A scene from The Big Sleep 1946
Brody

What are you up here for?

Marlowe

To keep her [Vivian] from paying you off and to take the cops off your neck.

Brody

What cops?

Marlowe

The cops who want to find out where all that lead in Geiger's body came from. Look Joe, you shot Geiger.

Vivian

I didn't know that...

Marlowe

The cops don't yet. The trouble is he wasn't alone when you shot him. Either you didn't notice that, and I think you did, or you got scared and ran away. But you had nerve enough to take the film out of the camera. And you had nerve enough to come back later and hide the body...

Agnes

[To Marlowe]

You're crazy. [To Joe] Joe...

Brody

Shut up.

Marlowe

So you could clean out Geiger's store before the law knew there was a murder to investigate.

Brody

You take chances, mister. It's lucky for you I didn't shoot Geiger.

Marlowe

Yeah, but you can step off for it just the same, Joe. You're made to order for the rap.

Brody

You think you've got me framed?

Marlowe

Positive.

Brody

How come?

Marlowe

Because somebody will tell it that way. I told ya there was a witness. Now don't go simple on me, Joe.

Brody

You mean Carmen, she would. She'd say anything.

Marlowe

So you have got that picture!

Brody

I guess you think I'm dumb.

Marlowe

Just average for a grafter. You see Joe, either you were there last night, or you got the picture from somebody who was there. You knew Carmen was there because you had your girlfriend here threaten Mrs. Rutledge with the police. Now the only way you could have known enough to do that was by being there and seeing what happened or having the picture and knowing when and where it was taken. That makes sense, doesn't it?

In this scene

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The Big Sleep 1946 · 54 quotes · 7 characters All The Big Sleep quotes →
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