The Big Sleep

Oh, man, what a movie!

Perfect on every sense. Great cast, with terrific Bogart and Bacall. Complex and interesting plot and smart dialogues. Only "funny" thing, if we want to say something, is the "perception" of the women roles in the movie. They are strangely all sexy and attracted to and tempting Philip Marlow.

This continues the incredible run of films Bogie made with now-wife Lauren Bacall. Crackling script ran to perfection by Howard Hawks. Essential, especially for fans of detective thrillers or simply well-made movies.

"General Sternwood" (Charles Waldron) has two daughters and poor old private detective "Philip Marlowe" (Humphrey Bogart) might be forgiven for ever getting involved with a case that sees him employed to investigate a case of blackmail against his youngest - "Carmen" (Martha Vickers). It looks like she is the target of the venal rare book seller "Geiger" but swiftly we realise that that's just the tip of an iceberg that includes not just that blackmail, but another one - with the duplicitous "Joe" (Louis Jean Heydt) and then there's the missing "Regan" which takes him fairly and squarely into the scheming orbit of the other daughter "Vivian" (Lauren Bacall). Soon he's chasing his tail, getting thumped, tied up, shot at - and all whilst he slowly falls for his femme fatale. Who's pulling the strings and why? The story itself isn't the most complex - it's a fairly standard Raymond Chandler adventure. What makes this positively glow are the performances. Bogart and Bacall exude a chemistry that's understatedly provocative. Bacall, especially, uses the less-is-more style with a flash of her eyes or a gesture from her cigarette; Bogart just needs to smile or shrug. It comes alive. The effective use of rain, light, shade and a strong support from Vickers and Bob Steele as crooked henchman "Canino" all help this to create an atmosphere of menace tinged with some dark humour and presented via a strong script. Howard Hawks knows how to let his stars get on with it, and he delivers well with this compelling and superior example of Hollywood at it's very best.