A Few Words About A few words about...™ The Big Sleep (1946) -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Donahue]

This is a famous story but there is less to it than meets the eye. There is no reason why a novelist should be able, off the top of his head, to recall all the plot details of a novel he wrote years previously.

It would have been just 5 years before - I would hope he'd remember the details of a book he'd written that short time out.

I have a feeling that story is Hollywood folklore, anyway. Too many different versions of the story...

 

[Robin9]

It would have been just 5 years before - I would hope he'd remember the details of a book he'd written that short time out.

I have a feeling that story is Hollywood folklore, anyway. Too many different versions of the story...

Howard Hawks told Joseph McBride (Hawks On Hawks ISBN 0-520-04552-1) that he wired Chandler and Chandler wired back. I'm willing to believe the story but I'm not willing to believe it proves anything.

 

[Patrick Donahue]

Howard Hawks told Joseph McBride (Hawks On Hawks ISBN 0-520-04552-1) that he wired Chandler and Chandler wired back. I'm willing to believe the story but I'm not willing to believe it proves anything.

Yes, and there was also the actress who said that Chandler was there on set when he was asked... or screenwriter Leigh Brackett who said it was she who called Chandler who said "It's right there in the book!" only to be called back by him saying he didn't know either and they were free to write it however they chose...

I'm more inclined to think that it was a story invented for publicity, and to help gloss over the fact that the re-shoots ultimately made the story a bit difficult to follow.

 

[Race Bannon]

I guess my ultimate complaint is all the names that are tossed around, referring to off-screen people. I'm not so much caring about the mechanics of the "who did what" plot. But I do like to think about characters -- who are they, what motivates them, should I inhabit them or care what they are doing?

In the early going of this movie, there is quick-patter dialog discussing:

Three Sternwoods
Geiger
Owen
Brody
Mars


It just doesn't flow well from one mention to another -- those names flying around makes my attention shoot off in different directions. And much of the time they are introduced FIRST by a mention of their name without them walking onscreen. I think that's part of the design of the story -- we identify with Marlowe, and what it must be like to step into a mystery not knowing a bunch of people and wondering what sorded ties bind them together. But it makes for a less enjoyable experience for me, at least on one viewing. (I've seen it years ago).

 

[Patrick Donahue]

The one thing I'm always in the minority with fellow film fans on... I see zero evidence that Bogie and Dorothy Malone did anything other than drink rye in that bookshop. They were flirting it up, sure, but I think people look way too much into that passage of time...

 

[Will Krupp]

The one thing I'm always in the minority with fellow film fans on... I see zero evidence that Bogie and Dorothy Malone did anything other than drink rye in that bookshop. They were flirting it up, sure, but I think people look way too much into that passage of time...

I, on the other hand, have always been CONVINCED that Phillip Marlowe is Allison McKenzie's REAL father and she was conceived that very afternoon. I like to think that's why Constance stayed with "books."

 

[Patrick Donahue]

I, on the other hand, have always been CONVINCED that Phillip Marlowe is Allison McKenzie's REAL father and she was conceived that very afternoon. I like to think that's why Constance stayed with "books."

MIND... BLOWN...

 

[Doug Otte]

I guess my ultimate complaint is all the names that are tossed around, referring to off-screen people. I'm not so much caring about the mechanics of the "who did what" plot. But I do like to think about characters -- who are they, what motivates them, should I inhabit them or care what they are doing?

In the early going of this movie, there is quick-patter dialog discussing:

Three Sternwoods
Geiger
Owen
Brody
Mars


It just doesn't flow well from one mention to another -- those names flying around makes my attention shoot off in different directions. And much of the time they are introduced FIRST by a mention of their name without them walking onscreen. I think that's part of the design of the story -- we identify with Marlowe, and what it must be like to step into a mystery not knowing a bunch of people and wondering what sorded ties bind them together. But it makes for a less enjoyable experience for me, at least on one viewing. (I've seen it years ago).

