Review of The Maltese Falcon (1941) by Matthew L — 23 Feb 2010

1941, A little known director named John Huston begins his directorial career with an adaptation of the mystery novel The Maltese Falcon. What Huston didn't know was that his debut would turn out to be not only the best film noir of all time, but one of cinema's most complex and timeless mysteries.

Sam Spade, a small time private eye in San Francisco finds his partner in business dead. What he unwillingly digs up is a seedy scheme featuring a ring of thieves, femme fatales, and plenty of other less than reputable characters. What are they after? fortune, fame, revenge? No, a jewel covered falcon statue. Spade falls deeper and deeper until.....sorry no spoilers. The story is enough to give this movie 100%. The plot is so engrossing, with plenty of twists and turns just like the windy streets of San Francisco and the end, suprising but believable.

The actors are what gives the movie its heart. This is the kind of movie that makes Humphrey Bogart my favorite actor, he's got so much style, an unforgettable expression, he's got to be the coolest actor of all time. He can woe the ladies and can rough up the hot shots. He embodies the film noir protagonist and is no less a cultural icon. But enough about Bogey, The Maltese Falcon boasts one of the best supporting cast of classic cinema. The ever creepy but lovable Peter Lorre and the great Sydney Greenstreet (both of which joined Bogey in Casablanca!) The weakest link was probably Astor as the femme fatale.

I've heard a lot of people call this movie, boring, tedious, or say that it hasn't aged well. On the contrary, I found this movie very thrilling. True it didn't contain any gun-fights, chase scenes, or explosions but it keeps you thrilled by building a labyrinthe mystery so intense and so well-crafted that I can't describe it with words, it's simply the stuff that dreams are made of...