The Big Sleep quotes

View Quote [Marlowe slaps Carmen]
Carmen: You're cute.
Marlowe: And you're higher than a kite. Come on, wake up.
Carmen: I know you. Doghouse Reilly. You're cute.
Marlowe: What do you know about this?
Carmen: What?
Marlowe: Mr. Geiger here on the floor.
Carmen: He's cute too.
Marlowe: [after grabbing and shaking her] Look, you got a dead man lying at your feet. How did it happen?
Carmen: You talk a lot, Reilly.

View Quote Mars: Convenient the door being open when you didn't have a key.
Marlowe: Yeah, wasn't it? By the way, how did you happen to have one?
Mars: Is it any of your business?
Marlowe: I could make it my business.
Mars: I could make your business mine.
Marlowe: But you wouldn't like it. The pay's too small.
Mars: All right, I own this house. Geiger's my tenant. Now what do you think of me?
Marlowe: You know some nice people.
Mars: I take it as they come.

View Quote My name's Marlowe. General Sternwood wanted to see me.

View Quote Mrs. Mars: Why did you have to make trouble? Eddie never did you any harm. Besides, I was never in love with Sean. We were just good friends. If I hadn't hidden out here when Sean disappeared, the police would have been certain he killed him.
Marlowe: Maybe he did kill him.
Mrs. Mars: Eddie's not that kind.
Marlowe: You mean Eddie Mars never kills anybody?

View Quote [to Inspector Ohls] A nice old guy has two daughters. One of them is, well, wonderful. And the other one is not so wonderful. As a result somebody gets something on her. The father hires me to pay off. Before I can get to the guy, the family chauffeur kills him! But that didn't stop things. That just starts 'em. And two murders later I find out somebody's got something on wonderful....Last night, the two of 'em...they went to the moon to prove to me there was nothing between 'em. But I think there is and I think it's got something to do with Sean Regan.

View Quote Mars: [about Vivian] She's not very popular around here. When she loses, she doubles, and I wind up with a fistful of paper. If she wins, she takes my money home with her.
Marlowe: You get it back next time, don't you?
Mars: She'll spend it somewhere else by then.
Marlowe: Keep her out of here then.

View Quote Norris: Are you attempting to tell me my duties, sir?
Marlowe: No, just having fun trying to guess what they are.

View Quote Vivian: Well, I'm glad I asked you to take me home.
Marlowe: So am I....What are you trembling for? Don't tell me you were scared because I won't believe that.
Vivian: I'm not used to being hijacked. Give me a little time.
Marlowe: Hijacked? Is that what it was?
Vivian: What else?
Marlowe: Let's begin with what Eddie Mars has on you.
Vivian: If he had anything, would it be any of your business? You've already been paid, haven't you?
Marlowe: Yeah, by you.
Vivian: Are you after more money?
Marlowe: Well, I guess you got a right to ask that. No I'm not after more money. I've already been well paid. I've got another reason.
Vivian: You like my father, don't you?
Marlowe: Mmm hmm.
Vivian: Then why don't you stop?
Marlowe: Remember I told you I was beginning to like another one of the Sternwoods?
Vivian: I wish you'd show it.
Marlowe: I should be awful easy. [He kisses her]
Vivian: I like that. I'd like more. [They kiss again] That's even better.

View Quote Vivian: You're the one who's shaking now.
Marlowe: I'm scared, angel. I'm sore too. Mars has been ahead of me all the way, way ahead. But I've got the jump on him this time, or we're cooked.