I agree completely. Every time I watch the movie (and I finally watched the BD last night - stunning picture and sound quality!) I get bogged down in all those names, just like you described.

More examples:
1) Most of the time, Bacall's character is referred to as "Mrs. Rutledge", but the first time she was referred to as "Vivian" I was momentarily confused.
2) We saw the Geiger bookstore employee in several scenes, including at Brody's apartment, but I don't think we heard her name until later when Marlowe refers to her as "Agnes."

 

[Will Krupp]

I don't think we heard her name until later when Marlowe refers to her as "Agnes."

"Whaddaya think THOSE are, grapefruits?"

(my favorite line in the whole movie)

 

[David Weicker]

This latest discussion about the number of names reminds me of the emperor in Amadeus

Emperor Joseph II: Your work is ingenious. It's quality work. And there are simply too many notes, that's all. Just cut a few and it will be perfect

 

[Robert Crawford]

"Whaddaya think THOSE are, grapefruits?"

(my favorite line in the whole movie)

The Agnes character was great and her lines were very well written.

 

[larryKR]

This movie has many quotable lines of dialogue.

Marlowe and Mars discussing the blood stain in Geiger's house.
Mars: "Got any ideas soldier?"
Marlowe: A couple. Somebody gunned Geiger, or somebody got gunned by Geiger who ran away, or Geiger had meat for dinner and likes to do his butchering on the parlor floor."

And later in the movie a Marlowe and Vivian encounter.
Marlowe: I can't tell till I've seen you over a distance of ground, but you've got a touch of class, but I dunno how far you can go.....
Vivian: A lot depends on who's in the saddle.

 

[Robin9]

I'm two thirds of the way through re-reading the novel. Most of the dialogue in the film comes from the novel. There have been some slight changes. For example, Joe Brody, not Eddie Mars, says "You take chances" and Marlowe does not reply with "I get paid to" but that line about grapefruit comes from Chandler.

 

[Kyrsten Brad]

Well now I've seen this film for the first time ever and was I ever impressed. Not really much more that I can add to what's already here but I'll try.
Nice to see a Philip Marlowe story on screen after listening to them on SiriusXM Radio Classics channel.

My first time seeing Martha VIckers on screen. Wow did she ever heat this picture up. I was kinda surprised that the censors let her appear in that rather skimpy shorts outfit in her initial appearance.

So nice to see a film where one actually has to engage brain cells to get the full impact of this film even though you could just relax and be entertained as well.

This film helps firmly establish me as a Humphrey Bogart fan even though I wasn't alive yet when Bogie passed on.

 

[Keith Cobby]

My copy hasn't arrived yet but very much looking forward to seeing Martha in HD!

 

[atfree]

My copy hasn't arrived yet but very much looking forward to seeing Martha in HD!

I can attest she looks great in HD....but Dorothy Malone (IMO) steals the show in her limited appearance.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Do you ALWAYS have to talk about which actresses turn you on in a movie? Is your whole DVD collection just a giant spank bank?

I see nothing wrong with Brad's post and the need to attack him here. Furthermore, Martha Vickers does look great in 1080p. She was a hottie!

 

[Doug Otte]

When I was watching the BD the other night, I thought how gorgeous all the women in this movie were!

 

[Keith Cobby]

I can attest she looks great in HD....but Dorothy Malone (IMO) steals the show in her limited appearance.

Mine arrived today and fortunately I was able to watch it straight away. I can't quite decide if this is second or third in the pantheon of great Bogart films.

It has been a while since I saw it last (waiting for the blu-ray) but I must agree with Alex about Dorothy Malone. She had great chemistry with Bogart but far too little screen time.

I thought the image quality was slightly less good than I was expecting.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

Second or third in the pantheon? That makes for some hard choosing ... my favourites in no particular order (apart from the first of course) are Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep and of course The African Queen. Running close behind comes Sabrina and To Have and Have Not.