Classic 40s Movie: “The Maltese Falcon”
September is Classic 40s Movie month. Today’s guest post comes from Roy Gordon.
Movie Title: The Maltese Falcon
Year: 1941
Writers: John Huston, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett
Lead Actors: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Sidney (see trailer) Greenstreet
Director: John Huston
Plot Summary: When his partner is killed, a private detective gets caught up in the mystery and intrigue of a statuette known as the Maltese Falcon, with devious shady characters and a “femme fatale” with dangerous lies.
Why I Think This Is A Classic 40s Movie
Often considered the first “noir” movie, it sure is the first major movie featuring the play of light and shadows derived from the German Expressionism and the web of crime, lies, deception and betrayals which would later lead to this type of movie getting that label. It marks the directorial debut of John Huston and Humphrey Bogart becomes an A-list leading man.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie
The climatic long last scene between Spade and Brigid (if that is indeed her real name) decides he won’t play the sap, doesn’t care who loves who and has to do what he has to do because when your partner gets killed you’re supposed to do something about it; if not, it’s bad for all detectives (Hammett had really been a Private Eye and his school is Realistic, unlike the Romantic of Chandler). I find the delivery of the “I’ll wait for you” line perfect; it all depends on the viewers interpretation of Spade — just like in the novel Hammet doesn’t qualify it as sardonic or earnest.
And also… Joel Cairo, pulls a gun on Spade and announces he intends to search the office and will shoot, after which Spade knocks him out. After apparently reaching an agreement, Cairo gets his gun back — and immediately points it at Spade and when he gets the gun back, he again announces he intends to search the office and will shoot.
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie
Detective: Heavy. What is it?
Sam Spade: The… stuff that dreams are made of.
This is a dialogue-heavy movie, with lots of great dialogue, between Spade, Brigid, Cairo and Gutman; a few other examples
Kasper Gutman: I couldn’t be fonder of you if you were my own son. But, well, if you lose a son, it’s possible to get another. There’s only one Maltese Falcon.
Joel Cairo: I am prepared to pay five thousand dollars for the figure’s return. Do you have it?
Sam Spade: No.
Joel Cairo: But if it isn’t here, why did you risk serious injury to prevent my searching for it?
Sam Spade: Why should I sit around here and let people come in and stick me up?
Joel Cairo: But certainly it is only natural that I try to save the owner such a considerable expense if possible.
Sam Spade: Now, let’s talk about the black bird.
Kasper Gutman: Let’s. Mr. Spade, have you any conception of how much money can be got for that black bird?
Sam Spade: No.
Kasper Gutman: Well, sir, if I told you… If I told you half… you’d call me a liar.
Sam Spade: No, not even if I thought so.
Brigid O’Shaughnessy: I haven’t lived a good life. I’ve been bad, worse than you could know.
Sam Spade: You know, that’s good, because if you actually were as innocent as you pretend to be, we’d never get anywhere.
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie
From a screenwriting point of view — of writing a screenplay and getting it produced…
Adaptation — Very, very close to the novel, including most of the dialogue, though the final exchange quoted above is usually credited to Bogart himself.
Remake — Two Previous versions and the reason why a remake should be done: John Huston felt the previous versions were bad and he could do much better. Remake a potential good movie which was badly done and make it better, not remake an already good movie and make it worse.
Importance of casting — compare with 1931 version, especially Cairo and Gutman. Here’s a clip with all of them together:
In the book, Spade is a tall “Blond Satan” with hooked nose and pointed chin — how different from Bogart can one get? Yet, Bogart nails perfectly the essence of the character; we have here a Protagonist who’s a cold, calculating man — not a sympathetic character at all — but who’s surrounded by bigger crooks and is smart and resourceful. In the words of Kasper Gutman: “By Gad, sir, you are a character. There’s never any telling what you’ll say or do next, except that it’s bound to be something astonishing.”
With a low budget of 300–380 k (about 5–6 M today), less than half of Casablanca, a first-time Director, no A-list stars (though Mary Astor, had just won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, this was Bogart’s first top-billing movie), it shows how far one can go with talent and a great story.
Thanks, Roy! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
We already have a set of classic 5os movies, 60s Movies, 70s movies, 80s Movies and 90s Movies. This month, we’re working on 40s movies. And thanks to the GITS community, we’ve got 30 movies in the works, one for each day of the month!
Those who I put in bold have already sent me their posts. If you haven’t sent yours to me, please do so as soon as you can!!!
Act of Violence — Eric Rodriguez
Arsenic and Old Lace — Katha
Bicycle Thieves — Megaen Kelly
Brief Encounter — Emily Bonkoski
Casablanca — Paul Graunke
Double Indemnity — Susan Winchell
Five Graves to Cairo — Jeff Gibson
Foreign Correspondent — Doc Kane
His Girl Friday — John Henderson
It’s a Wonderful Life — David Laudenslager
Key Largo — Will King
Laura — Melinda Mahaffey Icden
Les enfants du paradis — Brendan Howley
Mrs. Miniver — Traci Nell Peterson
Notorious — Christine Henton
Now Voyager — Melissa Privette
Out of the Past — Brantley Aufill
Rope — Lance Morgan
The Bank Dick — Bob Saenz
The Best Years of Their Lives — Shaun Parker
The Big Sleep — Ipsita Barik
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir — Annie Wood
The Long Voyage Home — Vincent Martini
The Lost Weekend — Liz Warner
The Maltese Falcon — Roy Gordon
The Ox-Bow Incident — Clay Mitchell
The Philadelphia Story — Kristen Demaline
The Sin of Harold Diddlebock — David Joyner
The Third Man — Harry Cooke
To Have and Have Not — Felicity Flesher
Thanks to everyone who steps up for this ongoing project!
For the original post explaining the series, go here.
For all of the 40s movies featured in the series, go here.
Click REPLY and see you in comments about today’s classic 40s movie!