The Maltese Falcon – 1941
This was a fun movie to watch. I’ve never been a huge Humphrey Bogart fan, but it seems like he was made for this kind of a role, a gum-shoe private investigator who is not afraid to step on the wrong side of the law when it suits him. Fortunately, he is a good guy at heart, so in the end he always does the right thing. It just isn’t always clear what the right thing is.
This is a classic example of a genre called film noir, and is actually the first time I have ever seen one. It is a film that made full use of all the old character clichés: the private dick, the femme fatale, the smooth criminal mastermind, the nervous henchman, and the true-blue secretary.
Each has a place in the story and they always show up when you least expect them. Bogart plays the lead, Sam Spade, the private investigator who is good at what he does. He walks into his office to find the beautiful Mary Astor, playing the part of Brigid O’Shaughnessy, waiting in his office, doing her best to look both sexy and innocent at the same time.
She tells her story and hires Sam and his partner Miles Archer, played by Jerome Cowan to find her sister. Archer tails the man the sister is supposed to be with, but gets murdered by a mysterious figure. This plot point has the effect of making the case personal to Sam, though he doesn’t seem very distraught about his partner’s demise.
The following plot has more twists and turns than any other Best Picture nominee I’ve ever seen. The pace was fast and never let up. Enter the mysterious henchman Joel Cairo played by Peter Lorre and his nefarious employer Kasper Gutman played by Sydney Greenstreet. Gutman’s hit-man is a very cold-hearted, hot-tempered young man named Wilmer Cook, played by Elisha Cook Jr.
The whole point of the case is finding a priceless statue of a falcon. The mystery and mystique of the fabulous object is heightened when its back-story is given. It consisted of an ancient and royal gift of tribute, a solid gold falcon, being given from one kingdom to another which, when being transported by boat, was stolen by pirates. It then showed its golden head in several obscure moments over the years, during which time it was covered in a black lacquer. Where was the bird? Who had it? How much would people pay to obtain it? Who would be killed while trying to get it?
Sam Spade was a character that was an expert on looking out for himself, as any good detective should be. And yet, he wasn’t a flawless character. It was implied that he had been having an affair with his dead partner’s wife. He was no stranger to alcohol, and he seemed to have the emotional range of a doorknob. But despite that, there was even an unprofessional love story going on between Spade and the dangerous Miss O’Shaughnessy, though I must admit that I could have done without that little tidbit of a sub-plot.
As far as the cast went, they all played their parts well, but I have always had a soft spot for Peter Lorre. He was a wonderful character actor, usually taking the supporting roles. But he had a unique look and a distinct Austro-Hungarian Jewish accent that was undeniably his own. Even though he was one of the bad guys, I liked his character, though as a henchman, he was pretty inept, especially when pitted against the dashing Sam Spade.
The film contained plenty of suspense, misdirection, and intrigue. Even the climax of the movie was a fake-out. When the statue finally makes its appearance on the screen, we learn that it was a forgery of the real statue all along. It was a worthless mock-up! All the lies, all the murders, and all the betrayals meant nothing. And really, I was a bit disappointed, myself. It was a let-down when the big reveal was another deception.
But it was a necessary plot point to get to the proper ending. Spade’s name is cleared and he sends all the criminals to jail, including his love interest, Miss O’Shaughnessy, who turned out to be his partner’s murderer. He even implies that he would consider waiting for her to get out after a probable 20 year sentence. Of course… noble and forthright to the end. Thank you Hollywood.