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Summary: My Favorite Detective Movie
Review: THE MALTESE FALCON is my favorite detective movie of all time. It is considered a classic today because so many different facets of the film's making seem to have come together magically in this one production.John Huston was a screenwriter who wanted to remake the old MALTESE FALCON as his first film as a director. He not only did a superb job in his directing debut but also acted as screenwriter. The selection of Sydney Greenstreet to fill the role of Kaspar Gutman at age 61 after specializing in playing butlers on Broadway was another fortunate choice. Greenstreet had no previous Hollywood experience. The most important decision of all was probably to cast Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade after George Raft had turned down the offer. It helped that the film had an all-star array of actors to complement Bogart. It would be difficult to find more suitable picks than Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, Ward Bond and Elisha Cook, Jr. Even a mere cameo appearance by Walter Huston resulted in an unforgettable scene. The director's father portrayed the dying Captain Jacobi of the La Paloma delivering the Falcon to Spade's office. THE MALTESE FALCON is certainly not a love story in the style of CASABLANCA. The Bogart characters in both films, however, strike me as being quite similar. I see them both as ordinary men who rise to heroic heights by sticking to a few basic rules of decency - in spite of their many human failings. I highly recommend THE MALTESE FALCON and am sure that I will no doubt see it again - and again.
Rating: 
Summary: Everybody's a liar. Where's the truth?
Review: Most of the movie is in the lines, not in the scenes. So, more than watching, you have to hear. In these lines you will find that almost every dialog is full of lies and then your first option is to guess what is the truth no one wants to tell. However, the movie does not become a mess. Bogart plays the detective very nicely to guide you through the story. That's your second option: just follow him and don't worry trying to guess what's happening. There are some scenes out-of-date for our 21-century point of view, but they are part of a whole picture well introduced. I'm giving four stars because I had liked another final, though the one shown would fit perfectly in the story. The actors' performance would deserve more.
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Summary: Bird Flies on DVD
Review: First, the DVD transfer of the movie is terrific. I've owned this film for many years on VHS, and enjoyed it until I saw it on DVD. The tonal quality is preserved in a manner that simply isn't possible on tape. The DVD transfer has none of the film defects that I didn't notice until I saw it here. The sound quality is great. There are two movie trailers along with a closer look at Bogart's other movies. Whenever I watch these B/W films on DVD I have to turn the contrast down on my television, as they lose too many gray tones on my regular 'auto' setting on my TV. Hammett's taut mystery actually was made into film more than once; as the box states, this is the third version. No one remembers the others, and for good reason. This is the first and foremost of the 'film noir' genre, never surpassed. The lean quality of film noir is never more apparent than in this movie. There isn't an ounce of fat in it. The trick is to maintain this quality without having the actors sound stilted, as they did in so many imitators. Not here, though. The plot concerns the pursuit of an ancient bejewelled statue of a falcon, and the people determined to acquire it by any means possible. In the film, these are Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet. All play their parts to quirky perfection. I've read before that Mary Astor had to campaign hard to get this role after her career was tarnished with a tell-all sex scandal. She shines here with a buttoned-up performance that certainly isn't a part that flatters. Peter Lorre is a hoot as the androgynous Joel Cairo--love that permed hair! This was indeed Sidney Greenstreet's first movie after a long and distinguished career on the stage. He was quite lacking in confidence in his performance until he saw the final film, then went on to make any others. Another standout was the performance of Elisha Cook, Jr., as the smarmy bodyguard, Wilmer, for Greenstreet. For those who haven't seen the movie, or don't remember it, I won't detract from the pleasure of watching it by further outlining the plot. Suffice to say that it has a number of twists and an ending that one wouldn't predict. This is a movie I watch periodically simply to enjoy the interplay of actors and the mastery of the movie-making process. Watching it, it's amazing that it was the first film directed by John Huston, and what a way to start! The VHS transfer of this movie was good, but the DVD is much, much better--the permanence of DVD notwithstanding. It will make a valuable addition to your film library, and one that you can enjoy repeatedly.
