Talk:The Big Sleep/Archive 1

2nd book with Phillip Marlowe
So the open paragraph to this entry says it's the second book to have Phillip Marlowe, but it is Chandler's first novel, right? So I'm suspecting some sort of short story compilation is being referenced?

It seems a bit confusing....- —Preceding unsigned comment added by Berchca (talk • contribs)


 * I re-wrote that a bit. It was Chandler's first novel. dino 22:26, 4 May 2005 (UTC)

The film
"During the making of the 1946 film, Chandler was asked to help when no one involved with the film could figure out who killed one of the characters, only to reply that he didn't know either." Is there a source for this tale ? I heard a different version. -- Beardo 07:24, 19 March 2006 (UTC)

Incorrect summary?
I just read the book and am not sure if the sentence "She is under the impression that he is looking for her fathers previous private detective and friend, Sean "Rusty" Regan who had disappeared about a month ago" is correct. I think it should be noted in the article that Marlowe refers to Vivian throughout the novel as Mrs. Regan, not Rutledge. Also I do not remember Rusty Regan being a detective in the book, just the 1946 film. He is mostly described as an ex-bootlegger along with his history with the IRA. I think it's more important that Rusty is Vivian's latest husband rather than Rusty was the General's friend. I could be wrong on all of these points, so someone should probably check the novel. MrBananaGrabber 06:24, 13 September 2006 (UTC)
 * MrBanana-- Just finished the novel for the first time myself. You're right on all points regarding Rusty.  I'd love to hear more on Chandler being called in to consult on the movie, though that may be more appropriate for the movie page.  We might want to include Owen's name if it's kept. 71.199.115.160 06:19, 22 September 2006 (UTC)Tom Miller
 * Regan was a soldier, and that's what Sternwood holds on to - his life lived through a sweaty, brandy-swilling soulmate. So Regan's absence dominates the novel. Neither movie reflects this, nor shows Carmen in her true light. In the first movie Bacall is sexy, but her casting destroys the story. The second movie is superior, but still doesn't get it. The scene with Carmen down in the oil field is crucial: she looks along her eyelashes - Hisss!. There's a bio of Chandler that confirms his couldn't-care-less confusion over the plot during the writing of the original screenplay. I brood over this stuff on long winter evenings. Conclusion? The final paragraphs of the novel rank with Joyce's "faintly falling" passage in The Dead.--Shtove 00:22, 29 September 2006 (UTC)

"Marlowe's car"

 * On the way to the safe house, Marlowe's car has a flat tyre, so he visits a mechanic. The mechanic owned for Eddie Mars, and Marlowe is knocked unconscious by Canino and brought to the house where Mona is staying. When he wakes, he sees her, and she frees him after he says the famous line:

The bolded part doesn't look right. Should it be "works for Eddie Mars"? Motor 21:47, July 25, 2005 (UTC)


 * Fixed - changed to in the pay of Eddie Mars. Ian Dunster (talk) 17:11, 28 September 2008 (UTC)

Marlowe purposefully flattens his tires in the movie, but in the book this happens because he runs over tacks left on the road in an unconnected incident. As narrator, Marlowe describes this as fateful and only recognizes the name on the repair shop after he's gotten the two flat tires. The movie version works better, perhaps, but since the article is about the book, he falls into a perfect excuse to need the repair shop rather than planning it. MacRutchik 04:17, 27 June 2010 (UTC)

Added Background section
I added a Background section. I've been reading the Chandler biography by Frank McShane and added some info from that book on how Chandler wrote the novel Mdebellis (talk) 16:33, 7 September 2012 (UTC)