The Big Sleep

Continuity mistake: In the restaurant Marlowe sits looking down at the table as Lauren Bacall talks about General Sternwood and says, "he considers the case closed". She's holding her pocketbook with the strap between the first and second finger of her left hand but in the next shot the strap is in a different position near her left thumb. (01:02:00)

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Continuity mistake: After driving home from Eddie Mars place Marlowe walks into his apartment and Carmen is there waiting for him. After he says, "come on Carmen, come on" she grabs his hand with both of hers and bites him. In the next shot she's holding him with only her left hand. (01:18:10)

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Continuity mistake: As they have drinks in the restaurant Marlowe says to Lauren Bacall , "I don't know how far you can go" and she replies, "A lot depends on who's in the saddle" and he goes from having his right hand next to his drink to having both hands around his drink between shots. (01:03:35)

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Continuity mistake: Marlowe says to Joe Brody, " You can only die once for a couple of murders" as he walks over to his desk that we've seen in an earlier shot and the phone has been moved even though no one went near the desk. (00:51:40 - 00:54:10)

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Continuity mistake: Marlowe tells Joe Brody to get the pictures of Carmen Sternwood and he walks over to his desk that we've seen in an earlier shot. No one goes near the desk but a different set of books are between the horse head bookends, and they keep moving throughout the scene. (00:48:40 - 00:52:20)

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Continuity mistake: No one touches his legs but Arthur Gwynn Geiger's dead body is not in the same position on the floor the second time we see it. The first time both of his legs are on the floor but the second time his left leg is over his right. (00:22:00 - 00:24:55)

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Continuity mistake: Marlowe walks in on Lauren Bacall as she's pouring a drink, and she's standing to the left of the fireplace. In the next shot she's moved over about a foot to her right and is standing in front of the left side of the fireplace. (00:10:00)

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Continuity mistake: As the police pull the Sternwood's Packard onto Lido Pier there are six ropes tied to the car when it comes out of the water, but only four when they hoist it up on top of the pier. (00:30:35)

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Continuity mistake: Even though no one has gone near it, Lash Canino's steering wheel has been turned from the time he and Art Huck park next to the house to when he is shot by Marlowe. Not only is the shadow underneath different throughout the scene but the front wheels are turned all the way to the left after he's shot. (01:41:30 - 01:43:50)

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Continuity mistake: Lauren Bacall's not pointing anywhere near the car when she shouts, " there, there, behind the wheel" in order to distract Lash Canino. He eventually shoots at the right spot anyway as he tries to kill Marlowe. (01:43:15)

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Visible crew/equipment: Lauren Bacall and Marlowe go back to Arthur Gwynn Geiger's house at the end of the movie and the camera's shadow falls across the lamp as he walks up to the phone. (01:45:55)

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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)

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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)

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Continuity mistake: Marlowe walks over to the roulette table where Lauren Bacall is playing and the croupier has a chip in his hand. In the next shot he doesn't. (01:11:20)

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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)

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Continuity mistake: Carol Lundgren rings the buzzer and Joe Brody walks toward the door holding a cigarette in his right hand. In the next shot as he answers the door the cigarette is in his left hand. (00:56:30)

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Continuity mistake: At Geiger's house, Marlowe uses a long piece of rope to tie up Carol Lundgren and extends the end of it several feet to the right of his body. The next time we see the body the rope is not there. (00:59:15)

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Other mistake: Joe Brody trips Carmen Sternwood as she walks through his door holding a gun on him and the cameraman totally loses focus in the close up of her legs. (00:52:00)

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Continuity mistake: Eddie Mars looks at Marlowe and says, "Got any good ideas soldier?" and Marlowe exhales a big puff of smoke in his direction as he speaks. In the next shot there's no smoke between the two of them. (00:44:20)

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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)

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More trivia for The Big Sleep

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