# Maltese Falcon, The (1941)

### reviewed by
Ted Prigge

    THE MALTESE FALCON (1941)
    A Film Review by Ted Prigge
    Copyright 1998 Ted Prigge

Director: John Huston Writer: John Huston (from the novel by Dashiell Hamet) Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook Jr, Jerome Cowan, Gladys George, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, Ward Bond, Walter Huston

There are a few perfect films in their own respects that have been made in cinema. This is one of them. "The Maltese Falcon" gets my vote for the greatest piece of American film noir, simply because everything about it is so flawless. Filled with twists and turns which are plausible and amazing, intriguing characters from all sides, and a story which is never boring, "The Maltese Falcon" actually improves upon each viewing. They just don't make films like this anymore.

"The Maltese Falcon"'s labyrinthine plot revolves around the least amoral and most intelligent character in the story: detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart), half of the detective office of "Spade and Archer." One day, a woman named Miss Wonderly (Mary Astor) comes in, asking them to find her sister who has been stolen from her by a man named Floyd Thursby. When Archer (Jerome Cowan) tails him that night, he is shot by point blank by someone. Only minutes later, Thursby is also shot in the back four times.

Not only out to clear his name since the cops think he shot one or both of them, but also to get vengeance for his partner, Sam begins to do some more investigating, and discovers that Thursby was thought to have in his posession an antique "malteese falcon," which is worth millions. Also, Miss Wonderly is revealed to be a liar who's real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessey, but whether she killed either of them is still questionable.

As the plot slowly unfolds, we are introduced to a trio of more unshady characters, all out to find the falcon: Joel Cairo (the great Peter Lorre), an aquaintance of Thursby's who uses some witless tactics to search Sam for the bid; Kasper Gutman (Philip Greenstreet), who's last name describes his shape, and a rich man seeking the bird for years, and willing to do anything to get it; and Wilmer Cook (Elisha Cook Jr.), Gutman's dim-witted hitman who makes a name for himself inconspicuously tailing Sam throughout the first half of the film.

The film has a brilliant plot, devoid of plot holes, implausibility, and genuine stupidity, but is only secondary to the characters. This is how film noir should work: the plot is fueled by the characters within it. None of these characters are trapped by a gimmick, or by a plot which needs to go only one place. Even the romance between Sam and Brigid is intelligently done, opening up whole new dimensions in the story. And the plot isn't just about who will get the bird; it's about who's smart enough to get it.

The film also sometimes feels like a play, posessing a lot of the intensity of watching live action occur. On my third viewing of the film, I timed the final scene at around 27 minutes, and in that scene, we get a continuation of the story, as well as a wrap up. The way this scene is done, with very few cuts, is one of the most intense scenes in cinema, as you're watching the end unfold mysteriously. One of the best things about this film is because it is character motivated, you don't always know where the plot is going to go, and this allows every future second to appear like a blind gaze. In this scene, which is long, we get tension purely because it is so superficially contained, and it's one of the best scenes in all of Hollywood history.

The script is also amazing, as it is rumored to be word-for-word from the novel it was adapted from (novel by Dashiell Hamet; script by director John Huston). The dialogue these people have are incredibly deft, and create well-drawn characters. There are numerous memorable scenes consisting of just dialogue that moves the action around, including the end, and a brilliantly done scene between Sam and Gutman, when they first meet. There are also some of the great lines that would become Bogie staples, like my personal favorite, "When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!"

And the acting from everyone is incredible, as their characters are written amazingly. Elisha Cook Jr nails his role as the dim-witted Wilmer, especially in the long final scene. Peter Lorre gives a memorable performance as Cairo, who has one of the coolest sounding voices in history (which was later an influence for the cartoon character, Ren - Lorre even gets a chance to yell at Gutman "You bloated idiot!"). Sidney Greenstreet is incredible as Gutman, playing his intelligent character appropriately cool, yet with undertones of scariness. And Astor plays her role so well that even I was as confused to her innocence as Sam was.

And, of course, there's Bogie. Humphrey gives one of his best if not his best performance of his career as the anti-hero Sam Spade, a lonor with a personal code of ethics which deems that he investigate the case further. Every scene he's in, he nails his character fully, embodying him completely. Every move he makes, and every piece of dialogue he utters is his that of Sam Spade. Not many people can embody a character in a film this well, but Bogie can do it.

The direction by John Huston (in his first directing of a film) is incredible. He paces everything perfectly, and has written a highly intelligent script which never loses the audience or insults their intelligence. Every single character is well-defined, and every twist, turn, back-stabbing, is plausible and shocking simultaneously. This is a film where it is almost impossible to be bored at, and definitely impossible to not be thrilled by.

Film noir is always a hard thing to do, but when every element is balanced correctly, when everything comes together effortlessly, you have a gem on your hands. "The Maltese Falcon" is the best film noir I've ever seen - better than "Chinatown" and the recent "L.A. Confidential" (also better than the recent "Jackie Brown," which also has great characterization). By creating a world where the selfish and cruel can abound by trying to screw eachother over, "The Maltese Falcon" suceeds in thrilling an audience on simple pleasures, and coming off as one of the most memorable and greatest films of all time.

    MY RATING (out of 4): ****

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