In 1978, The Big Sleep got a remake starring Robert Mitchum. The best way I can describe this film? It’s as if someone built a zebra out of chicken parts.
If you’re unfamiliar with The Big Sleep, a little context is in order. Written by Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep is a hardboiled crime novel often regarded as one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. It introduced Philip Marlowe, a private investigator who’s seen it all. He’s inhabited every dirty gutter, is familiar with every vice, and knows who’s who in L.A.’s low-down, grimy streets. In a way, Marlowe is an anti-Sherlock Holmes. He doesn’t solve cases through pure logical deduction but by inducing high-wire situations, profiling every lowlife he encounters. He thrives in a dark, neon-soaked world.
Marlowe was such a compelling character that he inspired numerous cinematic adaptations. The most famous is the original The Big Sleep (1946), starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, directed by Howard Hawks in one of his signature films. A tremendous film—everyone should watch it. And while I’m not reviewing that version today, I’ll acknowledge one of the big critiques: it was a victim of the Hays Code, meaning many elements of Chandler’s novel were censored. Key plot points are only hinted at.
Fast forward to 1978. Why was this remake made? Well, three years prior, Robert Mitchum starred in a remake of Murder, My Sweet, based on Chandler’s Farewell, My Lovely, another Philip Marlowe story. That film, which kept the original novel’s title, was highly praised. Mitchum’s performance was so well received that the producers essentially wanted him back for an encore. This time, they got an even bigger hotshot director: Michael Winner, known for Death Wish, The Mechanic, and The Sentinel.
The 1978 Big Sleep also boasted an even more impressive cast than the 1946 version. Beyond Mitchum, they had James Stewart as General Sternwood, Sarah Miles as Charlotte Regan, Richard Boone as Lash Canino, Joan Collins as Agnes Lozelle, Candy Clark as Camilla Sternwood, and Oliver Reed as Eddie Mars. We’re talking Academy Award winners and nominees. And anchoring it all? Robert Mitchum, one of the actors who defined film noir, already proven to be every bit as good a Philip Marlowe as Humphrey Bogart.
So how is this not one of the greatest American films ever made?
Well, I’ll tell you.
The biggest problem? This version of The Big Sleep doesn’t take place in Los Angeles. Instead, it’s set in the bucolic English countryside. Why? I have no idea. In both the novel and the original film, L.A. is practically a character unto itself. The darkness, the grit, the urban decay—that’s what The Big Sleep is about. Setting it in England? At some point, I half expected Miss Marple to pop out of the woods and offer a witty rejoinder to Marlowe’s musings. In fact, maybe the movie would have been better if it were a Philip Marlowe/Miss Marple crossover where they team up to solve a crime. But no, this is played straight.
And when I say straight, I mean that Philip Marlowe is still an American. So is General Sternwood. One of Sternwood’s daughters speaks in an American accent, while the other has an English accent. Essentially, the film just transports a bunch of Americans to England for no apparent reason.
It’s like encountering a parrot in Antarctica—Philip Marlowe simply does not belong in a vast English estate, talking to butlers.
That’s the biggest issue with the 1978 Big Sleep, but there’s another: this version of Philip Marlowe is missing some zip. Marlowe has always been laconic, but here, he’s almost too laconic. He seems tired, like he’s running out of life. And according to reports from the set, that’s because Robert Mitchum was drunk. Every. Single. Day. Plastered. And he wasn’t alone—Oliver Reed and Richard Boone were also drinking heavily. The whole production was just an excuse for the actors to get together and booze it up.
And the result? The film feels sluggish.
That said, it’s not all bad. There are some aspects of this version that are actually better than the 1946 film. For one, it’s no longer at the mercy of the Hays Code, meaning the plot makes more sense. This time, it can explicitly state that there’s a homosexual relationship, drug use, and pornography involved. And because these elements are no longer just hinted at, General Sternwood’s blackmail has much higher stakes.
Another positive? While Mitchum is sluggish, everyone else seems to be giving it their all. Sarah Miles, Candy Clark, and Joan Collins deliver strong performances, and Oliver Reed is particularly menacing. John Justin as Arthur Geiger also stands out. At every turn, the film is filled with fascinating, quirky characters, each with their own motives, played with aplomb.
The other great thing? The aesthetic.
Now, while the English countryside is a baffling setting for a Big Sleep adaptation, the Art Deco style is highly attractive. Although the film is set in 1970s Britain, it leans into the retro revival of the 1920s and 1930s that was popular at the time—think Cabaret or Murder on the Orient Express. More similar to this movie would be Chinatown. The result is a stylish, neo-retro Art Deco look that’s fun and visually striking.
But let’s be real: as nice as those elements are, this is still a flawed film. The 1978 Big Sleep received negative reviews upon release. Both Siskel and Ebert hated it.
But is it as bad as the critics said back then?
No, I don’t think so.
Over time, audiences have come to appreciate this version. On IMDb, it holds a 5.8/10. On Letterboxd, a 2.9/5. So while it’s polarizing, there’s still much to appreciate—particularly the supporting performances and the aesthetic.
That, of course, doesn’t absolve Robert Mitchum’s phoned-in performance or the bizarre relocation from L.A. to England. But I’d still say it’s worth watching—especially since you can stream it for free on Prime Video, Hoopla, Plex, Tubi, and even YouTube.
Nowhere near as good as the 1946 classic starring Bogart and Bacall. But still watchable. And still fun.
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I had a senior moment and confused this with The Big Chill and was very confused.