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The noir genre has evolved considerably over the last century, but its roots lie in the cheap crime novels of the late 1930s that inspired a series of successful films in the decade that followed. These novels tended to share many commonalities: they generally centered on a tough, cynical protagonist who is reluctantly drawn back into his old profession to solve a case that has significant implications for someone he cares about. John Huston1941 Masterpiece The Maltese Falcon is often cited as the most influential film of the era, as it introduced audiences everywhere to the character of Humphrey Bogartis Sam Spade. Bogart went deeper and darker with the genre when he teamed up with director Howard Hawks for the 1946 crime thriller The big sleep.

The big sleep is based on the 1939 novel of the same name by Raymond Chandlerand was one of the first cinematic portrayals of his most famous characters, Phillip Marlowe. Marlowe, a rough, cynical, yet surprisingly caustic private detective, would become one of the most popular characters in the history of the genre. Although none of Chandler’s novels were necessarily considered “high art,” Hawks transformed The big sleep into a gripping crime thriller that is not afraid to address controversial topics. Bogart was never as scary, charismatic and quotable as in The big sleep.

The big sleep

Release date

31 August 1946

director

Howard Hawks

Duration

114

What is “Dead Men Sleep Tight” about?

The big sleep is about Marlowe being hired by a former acquaintance to help solve an interpersonal family drama, which eventually leads him to uncover a latent conspiracy. Marlowe is summoned by the powerful General Sternwood to a private resort in Los Angeles (Charles Waldron), who asks him for help in paying off the debts of his promiscuous daughter Carmen (Martha Vickers). With the family’s reputation at stake, their only alternative to disruptive police investigations is to hire someone “off the record,” like Marlowe, who prides himself on not asking unnecessary questions. Marlowe is initially skeptical about the terms of his assignment, especially after Carmen suggests that her father is actually looking for his former ally Sean Regan. Marlowe’s suspicions are heightened when two bodies are found, suggesting that not everyone involved in the case was entirely truthful.

The big sleep was a great use of Bogart’s statistical strength, as Marlowe is a reluctant hero. He is an outsider in every way, his troubled past having taught him the consequences of taking others’ word for it. While Bogart’s cynicism could have made him an uninteresting protagonist, Marlowe himself never becomes an antihero; ironically, it is his distance from the wealthy class that allows him to deal with them more objectively. Hawks is not exactly subtle in his satire of capitalist greed, but this never comes at the expense of Marlowe’s character development. By the end of the film, Marlowe must reluctantly accept that being a detective is the profession that suits him best, for better or for worse.

The big sleep was also notable for the chemistry between Bogart and his then wife Lauren Bacallwho starred as Sternwood’s older daughter Vivian. Vivian is essentially the “femme fatale” of the story. She reveals the insidious nature of her father’s practices to Marlowe and is crucial in helping him find clues related to the murders. Bogart and Bacall are electrifying on screen together and add a touch of humor and romance to the story that makes it more entertaining. The pair later starred together in several other noir films, including Dark Passage And Key Largo.

The production of “Dead Sleep Tight” was problematic

Chandler’s novel was so popular that Warner Brothers was determined to release an adaptation as soon as possible. the controversial content of the novel And The confusing narrative led to several problems in pre-production. Hawks hired screenwriters Laigh Brackett And William Faulkner to work on the script to tighten up the story and cut out some subplots that they felt were unnecessary. However, there was also internal backlash over the novel’s allusions to pornography, which would not pass muster given the strict guidelines for film content. While the more overt allusions to sexuality from the novel were removed from the script, The big sleep managed to incorporate surprisingly adult content for a film released in 1946. Murder, blackmail, infidelity and conspiracies play a major role in solving the case.

Filming The big sleep also proved to be a challenge, as Bogart’s alcohol problems led to several delays. He was also in the process of ending his marriage to his ex-wife Mayo methodwhom he divorced after meeting Bacall on the set of Having and not having. While production eventually ran more smoothly, The big sleep was prevented from being released for several months due to Warner Brothers’ backlog of World War II-related projects. The studio felt it needed to distribute as many war films as possible immediately after the conflict actually ended in 1945, fearing that audiences would quickly lose interest. Reshoots were also ordered to take advantage of Bogart and Bacall’s unique situation.

“Dead men sleep soundly” shaped the noir genre

Despite fears that the noir genre was in trouble after critics criticized the similarly plotted film Confidential Informant, The Big Sleep was immediately welcomed and is now considered one of the greatest noir films of all time. The film is also responsible for several other interpretations of Marlowe; Elliot Gould appeared in Robert Altmansatirical mystery The long farewellAnd Liam Neeson took a darker version of the role Marlowe, sir. Although The Maltese Falcon was Bogart’s first contribution to this genre, The big sleep cemented his status as a neo-noir icon that inspired future films.

The big sleep can be rented from Amazon in the USA

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