# The Big Sleep - I need more like this **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 16, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934 "2006-09-16T05:45:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/1 "2006-09-16T05:45:42Z")
Maltese Falcon is in my queue, Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid of course. What else would you recommend? And is this “film noir”? My idea of a classic movie Tora Tora Tora, so I’m totally lost trying to figure out where to go next. TIA ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/2 "2006-09-16T05:48:08Z")
From **Maltese Falcon** you could follow the author (Dashiell Hammett) to the **Thin Man** movies, or follow the director (John Huston) to **Treasure of the Sierra Madre**. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/3 "2006-09-16T06:03:15Z")
The Big Sleep is quintessential noir. Also look into: Laura A Narrow Margin The Man Who Wasn’t There La Confidential Sin City Millers Crossing Collateral And The Big Lebowski. Lebowski isn’t noir, but there are many parallels between it and The Big Sleep. Plus it’s a real good time. Ya know…I’ve seen a good number of B&W but I can’t remember the bulk of them for the life of me. Right now there are a couple noirs in theaters: The Black Dahlia and Hollywoodland. Crank isn’t noir by a long shot, but it does take after a noir “classic” titled DOA. You might enjoy seeing the original title and then seeing the new revamped version (which is a total blast). ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/4 "2006-09-16T06:53:46Z")
**Out of the Past**. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/5 "2006-09-16T07:57:00Z")
Chinatown (1974) D.O.A. (1950) Detour (1946) Double Indemnity (1944) Force of Evil (1948) Gun Crazy (1949) The Hitch-Hiker (1953) The Night of the Hunter (1955) Shadow of a Doubt (1943) Sunset Boulevard (1950) Sweet Smell of Success (1957) The Third Man (1948) Touch of Evil (1958) White Heat (1949) The Wrong Man (1956) ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/6 "2006-09-16T09:43:02Z")
Good list, Waloon. You only missed “The Postman Aways Rings Twice”. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/7 "2006-09-16T12:03:02Z")
What **betenoir** said. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/8 "2006-09-16T12:47:47Z")
Try also: _Murder, My Sweet_ to see Dick Powell’s take on the Philip Marlowe character. He’s damned good, as is Mike Mazurki. -and- _The Glass Key_. Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake make a great tense, chilly couple, and William Bendix and Brian Donlevy are terrific, too. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/9 "2006-09-16T13:23:32Z")
I must endorse “Double Indemnity.” It’s so awesome watching Fred McMurray as a murderous adulterer. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/10 "2006-09-16T14:18:23Z")
If the OP likes noir, maybe he should check out _Brick_? It’s noir-ish enough to qualify, I think. _Dead Man Don’t Wear Plaid_ is wonderful. Steve Martin when he was funny. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/11 "2006-09-16T14:20:50Z")
More recently, try \*\*“The Man Who Wasn’t There”. \*\* It’s a very decent homage to film noir starring Billy Bob Thornton. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/12 "2006-09-16T17:06:07Z")
_To Have and Have Not_ and _Casablanca_ are other Humphrey Bogart films that have very similar feels to _The Big Sleep_, IMO: they deal with good characters living in a corrupt world, and they have dialog that positively sparkles. I don’t know that either of them qualifies as film noir, but they’re both excellent films. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/13 "2006-09-16T18:01:11Z")
Also, “This Gun For Hire” with Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. Not a western. “The Usual Suspects” has always had a noir kind of feel to it, to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/14 "2006-09-16T20:29:32Z")
[QUOTE=DataZak] If the OP likes noir, maybe he should check out _Brick_? It’s noir-ish enough to qualify, I think. _Dead Man Don’t Wear Plaid_ is wonderful. Steve Martin when he was funny. [/QUOTE] No idea if I like noir or not. Just got hooked on The Big Sleep last night (and Dead Men & Casablanca years ago). My queue is getting longer! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/15 "2006-09-16T20:36:11Z")
I second [Touch of Evil.](http://imdb.com/title/tt0052311/) Bonus, includes the Latin Chuck Heston! ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/16 "2006-09-16T20:49:06Z")
I’d add PICKUP ON SOUTH STREET to the list, as classic noir. TOUCH OF EVIL is wonderfully noir, but you do have to suspend a fair amount of disbelief to accept Charleton Heston as a Mexican. ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/17 "2006-09-16T21:17:38Z")
Well, all of the noir classics I can think of have already been mentioned so I’ll list some neo-noir and post-modern entries in the genre:[ul][li]_Chinatown’s_ been mentioned but I wanted to second it. Definitely my favourite modern noir.[/li][li]_The Long Goodbye_ dir. by Robert Altman is a fascinating deconstruction of the genre starring Elliott Gould (?!) as a slightly befuddled man-out-of-time Philip Marlowe.[/li][li]_Blood Simple_ and _The Man Who Wasn’t There_ are a few good post-modern Coen Bros. examples.[/li][li]_Body Heat_ starring William Hurt and a drop-dead sexy Kathleen Turner as the dangerous femme-fatale.[/li][li]_The Last Seduction_. Linda Fiorentino was robbed of an oscar nomination for her excellent portrayal of a man-eater.[/li][li]_Red Rock West_ by the same director as _Last Seduction_ starring Nicholas Cage as a man who get in way over his head.[/li]_Bound_, the first movie by the Wachowski Bros. Gangsters and lesbians. 'Nuff said.[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/18 "2006-09-18T12:08:35Z")
I’ll second _The Long Goodbye_ (look for Schwarzenegger) and _Touch of Evil_ (see the one the way Orson Welles intended) After seeing some of these, you may be ready for _The Big Lebowski_. Definitely see TLG before TBL. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/19 "2006-09-18T12:47:25Z")
[QUOTE=Left Hand of Dorkness] _To Have and Have Not_ and _Casablanca_ are other Humphrey Bogart films that have very similar feels to _The Big Sleep_, IMO: they deal with good characters living in a corrupt world, and they have dialog that positively sparkles. I don’t know that either of them qualifies as film noir, but they’re both excellent films. [/QUOTE] **Casablanca** might possibly be my favourite film. **To Have And Have Not** is the film I was going to mention in this thread (even if it isn’t _noir_). Dopers should see it if only for the ‘dead bee’ reference that pops up in threads from time to time. And of course, there’s the ‘Just whistle’ classic, Lauren Bacall singing _Am I Blue_ with Hoagy Carmichael on the piano. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2006, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934/20 "2006-09-18T12:53:48Z")
_Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang_ was one of the best movies of 2005, and a nice homage/parody/deconstruction of film noir and action-buddy movies, with brilliant dialogue and good performances by Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. _Dark City_ is one of my all-time favorites, and blends noir conventions with sci-fi elements. _L.A. Confidential_ is another favorite of mine – the quintessential neo-noir masterpiece – and _The Black Dahlia_ is by the same author, James Ellroy. I also heartily endorse _Brick_, which is a noir film moved to a modern-day high school setting. Trust me, it’s better than it sounds. And of course there’s _Sin City_, a badass noir homage adapted from the stylized, violent comic books by Frank Miller. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-big-sleep-i-need-more-like-this/372934.md?page=2)