October 15, 2025
CLARK ART INSTITUTE AND IMAGES CINEMA HOST SCREENING OF THE BIG SLEEP
Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Thursday, October 30 at 6 pm, The Clark Art Institute, in collaboration with Images Cinema, kicks off its Noir Film Series with a screening of The Big Sleep (1946). This program takes place in the Clark’s Manton Research Center auditorium.
Based on Raymond Chandler’s novel of the same name, The Big Sleep might be the high-water mark of Hollywood’s love affair with the infinitely slippery possibilities of the English language. It is also a study in the evasiveness of genre. Although the morals are skewed, the bullets plentiful, and the femmes most definitely fatale, Bogart’s Marlowe is a decent, (mostly) unconflicted hero, and much of the film takes place not in the shadowy streets but in a series of well-lit, beautifully appointed rooms. This only makes the film feel more subversive, as though the seedy criminal underworld were spilling over into real life, bringing with it the grim but thrilling aura of sexual abandon and sudden death. (Run time: 1 hour, 56 minutes)
Free. Accessible seats available; for information, call 413 458 0524.
The next screening in this series is The Hitch-Hiker (1943) on November 6 in the Manton Research Center auditorium.
ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of nearly 300,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.
The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday from September through June, and daily in July and August. Admission is free to all from January through March. From April through December, admission is $22 for adults, $20 for seniors (65+), $10 for young adults (18–25) and college students, and free for all visitors under 18. Admission is free year-round for Clark members. Free admission is also available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303.
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