Review of The Big Sleep (1946) by Tony P — 27 Jul 2008

Excellent film. The screenplay is one of the most well crafted and entertaining of it's genre, and loaded with that scathing, bad mitten dialogue that is the reason I tune into this era. I tried my hardest to keep up with the plot, and was doing quite well, until perhaps the last forty minutes when I became absolutely stupified.

It's no matter, though, because I was so wrapped up in the action. And Bogart rules! He is cunning first and brutal second, which is my kind of hero. I had so far only been accustomed to seeing him as the gruff, one-note Bogart, and then in one scene his character puts on a disguise and it absolutely blew my mind.

It was a much needed moment for Bogart to remind us that he was an actor, not just a personality. Hawks is an excellent director; his patience is what I find most impressive. He saves the dolly push-in until the climax, giving the most basic technique the greatest of power.

These older films didn't have steady cams or elaborate visual effects. They had to rely on precision to drive the emotion. Another reason why I endulge in this era.