The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep (1946)

206 mistakes - chronological order

(2 votes)

Continuity mistake: In the DA's office Marlowe says to Capt. Cronjager, " That's all, I was in a tough spot, I was probably wrong but I wanted to protect my client" and Marlowe's hat is on the DA's desk right next to his left arm. In the next shot an ash tray with a smoldering cigarette is next to his left arm (1945 Version on DVD). (01:04:45)

????

Continuity mistake: After they finish their drinks in the restaurant Marlowe says to Lauren Bacall , " I don't want to hurt you, I'm trying to help you" and she goes from holding her right hand in her left to holding her left hand in her right between shots as she looks at him. (01:04:45)

????

Continuity mistake: In the DA's office Capt. Cronjager says to Marlowe, " So all you failed to do was report a murder that happened last night?". If you look closely at the far right of the screen there's a shadow on the wall of a female sculpture that wasn't there when we saw this spot at the beginning of the scene when Marlowe and Bernie Ohls walked in (1945 Version on DVD). (01:04:50)

????

Continuity mistake: Marlowe goes into Eddie Mars'place and the butler opens up the door with his left hand while his right hand is at his side. In the next shot his right hand is touching the door. (01:06:00)

????

Continuity mistake: Marlowe says, "Is Mr. Mars around? I'm Marlow, he's expecting me" to a hostess and her left hand is on the counter and her right hand is at her side. In the next shot both of her hands are out in front of her. (01:06:10)

????

Continuity mistake: Inside Eddie Mars' nightclub Marlowe talks to one of the hostesses at the coat check counter. The strap on the pocketbook in front of him is on top of the counter but in the next shot as she walks away the strap is draped over the edge of the counter. (01:06:10)

????

Audio problem: Marlowe walks into a room at Eddie Mars' place where Lauren Bacall and some other people are singing. If you look closely at their lips when he first walks in they're singing something else and they're out of sync with what we are hearing. (01:06:35)

????

Continuity mistake: Marlowe stands in a doorway and watches Lauren Bacall singing and we see several people walking through the front door behind him. In the next shot there are only two women walking through the front door. (01:06:40)

????

Continuity mistake: The woman and the gentleman in the tux sitting next to Lauren Bacall are facing forward when we first see them as Lauren sings "Tears Flowed Like Wine". In the next shot the camera angle changes and they have moved ninety degrees and are now facing her. (01:06:45)

????

Continuity mistake: Lauren Bacall sings "Tears Flowed Like Wine" and in the shots of her from behind the band there are several more extras between her and Marlowe than there are when the camera films her from his vantage point at the door. (01:07:20)

????

Audio problem: As Marlowe walks over to Eddie Mars' room the buzzer over dub doesn't ring when the hostess pushes it and continues after the hostess takes her hand off of it. (01:07:50)

????

Continuity mistake: The hostess is standing at the door to Eddie Mars' room. In the next shot as Marlowe walks in she's leaning against the door frame. (01:07:50)

????

Continuity mistake: The hostess shows Marlowe Eddie Mars' room but in the next shot as he walks into it a table with a statue on it replaces the chair that was there in the previous shot. (01:07:55)

????

Continuity mistake: Eddie Mars pours Marlowe a drink and he puts the bottle down dead center on a tray on top of the liquor cabinet. He doesn't go near the bottle but later when we see it again it's right of the center of the cabinet, and in the last shot of it it's to the left of the center of the cabinet. (01:08:20 - 01:09:15)

????

Continuity mistake: When Eddie Mars' pours Marlowe a drink there's a lamp shining on the left of the liquor cabinet. The next time we see this spot the lamp has been moved as the shadows on the liquor cabinet are falling in the opposite direction. (01:09:15)

????

Continuity mistake: Marlowe sits down as Eddie Mars' pours him a drink. The back of his chair is touching the desk in all of the shots except the last one as Marlowe gets up to leave and we see the chair now about six inches away from the desk. (01:09:20)

????

Continuity mistake: Mars' thugs meet up with Marlowe at the bar and tell him that Mrs. Rutledge wants to see him. The two people sitting at the bar behind the thug in the center get up and move between shots. (01:10:15)

????

Continuity mistake: Marlowe says to Eddie Mars as he's about to leave his office, " Oh, Eddie, you don't have anybody watching me, do you?" And the collar of Marlowe's shirt is tucked under his jacket. The next time we see it about a second later it's been ruffled up and is no longer tucked under his jacket. (01:10:20)

????

Audio problem: In the bar Marlowe says to Mars' thugs, "Yeah, Mrs. Rutledge wants to see me". But his lips doesn't match what he's saying. (01:10:55)

????

Vivian: You go too far, Marlowe.
Marlowe: Those are harsh words to throw at a man, especially when he's walking out of your bedroom.

More quotes from The Big Sleep

Trivia: At the end of the movie Lauren Bacall says to Marlowe "Phil, there's two men out back behind some trees". This is the only time in the movie that she refers to him by his first name. (01:49:45)

????

More trivia for The Big Sleep

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.