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A perfect match of screenplay, director, and leading man, The Big Sleep stands as a towering achievement in film noir whose grim vitality remains undimmed. Read critic reviews
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Movie Info
Private investigator Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) is hired by General Sternwood to help resolve the gambling debts of his wild young daughter, Carmen (Martha Vickers). Sternwood's older daughter, Vivian (Lauren Bacall), provides assistance when she implies that the situation is more complex, and also involves casino owner (John Ridgely) and a recently disappeared family friend. As people linked to the Sternwoods start being murdered, Marlowe finds himself getting ever deeper into the case.
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Genre: Mystery & thriller, Crime, Drama
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Original Language: English
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Director: Howard Hawks
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Producer: Howard Hawks
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Writer: William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman
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Release Date (Theaters): original
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Release Date (Streaming):
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Runtime:
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Distributor: Warner Bros.
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Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Cast & Crew
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Critic Reviews for
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Audience Reviews for The Big Sleep
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I just don't see why the labyrinthine plot is a problem, the movie treats it as an afterthought and instead focuses on the simmering sexual tension between the leads which is ultimately more enjoyable.
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Outstanding Noir, but not without its flaws. Nonetheless, it's among Bogie's finest acting jobs and the dialogue crackles.
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This is such an iconic noir film. There is a ton of banter and fast dialogue, Humphrey Bogart is the consummate tough guy detective, and the bodies pile up amidst plot twists and action. The performances, the atmosphere, and the dialogue all make the film a classic, but beware, the plot is notorious for being difficult to follow, at least in its entirety. My advice is to pay attention to names in the film when they're mentioned. Sometimes a little factoid drops quickly, and if you miss it, you'll get lost. And, just know that even if you do keep up (and possibly pause the movie to look at the wiki plot summary, lol), you still may be confused. Why? Well, because there are several plot points which are never fully explained. I won't list them here, but they are still debated and commented on 70 years later. Frankly, I think Howard Hawks did a huge disservice to the film by cutting a scene which would have explained at least some of its convoluted plot, believing that audiences wouldn't care. With that said, he certainly made it interesting by deciding to have every woman flirt heavily with Humphrey Bogart's character. This starts in the opening scene, when Martha Vickers saunters out in shorts, rolls her eyes around seductively, and then falls into his arms. Subtle, eh? Moments later, Bogart is in a bookstore with Dorothy Malone (then 19 years old), and after the two hit it off, she closes her shop in the middle of the day to share a drink with him, with the implication being it doesn't stop there. He then takes a taxi and makes a connection with the driver (Joy Barlow), she gives him her card "in case you can use me again", but tells him to call at night, because she works during the day. This is just in the first 20 minutes, and before the steamier scenes with Lauren Bacall, who Bogart would marry in real life three months after filming finished. The chemistry they had translates to the screen, spurred on by memorable lines: This first one, as they compare each other to thoroughbreds: Bogart: "You don't like to be rated yourself." Bacall: "I haven't met anyone yet that can do it. Any suggestions?" Bogart: "Well, I can't tell till I've seen you over a distance of ground. You've got a touch of class, but I don't know how far you can go." Bacall: "A lot depends on who's in the saddle." After kissing her: Bacall: "I liked that. I'd like more." Before the spin of the roulette wheel: Dealer: "You ready lady?" Bacall: "Yeah, I'm ready." Bogart (softly, over her shoulder): "So am I." And lastly: Bogart: "What's wrong with you?" Bacall: "Nothing you can't fix." There are also all sorts of other playful moments. At one point, Bogart and Bacall carry on a prank telephone conversation with a police officer, which ends with Bogart saying "I can do what? Where? Oh no, I wouldn't like that. Neither would my daughter." In another, Vickers asks, "Is he as cute as you are?", to which the grizzled Bogart replies, "Nobody is." Bogart also brings a smile when he turns up his hat, dons sunglasses, and carries on as an intellectual while trying to get information from a woman in a bookstore (Sonia Darrin). At all turns, Bogart is ready with quick replies, whether he's talking tough, flirting, or joking around, making him the man every guy wishes he could be. And, while a lot of attention is placed on Bogart, Bacall, and Vickers, and rightfully so, the performances from the villains, the mastermind (John Ridgely) and his right-hand man (Bob Steele), are also fantastic. Overall, I find I've got to deduct a little because of the issues with the plot, but still, it's quite a film.
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A smart detective story full of the most exquisite dialogue and with an extremely complex plot that prompts us to try to connect the pieces of the intricate puzzle in our heads, even if it actually does not answer all of the questions (the death of a certain character is left unsolved).
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