Rating:
Summary: Quintessential Bogart, Quintessential Detective Film
Review: Whenever I think of Humphrey Bogart, I think of him in "The Maltese Falcon". Though Bogart had been a strong supporting player before this film, he had primarily played villainous gangsters. Even in "High Sierra" released earlier that year, Bogart had played a gangster albeit a sympathetic one. But it was this role that planted the image of Bogart into our psyche and made him into a major star. In addition to Bogart, this film marked the directorial debut of the great John Huston who would go on to a successful career. Huston and Bogart would team up again in "Across the Pacific", "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "Key Largo", "The African Queen", and "Beat the Devil". Bogart plays Sam Spade, a hard-boiled San Francisco detective who finds himself embroiled in a strange case when a seemingly helpless woman enlists his aid. Soon afterwords, his partner is murdered and Spade must contend with a bizzare and dangerous assortment of characters. It seems that everyone is after a priceless statue (listed in the title) and will stop at nothing to get it. What I always thought was neat about Bogart was the way he managed to stay on top of every situation. He sees through every ploy, he keeps taking the gun away from Wilmer, he doesn't let his deceitful client get the better of him, and all the while somehow managing to remain uncorrupted, maintaining his own code of honor. He was truly one of the coolest actors ever (is it appropriate for a 22-year-old to use the word "cool"?). The only downside is that Bogart's popularity probably caused a lot of people to take up smoking. Fortunately, I managed to escape this fate. The supporting cast couldn't be better. Mary Astor is quite good as Brigid O'Shaughnessy, a compulsive liar who gets what she deserves at the end. Sydney Greenstreet is appropriately disgusting as the obese Kasper Gutman (GUTman?!), and that great character actor Peter Lorre has a memorable role as the menacing, vaguely homosexual Joel Cairo. Lorre I thought always had the most expressive eyes I've ever seen. One moment you're frightened of him, the next moment you find yourself laughing at him. For anyone who likes Bogart, Huston, or private-eye thrillers, this is the place to start.
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Summary: Deception on Lie...
Review: In the Maltese Falcon the audience can observe Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) as he is trotting through the city of San Francisco trying to figure out what people are hiding. The plot thickens as the audience learns that greed is the generating factor for deception and that the Maltese Falcon is invaluable. Deceptions then lead Sam into a spiraling plan made by someone, but who? Overall, the Maltese Falcon can be illustrated as a maze that entangles itself repeatedly, since one lie is built upon another lie.
Rating:
Summary: Deserves a FULL Five stars . . .
Review: ..not a measly, ungenerous four and a half ... Its time to give this film the credit it deserves ... .. and many reviewers here have. I still negotiate its second-best status for American popular-best behind CASABLANCA, with ON THE WATERFRONT, MRS MINIVER, and maybe TAXI DRIVER. MALTESE FALCON still stands up pretty well against these American classics. Its a fun enough film to be generally popular. Yet its hard-boiledness is guaranteed to hold the demanding Noir fan. The characters are nicely rounded and entertaining, and hardly dull. One might even call the Lorre character risque! (taking chances there...) If the film is slightly corny ("you'll want to see her ... she's a knock-out!") we are able to bear with these moments for it's better elements, which are worth waiting for ... ... of course, anyone who knows, knows any Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet vehicle/film is worth watching/waiting for ... and in this, we certainly get to see more of Peter Lorre than in CASABLANCA, the more highly touted of the two highly popular films... ...eventually one wants to compare FALCON with other noirish Bogey type vehicles: ROARING TWENTIES, BIG SLEEP... I suppose it comes close to SLEEP, but it rather stands alone ... and in no way does SLEEP, as much fun as it is, feature any kind of a duo like Lorre and Greenstreet. In short, it deserves an immediate and unconditional place on your shelf, if only for the presence of Peter L. and Sydney G. ... and see my Review for Background to Danger, Across the Pacific, and The Mask of Dimitrios...
