The Big Sleep

Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Rating: Not rated
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Film-Noir
1946

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Private eye Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) takes on a case involving blackmail, but it soon spirals out of control, becoming far more extensive and mysterious than he first imagined.

Review:

Tim: Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made several movies together, but this one stands as the most popular. It is hard to come to terms with this movie, because the plot is unbelievably complicated (I have heard critics call it “legendarily complicated”). It truly is hard to follow, and at various points, you’ll probably be wondering who these people are, what they have to do with the plot, and who has done what to whom. It really is confusing, and I believe a little more clarity could have made this an even better film. As it is, it is slightly awe-inspiring for the sheer complexity of the plot, but not a great movie.

Humphrey Bogart is good as Philip Marlowe. I don’t believe this is among his best characters, but it is a far cry from his worst. He is generally likeable and fun to watch. I felt like Lauren Bacall has had better roles in other Bogart films, but she’s not bad by any means here. She and Bogart do get a few good scenes together, but these mostly occur near the end of the film (when trying to follow the plot is the most difficult).

The Big Sleep is an entertaining movie, because you will certainly have to be paying attention if you want to keep up. Bogart and Bacall certainly had chemistry together, and it’s fun watching that as well. The supporting cast is fairly extensive and weave in and out of our protagonists lives, and there is something to be said for a movie that throws as much in as this one does, and still satisfactorily concludes the story.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



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