The Big Sleep - Daily Script

1 "THE BIG Sleep " Screenplay by William Faulkner Leigh Brackett Jules Furthman From the novel by Raymond Chandler 1944 FADE IN:1. EXT. STERNWOOD PLACE - ESTABLISHING SCENE It is a millionaire's house, big, sprawling, California style, with clipped lawns and gardens, on a hill above the now abandoned oil field which was the family's wealth. A small coupe drives up to the door and stops, and Philip Marlowe gets out. We just have time to establish him as he approaches the door -- a husky, self-confident man, well- dressed but not INSERT: A BRASS DOORPLATE KNOCKER WITH A BELL BENEATH lettered STERNWOOD3.

2 EXT. FRONT DOOR - CLOSE SHOT - MARLOWE as NORRIS opens the door. Norris is thin, silver-haired with a gentle intelligent face. NORRIS (holding the door) Good morning, sir. MARLOWE I'm Philip Marlowe. General Sternwood sent for me. NORRIS (opens door, steps aside) Yes, Mr. Marlowe. Will you come in? MARLOWE (entering) INT. FORMAL MALL - SAME OPULENT BIG-SCALE STYLE - MARLOWE as Norris shuts the door, takes Marlowe's hat. NORRIS Will you sit here? I'll tell the General you have come. MARLOWE Norris exits.

3 Marlowe looks about, interested and curious, sees something, moves toward CLOSE SHOT - MARLOWE as he stands before a portrait, examining it with curious interest. It is a portrait of General Sternwood, in regimentals, beneath crossed battle-torn cavalry pennons and a sabre. He is still staring at the portrait when at a SOUND OFF, he turns and sees CARMEN STERNWOOD approaching. She is about 20, in slacks, something sullen and hot about her. She stops about 10 feet from him and stares at him, biting the thumb of her left hand. MARLOWE Good morning. CARMEN (after a moment) You're not very tall are you? MARLOWE I tried to be. CARMEN Not bad looking, though -- you probably know it.

4 MARLOWE Thanks. He goes to a chair and sits down. When he looks up, he sees Carmen approaching, still staring at him. CARMEN (approaching) What's your name? MARLOWE Reilly -- Doghouse Reilly. CARMEN (beside the chair now) That's a funny name. Are you a prize fighter? MARLOWE No. I'm a shamus. CARMEN A what? MARLOWE A private CARMEN You're cute. As she speaks, she sits suddenly on the arm of his chair. As she does so, Marlowe rises, shifts the chair in doing so, so that to her surprise, Carmen finds herself sitting in the chair itself.

5 She stares up, surprised and then angrily, is about to speak again when they both see Norris. He has just entered noiselessly, stands beside the chair. On Norris' face there is now a curious expression of grief, sadness. Carmen glances up at him, rises quickly as if he had reprimanded her with words, and exits. Marlowe looks after her, thoughtful, a little grim. NORRIS The General will see you now. MARLOWE (looking after Carmen) Who was that? NORRIS Miss Carmen Sternwood, sir. MARLOWE You ought to wean her. She looks old enough. NORRIS Yes, sir. This way, if you please. They exit through French EXT.

6 REAR LAWN - SAME WEALTHY SCALE Garage at one side, beyond it a tremendous greenhouse. Norris is leading Marlowe along the path toward the green house. A chauffeur is washing a car before the garage. We establish him in passing -- a handsome, boyish-looking man, OWEN TAYLOR. Marlowe follows Norris on to the greenhouse, looking at the tremendous size of it as Norris opens the door and stands aside for Marlowe to INT. GREENHOUSE CHOKED WITH ORCHID PLANTS Marlowe, following Norris between the crowding tendrils and branches. The place is oven-hot, damp with sweat, green with gloom. Marlowe is already reacting to it, is already mopping his face with his MARLOWE (mopping neck, following Norris) Couldn't we have gone around this? NORRIS (over shoulder; walking on) The General sits in here, MED.

7 CLOSE SHOT - GENERAL STERNWOOD in a wheelchair in center of the greenhouse, in a cleared space about which the plants crowd and hover. The GENERAL is the man we saw in the portrait, though older, and obviously dying, so that only his fierce eyes seem to have any life. Even in the terrific heat his body is wrapped in a traveling rug and a heavy bathrobe, his gnarled hands lying like dead gnarled twigs on the rug, his fierce eyes following as Norris leads Marlowe in. NORRIS (stopping) This is Mr. Marlowe, General. The General does not speak, only the fierce eyes stare at Marlowe as Norris pushes a wicker chair up behind Marlowe's legs. STERNWOOD Brandy, Norris. (to Marlowe) How do you like your brandy, sir?

8 MARLOWE (sitting down) Just with brandy. Norris takes Marlowe's hat, exits. STERNWOOD I used to like mine with champagne. The champagne cold as Valley Forge and about three ponies of brandy under it. You may take your coat off, sir. MARLOWE Thanks. He rises, removes his coat, takes out his handkerchief, hangs his coat on STERNWOOD (watching him) It's too hot in here for any man who still has blood in his veins. Marlowe sits again, mops his face and neck. STERNWOOD (still watching him) You may smoke too. I can still enjoy the smell of it, anyway.

9 MARLOWE Thanks. He produces a cigarette, lights it, blows smoke, Sternwood's nostrils moving as he sniffs the smoke. Norris enters, pushing a teawagon bearing decanter, siphon, initialed ice-bucket. STERNWOOD That man is already dead who must indulge his own vices by proxy. Norris wheels the wagon up, starts to prepare a drink. STERNWOOD (watching pettishly) Come, man. Pour a decent one. NORRIS (adding brandy) Yes, General. MARLOWE (watching) But not too decent, Norris. I don't want to exchange places with it. Norris adds soda, hands glass to Marlowe.

10 MARLOWE (taking glass) Thanks. He sits back. Norris covers the ice-bucket with a napkin, exits. SOUND of DOOR CLOSING as Norris leaves the greenhouse. Marlowe raises the glass, sips. Sternwood watches him, licks his lips with longing pleasure and enjoyment. Marlowe lowers the glass. STERNWOOD Tell me about yourself, Mr. Marlowe. I suppose I have the right to MARLOWE There's not much to tell. I'm thirty-eight years old, went to college once. I can still speak English when there's any demand for it in my business. I worked for the District Attorney's office once. It was Bernie Ohls, his chief investigator, who sent me word you wanted to see me.