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Top 100
Ninth film
The Maltese Falcon (1941, John Huston)
Thoughts: Bogart’s third best film is good enough to make my top 100 list. The Maltese Falcon is the granddaddy of film noir that dominated in the 1940s into the 1950s. The setup is a bit silly because the plot revolves around a femme fatal (Mary Astor), three petty crooks, and our hero Sam Spade (Bogart) all after the mysterious and extremely valuable macguffin “the black bird” that shares the name of the film’s title. It doesn’t really matter so much, because the film is not about plot, but about character interaction, lies, twists, double crosses, and one upping each other as they raise the ante. This is similar to the material of The Big Sleep, which granted is much darker and sinister, but slightly less charming with an even more incomprehensible story. But like I said, The Maltese Falcon does make perfect sense if the dialogue is thought about and on multiple viewings it all falls together nicely.
The character actors of Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet get a lot of screen time, though Bogart is literally the focus of every single scene except for one in the film. Lorre plays the smooth and refined Joel Cairo, one of the men after the Falcon. In an infamous example of getting around censors, Cairo is portrayed as an openly homosexual man who lusts after wealth and a clean shirt more than anything else. This becomes more clear on subsequent viewings and I admire scriptwriters and directors who were able to sneak this thing in below the radar of the Hayes code censors. Greenstreet is charming as Gutman, the film’s main heavy (yes) and foil to Bogart’s amoral hero. Greenstreet has some excellent moments and is a joy to listen to rolling lines out. Both of these character actors would go on to have minor roles in the overrated Casablanca. I need to also mention poor Elisha Cook Jr. who never gets his day, whether it be in this movie, The Big Sleep, The Killing, or Shane. The poor guy plays second fiddle and the scapegoat so well.
The film is paced at lightspeed, even by today’s standards. A lot of it goes by so quickly that it’s easy to miss key dialogue and plot points, but that tends to be a staple of noir. I also admire the camera work with the low angled shots looking up at the actors, shadows, and street lights. This is just a fun enjoyable movie that holds up to multiple viewings, even if it isn’t as serious or dark as other entries into the genre. The Maltese Falcon was the first Bogart film I ever saw. It was as a senior in high school during film class. The months afterwards I went to the public library and checked out dozens of Bogart films on VHS. I was… am a fan.
Best Scene: Bogart has found out about the death of his partner and has already gone a few rounds with the lying femme fatal played by Mary Astor when Joel Cairo enters his office. Lorre doesn’t bat an eye drawing a gun on Bogart, just after playing with his cane, which prompts our favorite private dick to unarm him. After a nice lengthy conversation Bogart gives the gun back to Lorre, who holds it on Bogart again demanding to search the room. Bogart has nothing left to do but laugh at the persistence and absurdity of the little man, as he’s rendered too amused to challenge him. That right there is pure Bogart.
&feature=related
this is sadly only half of the scene.
Ninth film
The Maltese Falcon (1941, John Huston)
Thoughts: Bogart’s third best film is good enough to make my top 100 list. The Maltese Falcon is the granddaddy of film noir that dominated in the 1940s into the 1950s. The setup is a bit silly because the plot revolves around a femme fatal (Mary Astor), three petty crooks, and our hero Sam Spade (Bogart) all after the mysterious and extremely valuable macguffin “the black bird” that shares the name of the film’s title. It doesn’t really matter so much, because the film is not about plot, but about character interaction, lies, twists, double crosses, and one upping each other as they raise the ante. This is similar to the material of The Big Sleep, which granted is much darker and sinister, but slightly less charming with an even more incomprehensible story. But like I said, The Maltese Falcon does make perfect sense if the dialogue is thought about and on multiple viewings it all falls together nicely.
The character actors of Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet get a lot of screen time, though Bogart is literally the focus of every single scene except for one in the film. Lorre plays the smooth and refined Joel Cairo, one of the men after the Falcon. In an infamous example of getting around censors, Cairo is portrayed as an openly homosexual man who lusts after wealth and a clean shirt more than anything else. This becomes more clear on subsequent viewings and I admire scriptwriters and directors who were able to sneak this thing in below the radar of the Hayes code censors. Greenstreet is charming as Gutman, the film’s main heavy (yes) and foil to Bogart’s amoral hero. Greenstreet has some excellent moments and is a joy to listen to rolling lines out. Both of these character actors would go on to have minor roles in the overrated Casablanca. I need to also mention poor Elisha Cook Jr. who never gets his day, whether it be in this movie, The Big Sleep, The Killing, or Shane. The poor guy plays second fiddle and the scapegoat so well.
The film is paced at lightspeed, even by today’s standards. A lot of it goes by so quickly that it’s easy to miss key dialogue and plot points, but that tends to be a staple of noir. I also admire the camera work with the low angled shots looking up at the actors, shadows, and street lights. This is just a fun enjoyable movie that holds up to multiple viewings, even if it isn’t as serious or dark as other entries into the genre. The Maltese Falcon was the first Bogart film I ever saw. It was as a senior in high school during film class. The months afterwards I went to the public library and checked out dozens of Bogart films on VHS. I was… am a fan.
Best Scene: Bogart has found out about the death of his partner and has already gone a few rounds with the lying femme fatal played by Mary Astor when Joel Cairo enters his office. Lorre doesn’t bat an eye drawing a gun on Bogart, just after playing with his cane, which prompts our favorite private dick to unarm him. After a nice lengthy conversation Bogart gives the gun back to Lorre, who holds it on Bogart again demanding to search the room. Bogart has nothing left to do but laugh at the persistence and absurdity of the little man, as he’s rendered too amused to challenge him. That right there is pure Bogart.
&feature=related
this is sadly only half of the scene.