Review of The Maltese Falcon (1941) by Evan T — 25 Feb 2011

Of Bogie's noir mega-classics, this clearly being one, I prefer the Howard Hawks stuff to Huston. I also prefer Chandler to Hammett in ways, so to me, this isn't THE all-time classic Bogie noir of legend, but its pretty damn close. To look at it standing alone though, and to consider its timing and influence, this is about as good and as classic as it gets.

So classic that it; evolved Bogart from low level contract player dominant Hollywood force, debuted director John Huston (considered one of the best ever), redefined detective films, solidified the birthing of a whole genre, and arguably changed the entire direction of american cinema. That's quite a lot to attribute, but the movie backs it up.

It may not seem it, but The Maltese Falcon is utterly focused on being a character piece, and in it Bogart sets the standard for what would become decades of stoic male characters living in worlds shaded in grays; with their own moral code, their own honor system, a refusal to play the sap, and a willingness to drag themselves into the depths of hell before they betray these things. Its not about upholding any laws, its about upholding a set of personal convictions and ways of being. He's endearing because he speaks bluntly about the world around him, doesn't overestimate his importance, and shows the occasional glimmer of good heartedness despite a callous exterior that expects only bad things from the world. In 1940s America this was a pretty dark life perspective that I'm sure hugely appealed to a generation of men who lived in the harsh real world and thought that movies (and images presented by culture in general) were a bunch of fanciful bull****.

Watch, own, love, and cherish this one. It deserves it. So do you.