Private detective Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) is hired by a wealthy and elderly General Sternwood, who wants Marlowe to deal with an attempt by a bookseller to blackmail his wild young daughter, Carmen. But as is ever the case with noir plots, events go wildly off course, putting Marlowe and Vivian (Lauren Bacall), Sternwood's eldest daugther in increasing danger.

Based on Raymond Chandler's classic noir novel of the same name, The Big Sleep never lets up in its twisting, utterly gripping narrative, a plot which notoriously even the filmmakers struggled to keep up with. But a plot there indeed is – a masterclass in tight, spare writing and pin-sharp editing.

And then there's Bogart and Bacall. Never has a film fizzed with such romance and on-screen chemistry. It's utterly fascinating to watch them verbally and physically spar, each giving as good as they get, with some whip-smart one-liners.

It's a wonderful film from another era – perfect for a slow Sunday afternoon.

The Big Sleep will be proceeded by a short introduction.