A. What does
Thomson think of the scene at the Acme Book Shop, and why does he
call attention to it?
B. Give all
the reasons, and be specific, for why Thomson says that The Big
Sleep is "one of the most formally radical pictures ever made."
C. Thomson
frequently discusses matters that seem unrelated to the film, i.e.,
a comparison of Chandler's L.A. and the L.A. of the film, a comparison
of the novel and the film, a lengthy analisys of the personal lives
of Hawks, Bogard, and Bacall. What, if anything, is relevant to
your understanding of the film?
D. Thomson
claims that some of the scenes in the film are superfluous and could
easily be removed without altering the narrative. What are these
scenes? What does Hawks accomplish by leaving the scenes in the
film?
E. Thomson
claims that the confusing aspects of the plot are irrelevant because
the viewer is caught up in something else. What is it?
