USQ Artsworx What's On Friday at the Flicks 2018 Vol. 1 | Page 3

THE BIG SLEEP
23 Feb 6.30pm
Crime, Drama
1h 56m | USA | 1946
A little ahead of its time, The Big Sleep – now
known as one of the most culturally significant
films of all time, was not received particularly
well by critics upon its release. It controversially
starred a ‘dangerous looking female’ and discreetly
tackled more sinister elements of big-city life in the
1930s including dope addiction and fornication.
Directed by Howard Hawks the film noir classic is
based on Raymond Chandler’s 1939 novel of the
same name. Bogart plays Philip Marlowe, a hard-
boiled private detective hired by a wealthy family
to resolve their youngest daughter’s gambling
debts. What ensues is a complex labyrinth of love
triangles, murders and blackmail that will have you
perplexed, yet totally enthralled right until the end.
Trivia bite: Lead actor Humphrey Bogart and
co-star Lauren Bacall married three months after
the film’s release, following their on-set affair and
Bogart’s some-what messy divorce.
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