Adapting Raymond Chandler’s confusing and hardboiled book is not for the faint of heart. Chandler’s novel is known for it’s complexity and particularly grimy atmosphere but Howard Hanks delivers, casting the hot couple of the moment (middle 1940s): Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, who were just married and ‘hot’ in the press.

The script follows the book closely, even in most of the dialogue and setting, and that can be confusing as there are a lot of details in the investigation that are too literal to be translated to the screen. But most of the plot is layered on the film. The obvious enhancement is the Bogart-Bacall romance, emphasized on screen via some great dialogue and chemistry.

The more sordid details of the book, however, are smudged because of the restrictions of the Hays Code, so the more pornographic details are laid out like the nakedness of Carmen, the nymphomaniac daughter of General Sternwood, or the plot involving obscene book trafficking. The ending differs from the book also, providing a more easy resolution than in the novel, wich is a good and bad thing, having read the novel you can’t just miss the thrill of the final pages, because you are fooled the entire time trying to figure out the pieces by yourself. The book’s resolution’s simple, yet more satisfying to this particular story.

Bogart is splendid as Phillip Marlowe, the always-right and morally-aware detective that in the book is more hardboiled and cynical. On the screen, Marlowe is the ladies man, literally every girl in the movie tries to have her way with the gentleman, and Bogart delivers a fine performance including some physical treats that he adds to the character for more realism. Bacall as Vivian, the second Sternwood daughter, is the eternal femme-fatale with her harsh cocktail voice and wide lips that seem to engulf you with every word expelled. It is somewhat obvious the influence her off-the-screen husband has on her, visible in the kissing scene in the car where her wide eyes are as passionate as a woman in love can be.

Hanks cinematography is precise and depicts the gritty San Francisco of the war-era very precisely. The scenes are tight and follow one another without any breathing space, except for the development of the romance between the two leading characters where he allows himself and the actors a bit more spice and time.

Because this is a story about the process of an investigation rather than a film about who is the killer, it may seem confusing but reading the book before and allowing yourself to embrace Chandler’s brilliant and intelligent writing gives you a great advantage to appreciate this noir classic, charged with sexual innuendo and flair.

The most common version of the film was released in 1946, there is a pre-release version made in 1945 that was just released in 1997 with some different scenes and a more relaxed pace. Therefore, the version you’ll likely to found is the later 1946 version. There are numerous stories regarding the production of the movie, like the one involving the identity of one of the killers. When the production contacted Chandler to ask him this important detail, the writer didn’t even know. And it’s better that way – in life some things are better left explained.

The movie was made during the war effort so it features a lot of gimmicks from the era like the slang used at the time, rationing stickers and so on. The studio wanted more war-related films to be released before the war was over so they didn’t loose the momentum so The Big Sleep was screened two years after the end of the conflict.

My advice is to read the book first, since most of the surprise and clever writing are better in a more literary form, then go back and watch the movie and you’ll still enjoy the first story of Phillip Marlowe, private investigator.