Rating: 
Summary: Cool
Review: My mum recommenended the Chandler books for me to read when I was bored. I am so glad I took her advice. I loved them so she recommended the humphrey bogart Marlowe films to me . THE BIG SLEEP ROCKS ETERNALLY. I cannot express how much I love this film. O.K I'm 14 and it's not the kind of thing most teenagers watch. But Humphrey Bogart is smooth (if a little small) and Lauren Bacall is the best actress ever, I want to be her. After watching this film for the upteenth time I realised how dreadfully girly girly her lines were but she makes Vivian Sternwood really spunky. The plot is groovy the characters fantastic and I honestly can't think of anyway it could be improved. After being a fan of the books I coudn't see how this could be as good- It is just as wonderful. I am really bugged that I can't get hold of "To Have and Have Not" -just because I live in the U.K.
I WILL NEVER GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are an adult get this for your kids. Why should we lose out on this kinda stuff? Just because it was filmed a few(ahhum)years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Harmful to My Heart and I Nearly Fell Asleep
Review: Intriguing script with crisp dialogue. "How do you like your brandy?" "In a glass." "I like to see people drink." Yes, Big Sleep has something for everybody, including alcoholics. But what do you do with a guy like this? Throw him into a plot so thick like a chocolate milkshake low on liquid, and more complicated than a barrel of monkeys . . . "Somebody's always giving me guns," explains Bogey. Bogart and Bacall seem to exist largely on heat like a newborn spider, or as the former said, "Perfume has the sweet, rotten smell of corruption." Words of wisdom for the work ethic of the day: "I was fired for insubordination . . . I seem to rate pretty high on that." Bogart's hostility and isolation seems to increase the chances of attracting diseases of the cardiovacscular system, and slows down the brain's retrieval of information. Amazingly, the film still retains enough audience curiosity to keep the neuro-connections going. I suppose that's what makes it a classic.
Rating:
Summary: A Classic
Review: A movie from the forties that has superb acting. Bogart and Bacall are the perfect pair. Definately should be on everybodies top ten mystery movie list.
Rating:
Summary: A Detective Masterpiece
Review: This film is absolutely mesmerizing, a masterpiece full of sharp dialog and a plot so complex not even Raymond Chandler could tell you who commited one of the murders. Bogart is Detective Philip Marlowe and from the moment he arrives to talk to General Sternwood and gets mixed up with his daughters this is a film classic. Bacall is the sultry older sister, but it is sexy and thumb sucking little sister Martha Vickers he meets first. As he tells Sternwood, "Yeah, we met. She tried to sit in my lap and I was standing up". This is all about gambling debts and murder, all of which leads to Eddie Mars and Carmen (Vickers). But there are more twist and turns here than a rollercoaster, and it moves just about as fast. If you blink, you better rewind this tape and start over. Howard Hawks made a masterpiece here. It is the finest straightforward detective novel ever put on celluloid. William Faulkner adapted Raymond Chandler's greatest literary achievement for Hawks and the whole thing is filmed as a fast moving dream of dialog and images hard to forget. One critic likened it to a huge hangover. That is a perfect description of this film. Bogart's Marlowe has his hands full trying to keep Carmen out of trouble she may already be in to deep to get out of, and the sparks between he and Bacall may just ignite if he can figure out a way to keep the fast rising body count from getting any higher while keeping himself alive. Bacall has never been more beautiful or inviting than when she is slumped down in the seat of Bogart's car, just waiting for him to kiss her. You have to see this film to really appreciate it. You'll never see anything else like it in American cinema. Pick up this one as soon as you can.
Rating:
Summary: Among the Best
Review: THE BIG SLEEP has a reputation for being a film that gets lost in its own complexity and which fails to clearly identify all the perpetrators of all the murders that litter its scenes. There is a certain truth to this: like the Raymond Chandler novel on which it is based, the plot is extremely complicated, and it requires the viewer to mentally track an unexpected number of characters--including two characters that never appear on screen, a pivotal character who doesn't actually have any lines, and a character who is frequently mentioned but doesn't appear until near the film's conclusion. There is not, however, as much truth to the accusation that the film never exposes all the killers: only one killer is not specifically identified, but even so his identity is very clearly implied. All this having been said, THE BIG SLEEP is one helluva movie. In general, the story concerns the wealthy Sternwood family, which consists of an aging father and two "pretty and pretty wild" daughters--one of whom, Carmen, is being victimized by a blackmailer. P.I. Philip Marlowe is hired to get rid of the blackmailer, but an unexpected murder complicates matters... and touches off a series of killings by a number of parties who have covert interests in the Sternwood family. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the film is that you don't actually have to pick apart the complicated story in order to enjoy it. The script is famous for its witty lines and sleek sexual innuendo--much of it lifted directly from Chandler's novel--and the cast is a dream come true. Philip Marlowe would be played by a great many actors, but none of them ever bested Humphrey Bogart, who splendidly captures the feel of Chandler's original creation; with the role of Vivien Sternwood Lauren Bacall gives what might be the finest performance of her screen career; and the chemistry between the two is everything you've ever heard. The supporting cast is superlative, all the way from Martha Vickers' neurotic turn as Carmen Sternwood to Bob Steele's purring hitman Canino. There's simply not a false note to be found anywhere. Although the film really pre-dates the film noir movement the entire look of THE BIG SLEEP anticipates noir to a remarkable degree--it would be tremendously influential--and director Hawks gives everything a sharp edge from start to finish. Two versions of THE BIG SLEEP are included on the DVD: the film as it was originally shot and the film as it was released to theatres in 1946. The actual differences between the two are fairly slight, but they prove significant. Although the original version is somewhat easier to follow in terms of story, it lacks the flash that makes the theatrical version such a memorable experience; it is easy to see why Hawks elected to rescript and reshoot several key scenes as well as add new ones, and both newcomers and old fans will have fun comparing the two. The DVD also includes an enjoyable documentary on the differences between the films and the motivations behind them. I don't usually comment on picture quality unless there is a glaring issue, but several reviewers have noted portions of this print have a flicker or seem a bit washed out. I noticed these problems, but I can't say that they in any way distracted from my enjoyment of the film, and they certainly don't prevent me from recommending it--be it on video or this DVD. And I recommend it very, very strongly indeed.
Rating:
Summary: Take my advice, BUY the DVD...
Review: This is one of the all-time classics featuring Bogie & Bacall. Technically not film noir, rather a witty, stylized and romanticized treatment of a rather hard-boiled detective story from Raymond Chandler. It's everything others here have so eloquently stated: the plot is a bit convoluted (but it's not the point), Bogie was never cooler, the dialog is simply a joy and just about every scene is a gem unto itself. And there is a beautiful dame lurking around every corner! I got this DVD as part of the Humphrey Bogart collection (which also included Casablanca, Key Largo, The Maltese Falcon). Imagine my surprise to find this DVD contained BOTH the pre-release and post-WWII versions on one disc! Also a good documentary comparing the two. I would highly recommend purchasing this movie on DVD if you appreciate great classic movies--or just great movies period. If like me you are a Bogart fan, get the collection. I'm hoping if more people buy these DVDs the studios will start to release some of the other great Bogart classics on DVD, like To Have And Have Not (Bogie/Bacall debut), Treasure of the Sierra Madre ("Badges?"), High Sierra, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Classic 1940s thriller is fine in either version
Review: "The Big Sleep" is one of the great film noir thrillers of the 1940s. It was withheld from release by Warner Brothers for at least a year because the studio had a huge backlog of films. Meanwhile, another Humphrey Bogart / Lauren Bacall movie, "To Have and Have Not" became a huge hit. One of the things that audiences loved was the sophisticated banter between the two stars, who had fallen in love with each other in real life. So, Warner Brothers had director Howard Hawks, Bogie and Bacall reshoot some scenes for "The Big Sleep". This revised version is the one that was released, and the one most of us are familiar with. It was also a big hit. The restored 'director's cut' [the pre-release version without the new scenes] is also on the DVD. I think its main importance is as an historical footnote because it doesn't improve the movie. This version is still a fast-paced, first rate movie, but it also shows that tinkering with a 'finished' picture isn't always to its detriment. The lively Bogie and Bacall dialog added to the second version merely brought some fire to an already crackling good romantic subplot. Finally, the restored version does nothing to change the movie's ditzy lack of logic. We'll still never know exactly who killed one of the characters. Hawks never knew either. But, as he remarked, logic wasn't important as long as a movie entertained, and "The Big Sleep" certainly continues to do that.
Rating:
Summary: Confusing but still wonderful...
Review: It has been said that the plot of The Big Sleep is so confusing that even the director and actors had no idea who had been killed by who during the filming. It is certainly true that The Big Sleep is confusing. Admittedly, it may get somewhat frustrating if you are attempting to follow the action totally. Given the movie's other wonderful qualities, however, who cares? First of all, The Big Sleep features one of Bogart and Bacall's best pairings. They are truly magical, and their scenes together cannot be equalled - especially because of the captivating dialogue! One scene in particular, in which they are talking together at a bar/restaurant, is a true classic. Also, the atmosphere throughout the film is excellent. Even if the plot is confusing, each scene taken by itself is a classic. The acting is also excellent. In addition to being able to witness the amazing chemistry between Bogie and Bacall, viewers can enjoy one of their best individual performances. Bogart is perfect as the tough guy detective - his attitude is illustrated by one line: after the spolied younger daughter, Carmen, tells him he is not very tall, he responds with, "I try to be." Bacall is also quite good, as is the supporting cast. Anyhow, I don't know how else to recommend this. Confusing plot notwithstanding, this movie is amazing! Get it soon and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: It's Never Made Sense, But Who Cares?
Review: Even Raymond Chandler couldn't figure it out. The filmmakers presented him with questions about plot threads that drifted off into the abyss (he wrote the book, after all), such as characters that appear and then disappear, never to be heard from again. He didn't know where they went. And you know what? It doesn't matter. "The Big Sleep" is so much fun, no one ever seems to care that the plot points never quite add up. Humphrey Bogart is all Bogie as Marlowe the detective, while Lauren Bacall smoulders as his suspicious love interest, Mrs. Rutledge, and Martha Vickers simmers, then boils over as Bacall's sister, Carmen, always a step outside the law. Exuding the grim confidence of a solid film noir, "The Big Sleep" is a darkly entertaining romp that will especially please fans of Bogie and Bacall.
Rating: 
Summary: The Big Sleep
Review: Anyone who couldn't follow the plot of this movie must have watched it drunk. At each step they tell you who killed whom. I hope this isn't indicative of the intellect of the movie watching public, but I'm afraid it is.
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