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The Big Sleep (1946)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
31 August 1946 (USA)
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Tagline:
The type of man she hated . . . was the type she wanted ! more
Plot:
Private detective Philip Marlowe is hired by a rich family. Before the complex case is over, he's seen murder, blackmail, and what might be love. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
1 win
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NewsDesk:
(19 articles)
Lauren Bacall, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin: Governors Awards 2009
(From Alternative Film Guide. 15 November 2009, 5:04 PM, PST)
Lauren Bacall, Annette Bening, Jeff Bridges: Governors Awards 2009
(From Alternative Film Guide. 15 November 2009, 4:13 PM, PST)
(From Alternative Film Guide. 15 November 2009, 5:04 PM, PST)
Lauren Bacall, Annette Bening, Jeff Bridges: Governors Awards 2009
(From Alternative Film Guide. 15 November 2009, 4:13 PM, PST)
User Comments:
Interesting DVD Release of the Proto-Noir Classic
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Cast
(Complete credited cast) | Humphrey Bogart | ... | Philip Marlowe |
 | Lauren Bacall | ... | Vivian Rutledge |
 | John Ridgely | ... | Eddie Mars |
| Martha Vickers | ... | Carmen Sternwood |
| Dorothy Malone | ... | Acme Bookstore Proprietress |
| Peggy Knudsen | ... | Mona Mars |
| Regis Toomey | ... | Chief Inspector Bernie Ohls |
| Charles Waldron | ... | General Sternwood |
| Charles D. Brown | ... | Norris the Butler |
| Bob Steele | ... | Lash Canino |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | ... | Harry Jones |
| Louis Jean Heydt | ... | Joe Brody |
| rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Pat Clark | ... | Mona Mars (scenes deleted) |
| James Flavin | ... | Capt. Cronjager (scenes deleted) |
| Thomas E. Jackson | ... | District Attorney White (scenes deleted) |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
114 min | 116 min (pre-release version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Portugal:M/12 |
New Zealand:PG |
Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) |
Argentina:16 |
Australia:M |
Australia:PG (alternate rating) |
Canada:14A (video rating) |
Chile:18 |
Finland:(Banned) (1947-1949) |
Finland:K-16 |
Germany:16 |
Norway:16 |
Sweden:15 (re-rating) (1961) |
UK:PG |
USA:Approved (PCA #10625) |
Iceland:12
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
William Faulkner came out to Hollywood to work on this film, but found that being around the set didn't agree with him, so he asked Howard Hawks if he could work "from home." Hawks agreed, assuming that Faulkner meant from his Hollywood apartment. Instead, Faulkner returned to his home in Oxford, Mississippi, leaving Hawks rather unhappy.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Marlowe keeps 2 guns in his car - under the dash. One's a snub-nose revolver and the other has about a six inch barrel. He uses and loses the snub-nose. Later, at Art's garage, he reaches in and grabs the larger gun. But in the exterior scenes following, he's got the snub-nose in his hand.
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Quotes:
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Becoming Attractions: The Trailers of Humphrey Bogart (1997) (TV)
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Soundtrack:
And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine
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FAQ
How closely does the movie follow the novel?Is "The Big Sleep" based on a novel?
Who shot the chauffeur?
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more (168 total)
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THE BIG SLEEP has a reputation for being a film that gets lost in its own complexity and which fails to clearly identify all the perpetrators of all the murders that litter its scenes. There is a certain truth to this: like the Raymond Chandler novel on which it is based, the plot is extremely complicated, and it requires the viewer to mentally track an unexpected number of characters--including two characters that never appear on screen, a pivotal character who doesn't actually have any lines, and a character who is frequently mentioned but doesn't appear until near the film's conclusion. There is not, however, as much truth to the accusation that the film never exposes all the killers: only one killer is not specifically identified, but even so his identity is very clearly implied.
All this having been said, THE BIG SLEEP is one helluva movie. In general, the story concerns the wealthy Sternwood family, which consists of an aging father and two "pretty and pretty wild" daughters--one of whom, Carmen, is being victimized by a blackmailer. P.I. Philip Marlowe is hired to get rid of the blackmailer, but an unexpected murder complicates matters... and touches off a series of killings by a number of parties who have covert interests in the Sternwood family.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the film is that you don't actually have to pick apart the complicated story in order to enjoy it. The script is famous for its witty lines and sleek sexual innuendo--much of it lifted directly from Chandler's novel--and the cast is a dream come true. Philip Marlowe would be played by a great many actors, but none of them ever bested Humphrey Bogart, who splendidly captures the feel of Chandler's original creation; with the role of Vivien Sternwood Lauren Bacall gives what might be the finest performance of her screen career; and the chemistry between the two is everything you've ever heard. The supporting cast is superlative, all the way from Martha Vickers' neurotic turn as Carmen Sternwood to Bob Steele's purring hit-man Canino. There's simply not a false note to be found any where. Although the film really pre-dates the film noir movement the entire look of THE BIG SLEEP anticipates noir to a remarkable degree--it would be tremendously influential--and director Hawks gives everything a sharp edge from start to finish.
Two versions of THE BIG SLEEP are included on the DVD: the film as it was originally shot and the film as it was released to theatres in 1946. The actual differences between the two are fairly slight, but they prove significant. Although the original version is somewhat easier to follow in terms of story, it lacks the flash that makes the theatrical version such a memorable experience; it is easy to see why Hawks elected to rescript and reshoot several key scenes as well as add new ones, and both newcomers and old fans will have fun comparing the two. The DVD also includes an enjoyable documentary on the differences between the films and the motivations behind them.
I don't usually comment on picture quality unless there is a glaring issue, but several reviewers have noted portions of this print have a flicker or seem a bit washed out. I noticed these problems, but I can't say that they in any way distracted from my enjoyment of the film, and they certainly don't prevent me from recommending it--be it on the big screen, television, video or this DVD. And I recommend it very, very strongly indeed.
Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer