The Big Sleep

Hardboiled private eye Philip Marlowe accepts a discreet assignment from General Sternwood to look into troubles surrounding his younger daughter Carmen. What begins as a conventional favor quickly pulls him into a maze of hidden motives, dangerous liaisons, and shifting loyalties. Marlowe moves through a city lit by neon and shadow, where blackmail, gambling debts, and coercion ripple beneath refined dinners and smoky rooms. He encounters Vivian Sternwood Rutledge, a wary member of the Sternwood family, and finds himself drawn into a web that tests his trust in appearances. As the case unfolds, the line between obligation and desire blurs, and raw human motives drive the pursuit of truth. Marlowe keeps his own code intact despite glamour for film lovers.

Released in 1946, The Big Sleep is directed by Howard Hawks and adapted from Raymond Chandler's 1939 novel. The screenplay credits go to Leigh Brackett, William Faulkner, and Jules Furthman, blending noir mood with brisk witty exchanges and witty energy.

Box office figures show a strong return given the lean budget. The film grossed about 10.68 million dollars worldwide on a production cost of 250 thousand, and audiences across the country helped it become a staple of postwar crime cinema.

Bogart and Bacall helped seal a signature screen pairing that defined mid-century noir. The film's sharp repartee and smoky visuals, plus a paradoxical moral chemistry between a cynical detective and a glamorous client, echoed across thrillers for decades and influenced later noir aesthetics and cinematography that feels relentless for decades.

Critics at the time praised its atmosphere and tangled plotting, while modern scholars note its commentary on wealth and power inside a glittering social world. The story centers on moral ambiguity loyalty under pressure and a detective who refuses easy answers while chasing a harder truth that still feels relevant.