Why Is The Big Sleep A Hard-Boiled Crime

Another fault in Michael Winners' remake is its' strict adherence to the plot of the novel. The relationship between Vivian and Marlowe in the movie is non-existent. It seems as though Robert Mitchum, playing Marlowe, has more fun flirting with Agnes, played by Joan Collins, in Geiger's bookstore than with the snotty, senior Sternwood sister. Leaving Eddie Mars' gambling casino, Marlowe kisses Vivian in an attempt to find out, "what Eddie Mars has on her." However, Vivian is not pleased with Marlowe's prodding and shrieks, "so that's the way it is you rotten bastard." As illustrated in the book, this scene depicts

Lighting and sound are another two key factors that can be manipulated to heighten the dramatic value of the scene. With the opening of the first sequence, the musical motif that accompanies Abigail throughout the film begins to play as she is introduced. It follows her emotions, the tempo increasing as she hurries to ready herself and creep out of the house. As the forest comes into view, the eerie surroundings are complemented by the change in music.

Mr. Braddock goes to the boxing committee and asks them for money and tells them that they know him and what he was capable of. His face was filled with hopelessness and embarrassment. This makes them feel empathy for him and give him money afterwards. When Mae found out that Mr. Braddock ’s fight with Max Baer could be fatal, she gets angry and terrified at the same. That what she showed when they met Max Baer at the dinner party. When Mr. Braddock sees the video of the man who died, Frankie Campbell, he gets emotional. He tells the man who is showing him the video that he is not scared to die. Saying people die on the docks and in

During the dawn of the Second World War, a new era began for women across America. As men departed to fight the war, women were left to fill their void in the workplace. Familiar role models such as “Rosie the Riveter” radiated strength and know-how traits historically emphasized only in men. As woman’s role in society broadened, new visions of attractiveness developed to accommodate this unprecedented aspect of femininity. Raymond Chandler’s portrayal of women in The Big Sleep (1939) highlights these changes in social construction of female sexuality and appeal in the setting of a male dominated society.

In the books The Big Sleep and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, both authors, Raymond Chandler (The Big Sleep) and Simon Armitage (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight), create the protagonist of each story into archetypal knights. The protagonist of The Big Sleep is named Phillip Marlowe and in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight the protagonist is named Sir Gawain. The 3 knightly qualities that we will be focusing on in this essay are self-sacrifice, loyalty and courage. These qualities are displayed throughout each story in different and similar ways throughout each book.

Through viewing scenes where Marlowe is beaten up and tied up by Mars' men, we come to realize the strength of Marlowe's integrity and will. Although he is put through much physical pain as well as the mental pain of witnessing horrific acts, he bites the bullet and commits himself completely to the tasks placed before him. Once again, he does not do his task for the small amounts of money, but he does it because he feels it is what he must do.

   In response to Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep, I have just one question. Why all the similes? There isn't a single page in the novel that doesn't display this annoying literary device. Everything is "like this" or "like that." It never ends! Similar to decoding a secret message that isn't difficult to understand, but nevertheless tiring due to the overwhelming amount of messages, the novel is frustrating to read. The following analysis acknowledges Chandler's creativity in developing his main character, Philip Marlowe, with his usage of simile. However, the excessive style of the novel creates a dominating force that ultimately leaves the reader unfulfilled at the end.

In Cawelti’s piece, he talks about the “generic transformation” that appears in Chinatown. Most of all, he points at the “myth” of the hard-boiled detective, a well known noir character archetype that appears in both Chinatown and The Long Goodbye. According to Cawelti, the “hard-boiled” detective is an archetype that is meant to portray the “moral ambiguity” theme often seen in classical film noir. These types of characters are licensed by the state as private investigators, but are far from morally upright beings. They follow their own internal code of ethics, and if the law needs to be broken in order for the job to get done, that is just the way things have to go (Cawelti 499-500). Both Jake Gittes and Philip Marlowe are private investigators who do their own thing when it comes to enforcing the law. Mostly because they realize that the system is corrupt, so they invent their own form of justice. To Gittes, that means lying his way in and out of most situations; to Marlowe that means killing his friend who has committed murder.

In Raymond Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep, a private detective is trying to unravel a blackmailing case for a dying millionaire, General Sternwood. Philip Marlowe, the detective, finds that the case not only involves blackmail, but also homicide. Set and written in 1930’s America, the economic devastation of the Great Depression has a significant influence on the book’s plot, and showcases character’s struggle to retain honor and virtue in a world that revolves around profit-seeking delinquency and organized corruption. Marlowe’s work as a private detective brings him face to face with criminals of every variety, and each corresponds to a piece on the chessboard that appears repeatedly in the story. Marlowe’s symbolic identity is the well-intentioned knight, who represents the shred of chivalry that remains in a society of pawns and crooked kings, and the chess game is his combat against crime in a period of national despondency.

Further into the case, Marlowe learns that there is much more involved into the investigation, such as a few murders. With this is mind; he then takes it upon himself to investigate some more. Throughout the storyline, Marlowe comes across multiple women who use their sexuality

2. One very important technique seen in this film is the use of flashbacks, segments of film that breaks normal chronological order by shifting directly to time past. Though Capra tells the audience the story in chronological order, the present situation does not begin until four fifths of the way in, just after George breaks down in front of his family and kicks his model bridge - a physical reminder of his unfulfilled dreams. After George flees to the bar, his wife Mary calls around asking for prayers, and this loops back to the start of the movie. In addition this entire sequence is narrated through a voiceover, another technique prevalent throughout the film.

A writer’s style plays a key role in the components of their work. Raymond Chandler is known for his unique style. He uses very lose and intricate plot structures, vivid similes, and a passionate and tough new character that reflected the times he lived in. These different attributes would become hallmark characteristics of Chandler’s writing. In Raymond Chandler’s

Another aspect of sound in this film was how it affected the story. By using sound dramatically in certain parts and not using it at all in other parts, sound gave this story an entity of its own. For example, during long stretches of film with mostly dialogue, there was no music played in the background, only a phone ringing in the distance, or the men's voices during their deliberation. These long silences also took place during editing shots of the town and images that surrounded this German city. This dramatic difference in sound was a revelation of how mood can be made by images and sound put together to make an incredible component.

Altman is one of those directors who tries to distant themselves from the pack, and that's noticeable in this film through the speaking. Similar to MASH, instead of the dialogue sounding like it's on the same track, each sound is on a different audio track. This makes the film sound like a real-life conversation instead of a stage play. One example is between (00:04:07 & 0:04:49) when Marlowe is on his way to get some cat food. Various voices are audible including Marlowe mumbling, his cat meowing, and his hippie neighbors getting high while doing yoga.

Whether it is perceived as irony or outright sarcasm, Marlowe reveals he does his job “for the money”, which is only $25 per day, but then later refuses to accept the offer of $15,000 despite the fact that he knows he could “own a home and a new car and four suits of clothes...even take a vacation”. The refusal shows Marlowe’s anti-heroic status, as he appreciates the advantages of corruption but believes the well-being of his client and “... to protect what little pride a broken and sick old man has left in his blood” is more important.