How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
She laughed suddenly and sharply and went halfway through the door, then turned her head to say coolly: "You're as cold-blooded a beast as I ever met, Marlowe." (11.73)
Vivian comments on Marlowe's coldness, another attribute of the macho tough guy who won't be ordered around by anyone. But is Marlowe really cold-blooded? We don't think it's that simple. Maybe he seems hard-hearted because he has to remain detached in order to do his job.
Quote #5
His voice was the elaborately casual voice of the tough guy in pictures. Pictures have made them all like that. (14.20)
This is a reference to Hollywood movies, which had become extremely popular at the time. Marlowe mocks the pretentious attitude of Joe Brody, who is trying to imitate the way tough guys are portrayed on the big screen. Which is pretty ironic when you consider how many men—famous or not—have emulated Philip Marlowe's particular brand of toughness since he appeared on the page and on the screen.
Quote #6
"Men have been shot for practically nothing. The first time we met I told you I was a detective. Get it through your lovely head. I work at it, lady. I don't play at it." (23.142)
Marlowe snaps at Vivian in his typical gruff way when she refuses to tell him what Eddie Mars has on her. What is it about Marlowe's speech that makes it particularly masculine and aggressive? For one thing, Marlowe's wisecracks and witticisms become a way for him to control situations and assert his authority. His short, terse sentences sound blunt to the point of rudeness, making it tough for the other folks to respond with equal oomph.