Altman lived in his native Kansas City, MO, for his first nineteen years. As a boy he raised quite a ruckus, as he puts it; and he made his first movies there (which is. perhaps the same thing). Now, an acclaimed world-class filmmaker, he has returned to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Greater Kansas City Film Commission in the ballroom of the downtown Crown Center Westin Hotel. There is a sense of euphoria in the air that has been growing during the three days of nonstop screenings of sixteen Altman films, press conferences, workshops with area filmmakers and reunions with family members. Altman and his hometown are both on a roll these days. He is fresh on the heels of his latest triumph, Vincent and Theo; and Kansas City itself is basking in the glow of the successful completion of two recent theatrical films that had been shot in the area--the prestigious Mr. and Mrs. Bridge and the forthcoming Article 99.
The Long Goodbye satirises Hollywood stereotypes, opening and closing with the original version of the Hooray for Hollywood, it establishing mood, time, and place with an image of old Hollywood
The story and plot of the 1973 screenplay written by Leigh Brackett took many literary liberties with the story, plot, and characters of The Long Goodbye in adapting it as a movie
Player is Altman’s attempt to satirize and mock Hollywood. He’s exorcised virtually all Hollywood and what it represents in this very funny and watchable movie.