Big Sleep, The(1946)

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made screen history together more than once, but they were never more popular than in this 1946 adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s novel, directed by Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not). Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated (so much so that even Chandler had trouble following the plot), the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction. William Faulkner wrote the screenplay.

• Includes both the 114 minute 1946 theatrical-release version and the 116 minute 1944 pre-release version containing 18 minutes which were either reshot or deleted from the theatrical release
• The Big Sleep Comparisons Documentary (16 min.) on the differences between the two versions, narrated by UCLA’s Film Preservation Archives whiz Robert Gitt