The Big Sleep The Big Sleep The Big Sleep (1939) is a hardboiled crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first to feature the detective Philip Marlowe. It has been adapted for film twice, in 1946 and again in 1978. The story is set in Los Angeles. The story is noted for its complexity, with characters double-crossing one another and secrets being exposed throughout the narrative. The title is a euphemism for death; it refers to a rumination about "sleeping the big sleep" in the final pages of the book. In 1999, the book was voted 96th of "Le Monde"s "100 Books of the
The Glass Key (1942 film) November 26, 1946. Gene Kelly played Ned Beaumont in the adaptation. The Glass Key (1942 film) The Glass Key is a 1942 American crime drama film and film noir directed by Stuart Heisler and based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett. An earlier film version had been released in 1935. Crooked political boss Paul Madvig is determined to back reform candidate, Ralph Henry, for governor after falling in love with Ralph's daughter, Janet. Paul's right-hand man, Ed Beaumont, believes the move is a big mistake and rightly distrusts Janet's motives. She is only playing along at