The Big Sleep

Released Aug 31, 1946

1 hr. 54 min.

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

List

96%

68 Reviews

Tomatometer

91%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

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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Critics Consensus

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.

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Alec B

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.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Michael M

One of my All-Time-Favourites and one of Bogarts best Films.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/24/23

Full Review

Noah H

"Oh, Eddie, you don't have anybody watching me, do you? Tailing me in a gray Plymouth coupe, maybe?" Bogie and Bacall bring the heat in Howard Hawks' adaptation of Raymond Chandler's "The Big Sleep" (pub 1939). While this noir classic does not deliver the same winsome qualities found in their first outing in Hawks' Hemmingway adaptation "To Have and Have Not" (1944), Bogie and Bacall bring their most mature acting chops to the table in this darker mystery.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

07/16/23

Full Review

bao s

Perfect crime noir. Nobel worthy writing and Oscar worthy acting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/12/23

Full Review

Red T

99% of the time when you have a convoluted plot its a big negative as everything else falls apart because of the unfocused narrative. This is that 1% exception. The reason is because in a very ironic way it is focused because this never jumps around from Bogart. We ALWAYS are focused on him and receive information when he does. Second, the plot is really about Bogart making his was through all the ambiguity rather than understanding everything to the last detail. We are supposed to be a detective in his shoes and we watch him figure out what is important to get the main culprit despite not knowing every single subplot point. If this jumped around following different characters without Bogart even if it was just Bacall the narrative would fall apart just like most movies do with a plot like this. It really is a story about a detective overcoming all the dead ends, rumors, and mazes to solve the case and get the girl. What powers this is the incredible acting filled with chemistry, amazing dialogue, and its unintentionally funny numerous times because of how witty it is. Bogart & Bacall have tremendous chemistry and Bogart dominates this picture. He never comes across as dry or wooden but rather intense and witty thanks to the dialogue which is amazing. The cinematography is amazing. The black and white ascetics with the shadows, trench coats, luxurious posh set pieces, night/rain work amazing. This paced beautifully as well because there is always something keeping you engaged in this plot despite being so hard to follow. Again a lot of this is owed to the ironically very high quality editing. The music also is very well done and used well throughout also. This is definitely a movie you need to see more than once to fully appreciate it because the plot can be overwhelming at first and confusing because you try to make sense why your so engaged despite the story making almost no sense at times. It's because of the incredible acting, amazing lines, ascetics, soundtrack, and focused narrative with a convoluted plot.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/22/23

Full Review

Wyatt M

One of the best classic Noir films I've seen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/02/23

Full Review

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Howard Hawks

Director

Humphrey Bogart

Philip Marlowe

Lauren Bacall

Vivian Rutledge

Martha Vickers

Carmen Sternwood

John Ridgely

Eddie Mars

Louis Jean Heydt

Joe Brody

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SMH Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

It is a fast-moving drama, knee-deep in corpses, as tough as they come. It is rather'difficult to keep track of who is murdering whom and why, but there is not time to worry about such details with so many bullets flying around.

Jul 22, 2019

Full Review

Tim Robey

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The Big Sleep is the best scripted, best directed, best acted, and least comprehensible film noir ever made.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 13, 2014

Full Review

Sukhdev Sandhu

Daily Telegraph (UK)

The plot is a bundle of confusions, but who cares? Few films have made cigarettes seem so glamorous. Or had such seductive repartee.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 7, 2014

Full Review

Justine Smith

Vague Visages

Chandler’s words burn with pain and self-destruction, but Hawks — who valued strength, independence and action — neutered the inefficiency and hatefulness of Marlowe’s rage.

Nov 21, 2023

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

615 Film

This is the best plot I’ve ever seen pull this many threads together in such a way where you don’t always have to know what’s going on to know what’s going on. The magic of Bogart.

Aug 30, 2022

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

... an American classic, arguably the greatest film made for a Chandler novel, and the definitive pairing of legendary screen team Bogie and Bacall.

May 6, 2022

Full Review

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Synopsis

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.

Director: Howard Hawks
Executive Producer: Jack L. Warner
Screenwriter: William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Brothers/Seven Arts
Genre: Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 31, 1946, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2008

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