There were flyers posted in the entryway of the restaurant and all over this side of Waupun. We even gave

Piggly Wiggly, the only grocery store in town, flyers to place in all the bags and there are posters on both sets of doors.

Logan never showed up at my place once we left End of the Trail two weeks ago. Olivia and I waited an hour for her, calling and texting her with no responses. Eventually, we went back to the coffee shop to see if she was still there, but all we found was her car with the door thrown open.

The minute we saw this, we called the police. We went in for questioning right away but ever since they let us go, we’ve been kept in the dark.

Our food arrives and we try to eat it, but everyone keeps staring at us. People always look at us with pity in their eyes. We are the friends of the missing girl. And for a small town, you can’t escape it. Once the word is out, it’s out. Nothing can get it back in.

Everyone thinks we have something to do with her disappearance–that we helped her run away and this is all a hoax. But, let me tell you, it’s not. This is real. This actually happened. One of my best friends is missing and all anyone can do is stare.

It doesn’t help that we are at the restaurant she worked at. The waitresses are all acting differently towards us. They think we know everything that is happening within the investigation, even though that’s not the case.

Olivia and I can’t take the staring anymore, so we ask one of the waitresses for the check and some boxes and we head back to Olivia’s place. I’m pretty sure everyone in Helen’s Kitchen was happy to see us leave.

Her kitchen is painted light yellow with white cabinets and wood flooring throughout. There is an island with bar stools and a little table in the corner of the room that is surrounded by windows, which is where we always sit. Her mom walks in just as we finish our dinner.

Mrs. Bennett looks just like Olivia, with her long ginger hair and green eyes. They are even of the same height. She teaches chemistry at the high school, while Mr. Bennett works for the city in the Parks and Recreation department. Even though they don’t seem like they would know much about what’s happening within the town, they usually know the most gossip. And today is no different.

“It’s a Friday night; don’t you guys want to go out? Isn’t there a hockey game you can go to?” she asks us while taking her coat off.

“Now why would we go to that? I have never been to a hockey game in my life, why would I start now?” Olivia replies.

“Maybe you should try it. Get a change of scenery. You can’t keep waiting by the phone for news about Logan. I know how important she is to you, but the police have it handled.”

“Handled? They haven’t given a single update since she’s gone missing! It seems like she low priority or something! And I’m not hanging out by the phone. I just don’t like sports.” Just then, Mr. Bennett enters the kitchen from the living room.

“Are you talking about Logan?” he joins the conversation.

“Yeah, have you heard anything yet?” Olivia asks him.

“The police are bringing in Travis Reynolds for questioning. Apparently those two have been texting and he might know something about her whereabouts. Did you guys know that they’ve been talking?”

“We knew that they’ve been talking for a while, but we don’t know what their conversations consisted of. Do you think he had something to do with her disappearance?” I ask him.

“I don’t know. But I do think he could know something that you guys didn’t. Even if it’s something basic, at this point anything will help.”

“So they haven’t found out anything else? Like possible suspects or possible whereabouts of where she is being kept?” Olivia asks her parents.

“So far, they only have Travis Reynolds. But at least that’s something right? Don’t worry, honey. I’m sure the police will have some hard evidence soon,” Mrs. Bennett says.

“Why hasn’t any of this been in the news? You’d think the news casters would be all over it,” I ask.

“I think they want to get some proof before they tell the world what they have found,” Mrs. Bennett replies.

“Or it’s just because Waupun sucks and they don’t want to try to ruin a reputation of the city which wasn’t that high in the first place,” Olivia snaps back.

“Olivia, it’s not that. They just don’t want everyone to worry about something until they can give them definite answers,” Mr. Bennett says, “Now, stop worrying. You’ll hear of something soon.”

Olivia and I relocate to her bedroom to watch The Godfather. Her parents are going out with some friends for dinner and have already left. She was chilling on her bed and I was at her desk, when I looked out the window and saw an envelope stuck to it.

“Hey, Liv, how long has that been there?”

“How long has what been where?”

“That envelope in your window, was it there when we came up here?”

“I’m not sure.” She rolls off her bed and opens the window to grab the envelope. Written on it, in black sharpie, was her name. She opens it and pulls out a scrap of paper. Written in the same black sharpie as the front, and in all caps, were the words: She’s Alive.

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The story starts with private detective Phillip Marlowe meeting with General Sternwood, the patriarch of a wealthy household concerning the matters of his youngest daughter, the ditzy Carmen, being blackmailed.

With each step forward, the case gets even more tangled for Marlowe as more factors enter into play like a love triangle, gambling big, and even murder.

But Marlowe isn’t alone in this case, as Sternwood’s oldest daughter Vivian is in deep as well, and they will need each other to free the family from the grip of a sinister scheme.

The plot has twists, turns, and always keeps you guessing. It is a complicated tangled up ball of yarn that requires the viewer pay attention as new characters enter and exit the tale, but rewards the attentive with satisfying payoffs.

The writing is incredibly tight from its sharp dialogue full of creative innuendo both subtle and surprisingly blunt, especially when Marlowe verbally butts heads with anyone who stands between him and his case.

So how well does the cast work with the classic story and tight script? Well let’s start with the big leads.

The inimitable Humphrey Bogart steps into the shoes of Marlowe and rocks his character from start to finish. He is unflinching, witty, and despite his haggard appearance and gravelly voice, he charms the daylights out of every woman he comes across. Bogart as a private detective is guaranteed to bring a good show.

The leading lady in this picture is the illustrious Lauren Bacall in her role as the beautiful and erudite Vivian. Her determination to get to the bottom of the case and protect her sister is potent, and she is a force to be reckoned with every time she appears on screen.

Bogart’s and Bacall’s chemistry is superb and is the flagship of the acting corps for this film. The hard rock of their larger than life personalities metaphorically grind together with each encounter until something softer between them is formed, and by the end of the movie you see their transformations without fully compromising their established characters.

It’s a more off color love story to companion the crime caper that’s front and center.

The supporting cast is nothing to scoff at either. Martha Vickers is plays her role as the playful yet surprisingly dark pretty young Carmen, and the other supporting men work well as the deceptively sinister gangsters behind the whole affair.

Even the cab driver who appears for all of thirty seconds is entertaining, even if it is mostly for her verbal exchange with Marlowe.

The score is loud and sinister and hooks the viewer in right from the start with an orchestral explosion to start the opening credits. It swells and decompresses like a beating heart along with the pacing of the film, and looms and leers with sinister pieces as the action ramps.

In this movie the music in the film work in tandem as a partnership rather than running as parallels spliced together, and it makes a remarkable difference.

The takeaway is this: The Big Sleep is essential viewing for fans of mystery stories and older films in general. The writing, the acting, the music, and even the restrictive black and white visuals work together to provide a moody, atmospheric portrait of early 20^th century aesthetic. just get yourself comfortable, get food, your ultrasonic cool mist humidifier with essential oils, turn the lights off and enjoy.  Everything culminates in an absolutely excellent film.

Some supplementary content:

If you’re interested in the source material, check out the book.

If you really like this Bogart fellow, check out The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca.

If you love the duo of Bogart and Bacall, check out Key Largo and To Have and Have Not.

And if you have any thoughts on the flick, why not talk about it in the comment section below?

Our next pick from the Trunk of Old Movies will be Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein!

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