--moosbrugger
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Cairo
Review: In the Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart is hired as a private detective as his assignment is to retrieve The Maltese Falcon. The Maltese Falcon is encrusted with many precious stones and is very valuable. Many lives have been left destroyed in its wake. Bogart is faced with many people all telling different stories and has to sort out who is telling the truth and who is lying. Peter Lore gives an especially great performance as Joel Cairo. I am not old enough to have seen many Lore movies, but he is great in this one. From what I understand, Lore always took some oddball roles, and this is certainly one of them. There are many twists and turns in the plot and it is hard to keep up with them at times, but overall they converge in an extremely watchable and exciting movie that will definitely keep you interested for the entire duration. There are not too many extras on this DVD, but I did find the original theatrical trailer very interesting. Extras or not, this is classic Film Noir and a must see.
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Summary: I had no idea what was going on.
Review: Normally a movie that leaves you with no idea what is going on is terribly annoying. Not this one. It's brilliant. It hails from the era when detective movies were making the transition from sophisticated plots and sharp thinking heros like Sherlock Holmes to the furious action of gun toting thugs and hard-core cops. The Maltese Falcon pioneered film-noir by introducing a small amount of action and mayhem with the hard-nosed hero performing several aggressive moves. But on the whole the murders and action are simply the background to the psychological question of whodunnit and the movie is unburdened by profanity or graphic violence. There are several main characters, notably abrasive Humphrey Bogart as tough guy private-eye Sam Spade. He must sort out the mystery behind the murder of his partner, and untangle a complicated web of intrigue involving the beautiful Brigid O'Shaunessy, the mysterious Joel Cairo, the gunman Wilmer Cook, and the obese "Fat Man" Kasper Gutman. In the quest for the fabled and priceless Maltese Falcon, there are several corpses that need to be accounted for. Whoddunit? For 99% of the movie, I had no idea, and was led on a wild goose chase of plot twists and possibilities. The superb plot (based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett) had me well and truly baffled. But the deception of artificial tears or false stories does not easily fool the perceptiveness of Sam Spade, nor does opposition quickly repress his confidence. Even the tinge of romance that is present is not overly sappy, because Sam Spade's determined moral principles easily overcome any passions for love or money that have conquered the villains he is pursuing. The hero of The Maltese Falcon is in this sense quite unlike the hero of the legendary Casablanca. His pursuit of truth and justice and immunity to the vices of girls and greed is completely inspiring, and so very unlike the movies of today. When the solution finally came at the end, I was amazed, but quite satisfied. Armed with the solution, I was ready to view and enjoy the whole movie again in a new light. The Maltese Falcon is renowned movie from 1941 that ranks among the greatest detective movies ever, and is a real treat to lovers of mystery today. Like mystery? Go watch it. You'll enjoy it more than once!
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Summary: Harder Hitting Than a Lead Armed Man With a Black Jack!
Review: This film is one of those flicks that just starts everything else in its genre but still after numerous films copy it it ransk as the best! Maltese Falcon gives of four big things; amazing dialogue, Humphrey Bogart, great cinemtography, and unseen violence! The plot follows a swine after swin as they search for a jewel encrusted falcon the only hitch is that somewhere along the line the falcon was misplaced. Bogart wants to know who has it and why everyone wants it! The dialogue is the saving grace of the film overlapping and delivered faster than a pizza! Smacks and gunshots are thrown all around the screen and Houston's direction catches every bit of it. Houston paints such a clear vision that the camera tends not to so much follow the scenes but move them along. houston constatnly pans off to follow and actor befor they even move making for a sense of rushed urgency and moving the film at break neck speeds. Bogart is offering his tough guy persona that he will later use to the utmost but here its raw, new and powerful. Mary Astor as the film's ice queen is brilliant. Never reaching the fame she deserved her off easy looks and washed out expressionsa nd stabbing tone of voice are just stunning and adds an extra element of danger. The film uses the "invisible gun technique"; of when you believe the film's "main" character is just off screen and will come into the plot to give the film another level of over the top depth but it never happens but its in the illusion of this character that gives the flick an omnipresent feel. Films of this stature are not even being produced anymore because this level of talent is no longer around.
Rating:
Summary: The best of Dashiell Hammet
Review: One of the best movies ever made, and one I never tire of watching. Every time I see this film, I cannot fail to say, "They don't make them like that anymore." What a shame that the films of today cannot equal this masterpiece of John Huston's direction and one of the greatest casts ever to be in a film. Of course, there are not writers as great as Hammet around, are there?
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