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I read that the producers of Sunset Boulevard had wanted Montgomery Clift to play the part that ended up being taken by William Holden. I think that was a lucky break for all of us -- Clift would have ruined the movie and made it too heavy. He was so serious, so dark, and so moody. Holden, on the other hand, was PERFECTAMUNDO! He adds just the right light touch of irony to it in his narration. Only William Holden could have pulled that off.

I have watched "The Big Sleep" probably more than 200 mes in my 53 years ... but I'd have put "The Maltese Falcon" on this list instead. I think the chemistry between Bogart and Mary Astor was delicious, and Astor was just TOPS as a very convincing liar gambling that she can take advantage of the sappy side of a man's heart -- and almost doing it. Bogart to Astor when she's begging him for his help, using her feminine wiles. He says: "You won't need anyone's help. You're good."

Not that The Big Sleep doesn't have some great Bogie lines, too! While tipping the lady cab driver: "Here you go, sugar. Buy yourself a cigar." When Carmen asks Bogie, "Is he as cute as you?" Bogie answers: "Nobody is." And when the villainess gets knocked to the floor in a scuffle, he says: "Get up, Agnes. You look like a pekingese."

On the other hand, the Maltese Falcon has a bunch, too. When Miss O'Shaughnessy (Astor) slaps the effeminate Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) and Cairo starts to hit back, Bogie throttles him and snarls, "When you get slapped, you'll take it and like it." When Miss O'Shaughnessy laments the murder of Sam Spade's partner, Miles, and asks if Miles was a good man, Bogie answers sardonically: "Yeah, with six thousand in insurance, no kids, and a wife that didn't like him."

It's even got Ward Bond, Sydney Greenstreet, and Elisha Cook in it. Can't beat those odds!