The Maltese Falcon

Rating:
Summary: You'll Get Slapped and Like It!
Review: My annual viewing of my favorite detective film of all time was at hand. I had a glass of whiskey and a swell dame close by. She hadn't shot my partner. That would be bad for detectives everywhere, so I didn't let her take the fall this time.

Taken from the amazing Dash Hammet mystery novel, The Maltese Falcon translated to film without a hitch. In fact, Dash co-wrote the script and much of the novel's dialogue is uttered by the likes of Bogey, Mary Astor, Sid Greenstreet and Peter Lorrie. In Hammet's world, everyone is lying. This is the first Noir film, dark and cynical. There's something in my drink. John Houston shoots it without thrills. There aren't any fancy Orwellian shots, so for that reason, some film schools are snobby about this film. All the scenes take place in a Hollywood set including exteriors.

Ah, but the characters drive this 41 Chevy coupe. Sam Spade is the American. Bogart refines this icon character a few years later in Casablanca. Spade has seen it all and he doesn't stick his neck out for nobody unless his code is lanced. Then all the fury of detectivehood is unleashed and even a great kisser can take the fall.


Rating:
Summary: Bogart's Transition Movie
Review: This is a 1941 movie that marks a transition in the career of Bogart. In this drama he makes the transition and leaves behind the gangster role facing the electric chair, his prior theme in a number of 1930's movies, to being a respectable member of society as a private detective. After the present movie, he goes on in some of his next films to play in love stories, far removed from the gangster roles. This movie sets the stage for Casablanca and the multiple Oscars.

For Bogart fans this is a must buy. It does not have the complexity of Casablanca that has all the props, the time shifting, the music "As Time Goes By", fog, the French Police, and Ingrid Bergman, and it lacks the charm of African Queen with Hepburn, or the raw intensity of The Caine Mutiny, but it showcases the powerful acting skills of Bogart. It is his break out film as I thought Gladiator might be for Crowe.

From a production viewpoint it reminds one of a simple Broadway stage play with just a few actors and actresses. The movie is about a private detective Sam Spade played by Bogart set in downtown San Francisco in the late 1930's. There are no city scenes (except in the introduction), or special effects, or a lot of props, just a few hand guns and one small statue of a falcon, and of course Bogart puffing on a cigarette in a dark conservative business suit. He is a cool character among a group of greedy Falcon searchers. It takes place in mainly two apartment rooms and Sam Spade's office. It relies on the acting skills of Bogart and the outstanding directing of John Huston. The movie works, it works well, and some consider it the best detective drama movie ever made.

Bogart appears in virtually every scene, and the movie is carried almost completely by Bogart. Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre are perfect for their supporting parts and they add a certain attraction and exotic flair, along with depth and mystery to the movie. There is some continuity with the later movie Casablanca in that Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre have important roles in that movie as well. Greenstreet plays the black market travel document dealer Mr. Ferrari in Casablanca and Lorre is the document thief. Of course Mary Astor is excellent. Interestingly this same group play again together in a war movie Across the Pacific a few years later.

I started to view all of his movies and like this DVD because it has a good trailer collection including about 8 to 10 other movies.I have found over 50 movies by Bogart and created two Listmania lists. This is among the top 5 to 10.

5 stars, one of the best detective films made at least in the black and white era.

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Old Movies!
Review: A noir works best when it is fueled by the characters within it. Maltese Falcon could almost be a textbook example of how to achieve that.

A pitch-perfect, credible plot with more twists than an Elvis concert sits atop a taut script that creates bizarre characterizations from ear-bending conversations.

All of which are brought together to create a darkly intriguing world whose selfish players cannot get enough trying to screw each other over.

Highly recommended classic that stands up to repeat viewings. Everything you expect from a riveting mystery yarn, and more.