Having seen this film in my early twenties and then later on DVD, "Lady in the Lake" is one of the worst adaptations of a novel that has ever been produced. According to reports, Raymond Chandler, who wrote the novel, wrote a 195 page screenplay in 1945 which was rejected in 1945 by MGM. Steve Fisher then wrote a 125 page version two years later which drastically changes Chandler's midsummer novel to the Holidays and removes all the scenes that took place at the lake. Chandler objected to these changes and was insulted that another writer was changing his story and demanded that his name be removed from the film. The disaster of this film also resulted in the end of Robert Montgomery's career with MGM after 18 years with the studio.
Yet some reviewers consider this to be a great film, writing "the film features some of the most wonderfully "Noir" dialog of any detective film ever made. . .while I loved Bogart as Marlowe in THE BIG SLEEP, I actually preferred Montgomery'--both his style and much snappier dialog."
Yet some reviewers consider this to be a great film, writing "the film features some of the most wonderfully "Noir" dialog of any detective film ever made. . .while I loved Bogart as Marlowe in THE BIG SLEEP, I actually preferred Montgomery'--both his style and much snappier dialog."