzman, this cinematic touchstone is Robert Altman’s A Long Goodbye. The indelible director’s spin on the iconic private eye sets it in then-contemporary 1970s California and presents Marlowe as a laid-back, possibly stoner beach bum who wanders around. Without The Long Goodbye, there could be no The Big Lebowski, where the Coen brothers really took the ‘stoner noir’ to the next level.
And without The Big Lebowski, there could never have been Paul Thomas Anderson’s Inherent Vice. And, at its centre is Elliott Gould’s masterful portrayal of the iconic detective, Philip Marlowe. A role that many greats throughout cinema history have taken on, including Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum – but none quite like Gould. Schwartzman said about the film to A.frame, “I love Elliott Gould. I think he’s wonderful, and he has the ability to believably talk to himself on camera.”
This seemingly minor facet of acting, according to Schwartzman, was executed with unmatched brilliance by Gould. Reflecting further on Gould’s embodiment of Marlowe, Schwartzman noted the distinctiveness of his rendition. “To me, he is Philip Marlowe in a way that none of the other actors who have played that part could be — and they’ve all been great.”
The crux of this portrayal, Schwartzman believes, lies in Gould’s ability to seamlessly merge Raymond Chandler’s literary descriptions of Marlowe’s thoughts with the character’s dialogues on screen. “There’s just something about how Gould is able to express himself. So much of Raymond Chandler’s writing is the description of what Marlowe is thinking, and Gould’s turn in The Long Goodbye feels like the perfect performance of a literary character.”
“He’s able to perform both dialogue and scene description. It’s so amazing to watch,” he shared. Above all, Gould’s captivating presence left the most significant impact on him, with Schwartzman simply asserting: “I love that performance, and the movie itself just changed my life when I saw it.”
