Review of The Maltese Falcon (1941) by A.j. E — 16 Sep 2009

I used to avoid black and white films; they just didn't do anything for me and I always found that their music was way too annoying for my tastes. Fortunately I'm a big fan of film noir and when you want a proper noir film, well then you've got little choice but to go to the old black and whites.

The Maltese Falcon was the film that finally took hold of me and shook me lose of my silly thoughts and preconceptions about black and white films. It proved to me without a doubt that there's no difference what colours the film is in.

This film is definately a classic and it was a lot like I had expected it to be, and yet a lot different, but there's no question why this film is a classic. It is a well acted and well told story and it is all noir. Bogart plays Sam Spade like the archetypical noir detective brilliantly and the plot twists and tightens as the smoke of an untold number of cigarettes fills the room in swirling wisps. Betrayals, intrigue, hard edged characters, this film is a brilliant example of what a noir film is. At least, for me it is.

Although I do think that this is a good film, I can't say that I like everything about it. The music does fall for the same thing as all films of around this period seem to fall for; all orchestral strings so bland, familiar and overused that it's impossible to distinguish one film from another. This isn't a film for everyone either. It works inside of its own world. The world is that of Sam Spade and Gutman, Joel Cairo and O'Shaughnessy, it's the world of noir. I like it, but I know everyone doesn't.

These are all minor nitpickings really though, anyone who is ever just interested in seeing this film specifically, or who wants to see an old noir film, then see this one because it is well worth all the praise it has received throughout the years.