Lash Canino Character Analysis in The Big Sleep

Racketeer Eddie Mars’s “best boy,” Lash Canino is a lethal hired assassin. He kills the grifter Harry Jones, who’d been snooping into Mars’s business, by lacing his whiskey with cyanide. Canino also keeps Mars’s wife Mona in hiding, to keep up the pretense that she ran away with the missing Rusty Regan. When private detective Philip Marlowe finds Mona’s hiding place, he has to kill Canino to protect himself and Mona, who helps Marlowe to escape.

Lash Canino Character Timeline in The Big Sleep

The timeline below shows where the character Lash Canino appears in The Big Sleep. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...tells Marlowe he noticed Rusty wasn’t around, and then noticed that Mars’s tough guy Lash Canino, who usually keeps his distance, was in town. Jones told this to Joe Brody, who... (full context)

...nasty building.” Marlowe finds the office on the fourth floor, and hears Jones’s voice identify Canino, with whom he is talking. Marlowe hears Canino respond menacingly. (full context)

Wealth, Status, and Social Mobility Theme Icon

...stalks through the adjoining rooms to peer through a door into the room Jones and Canino are in. From his hiding place, the detective hears Canino telling Jones that “Eddie don’t... (full context)

Jones gives Canino a weak excuse for why Agnes wants to talk to Marlowe, which doesn’t go down... (full context)

Canino pours a couple of drinks for him and Jones. There is a sound of choking... (full context)

...cyanide. Marlowe picks up the phone and finds the number for the address Jones gave Canino. The person who answers believes Marlowe’s pretense that he is a cop, and confirms there... (full context)

...office when the phone rings. It’s Agnes. Marlowe tells her that Jones ran off when Canino started looking for him, though Agnes doesn’t believe Marlowe. Nevertheless, she wants the money and... (full context)

...what happened to Jones. Marlowe repeats the story that Jones ran for it, scared of Canino. (full context)

Agnes recounts seeing Mona Mars driving with Canino in the car a couple weeks ago. Agnes was with Joe Brody at the time,... (full context)

...town. Marlowe says he is a stranger in this town, and didn’t pull the heist. Canino tells Art to back off. Marlowe gets his first glance at Canino. (full context)

Art sets off to sort out Marlowe’s tires. Canino pours himself and Marlowe a drink as they wait for Art. Marlowe sniffs the glass... (full context)

...Unable to move his arms, Marlowe can’t reach his gun or protect his face from Canino’s punch. Marlowe falls unconscious from the second punch. (full context)

The woman explains that Canino looked through his pockets and found his wallet. In response to Marlowe’s question, she confirms... (full context)

Mona becomes angry, repeating that Eddie is not a killer. Marlowe says Eddie orders Canino to kill, and that the detective has seen Canino kill. Wanting to fill the silence,... (full context)

...She cuts the ropes holding Marlowe down, but doesn’t have the key for his handcuffs. Canino does. Mona explains she didn’t think Eddie was a killer. She collapses into a chair. (full context)

...to convince “Silver-Wig” to go with him, but she won’t. The detective warns Mona that Canino might kill her, but she says she’s still his boss’s wife. Marlowe says Canino could... (full context)

Marlowe doesn’t run into Canino or Art as he goes back to his car in the pouring rain. He thinks... (full context)

...gets his hidden gun out, and has to quickly hide to avoid the headlights of Canino’s returning car. (full context)

...round as he can reach it, and walks back toward the house. He climbs into Canino’s empty car and turns the ignition, the motor sounding through the night. Marlowe then gets... (full context)

Canino opens one of the house’s windows and fires three gun shots into the driver’s seat.... (full context)

The front door opens, and Mona steps out, with Canino holding a gun to her back. Mona screams and says she can see Marlowe behind... (full context)

Marlowe gets up and calls Canino, who faces him. Marlowe shoots him four times and Canino falls to the ground, dead.... (full context)

...Gregory at the Missing Persons Bureau. The cop has heard all about Marlowe’s encounter with Canino. The Captain asks who told Marlowe where Mona was hiding, and Marlowe tells him about... (full context)

...Mona to the police the previous night, but Eddie had said he hadn’t realized that Canino was a killer, and claimed he hadn’t heard about Geiger’s racket. (full context)

...the private detective “played it smart” by telling the police everything about his encounter with Canino. Marlowe explains he and Mona had filed statements and the police let Mona go. (full context)

...had taken them to Jones’s office to show them the body, and they had found Canino’s print to verify Marlowe’s version of events. Later, Eddie Mars had also gone to Wilde’s... (full context)

...sitting room, led by the maid Mathilda. Mrs. Regan calls him a “brute” for killing Canino and terrifying Carmen into a fit. Marlowe asks how Carmen is doing, and Mrs. Regan... (full context)

...as Eddie will want to kill him. Marlowe isn’t scared—he already killed Eddie’s “best boy” (Canino). Marlowe leaves. (full context)