Review of The Maltese Falcon (1941) by A.j. S — 20 Jun 2010

Clever, dark, and cool, the great John Hustonâ??s directorial debut is the classic that molded a thousand crime thrillers, both noir and contemporary. With shades drawn and harsh lines cast throughout the office, the damsel in distress visits the hardnosed detective; the most iconic of Hollywood film images.

From there on out, â??The Maltese Falconâ?? navigates down many dim alleys and finds plenty of deceitful characters for protagonist Sam Spade, played by the iconic Humphrey Bogart in his star-turning performance.

The supporting cast does more than just aid Bogart with the likes of the provocative Mary Astor, the creepily empathetic Peter Lorre, and the larger-than-life newcomer Sydney Greenstreet submitting brilliant performances.

Hustonâ??s story, along with its subversive homosexual undertones, and technical competence is clearly fearless in its intentions. The search for the MacGuffin is only half the fun because of these two quintessential facets matched with the perfect cast, which take the film from potentially enjoyable B-movie status to a must see, Hollywood golden-age classic.