Preview the Summer Chautauqua character, William Faulkner, by viewing a short documentary and enjoying the film, The Big Sleep, with us.  William Faulkner wrote the screenplay for The Big Sleep (1946). Humphrey Bogart plays private eye Philip Marlowe, who is hired by a wealthy socialite (Lauren Bacall) to look into troubles stirred up by her wild, young sister (Martha Vickers). Legendarily complicated, the film is nonetheless hugely entertaining and atmospheric, an electrifying plunge into the exotica of detective fiction.