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| | Label: Warner Home Video
Salesrank: 39945
Released: February 15, 2000 |
| Our Price: $34.95 |
| Used Price: $16.90 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Still the tightest, sharpest, and most cynical of Hollywood's official deathless classics, bracingly tough even by post-Tarantino standards. Humphrey Bogart is Dashiell Hammett's definitive private eye, Sam Spade, struggling to keep his hard-boiled cool as the double-crosses pile up around his ankles. The plot, which dances all around the stolen Middle Eastern statuette of the title, is too baroque to try to follow, and it doesn't make a bit of difference. The dialogue, much of it lifted straight from Hammett, is delivered with whip-crack speed and sneering ferocity, as Bogie faces off against Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet, fends off the duplicitous advances of Mary Astor, and roughs up a cringing "gunsel" played by Elisha Cook Jr. It's an action movie of sorts, at least by implication: the characters always seem keyed up, right on the verge of erupting into violence. This is a turning-point picture in several respects: John Huston (The African Queen) made his directorial debut here in 1941, and Bogart, who had mostly played bad guys, was a last-minute substitution for George Raft, who must have been kicking himself for years afterward. This is the role that made Bogart a star and established his trend-setting (and still influential) antihero persona. --David Chute
The Maltese Falcon Reviews:
Classic Movie of a Classic Novel 
2009-12-28 - It's mid-afternoon when a woman (Mary Astor) walks into the detective agency of Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) and Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) with a tale of a wayward sister she wants them to track down. This sister has taken up with a no good named Thursby. Archer agrees to do the stake out and hopefully follow Thursby to the sister.
In the middle of the night, Spade is wakened by a phone call. Archer has been shot. A little later, Thursby is also shot. The police seem intent on pinning one of those crimes, if not both, on Spade. Meanwhile, the client has disappeared and a man (Peter Lorre) holds Spade a gun point demanding the Maltese Falcon. What in the world is going on?
After I listened to this book on tape, I fully intended to watch the classic movie version. It only took my three and a half years. As such, my recollection of the book might be a little dim, but this movie version didn't deviate too wildly from what I remember. In fact, it improved by tightening up several scenes near the climax that dragged in the book. The story is still compelling and the characters seriously flawed. Yes, the plot is now a cliche in many ways, but this story did it first.
My only real complaint with the movie is the dated acting. The characters speak too fast most of the time, not giving us time to process or emotions time to be fully explored. Of course, that would be a blessing for Mary Astor who over acts all her emotional scenes, and she's got plenty of them. The style of acting here would work well for the stage or a silent movie, but it's caught up in the transition to talking movies, still.
Even so, this movie is well worth watching. It is definitely a classic for a reason.
Yeah, he's a tough guy. 
2009-12-13 - Like a fine wine or a single malt, this movie ages well. Watch and enjoy something that they can't do anymore.
a timeless classic
2009-11-02 - Just watched the DVD a second time, what a fine story, a great cast and just the best direction. What ever happened to Hollywood that we don't get this kind of film anymore from there?
Classic
2009-10-27 - Classic, one of Bogart's best. They don't make them like this anymore. Highly recommended. I didn't want the other movies, but had to buy the package set to get The Maltese Falcon. Wish Amazon would have offered the movie as a stand-alone.
The First Film Noir - Bogie's Best! [VHS VERSION]
2009-09-07 - I got to rewatch this as I was reviewing my VHS collection. From MGM/UA comes the VHS version in "glorious black and white." The cassette plays the original film as-is, with no clean-up, complete with little crackles and dust motes, etc.
Bogart plays Sam Spade, one of his best roles that nearly typecast him as the hard-boiled film noir private detective. San Francisco 1941, complete with Bay Bridge and Bush & Stockton Streets. At that fateful corner, Sam's partner Archer bites it. But he never pulled a gun and his coat is buttoned. Did he know the killer?
And who is the mysterious woman who is a pathological liar and overacts to Sam? Sam sees right through her ("you're good -- now you gonna walk around and start straightening everything out in the room?"). She's in over her head.
Peter Lorre plays the slimy Turk who insists on searching Spade's office even after Sam punches him out for pulling a gun on him. What nerve!
Sydney Greenstreet is the rich businessman who in oh so smooth and suave way, takes Spade at his word and seemingly takes him into his confidence -- until a Mickey in the drink changes Sam's mind.
Wilmer is an interesting character, makes like a gangster and could be the fall guy for the gang's murderous ways.
As a detective story, the plot moves steadily if a bit slowly towards its completion. I already knew who the killer was, having watched this a few times already, so I get more and more impressed with the style of 40s filmmaking whenever I watch it. Mary Astor is the strange lady with strange purpose.
Looks like the director was trying to work in the Archer's wife who was in love with Spade thing, but they let that drop, the only real plot hole in the whole affair.
Overall, great film that would set up Bogart for life. Highly recommended.
