Review of The Maltese Falcon (1941) by Steven B — 06 Sep 2009

I'm only a casual fan of the film noir genre. By no means do I love all of them- but there are some that have really captivated me. The Maltese Falcon, though considered a great classic by many, really didn't do much for me, at least on the first viewing. I may have to watch it again sometime to see if it grows on me. I do consider it above average, because it has its moments and has a handful of good qualities. These include the casting of the roles played by Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, and Elisha Cook, Jr. Bogart was very likable as Sam Spade even though he may have fallen in love with the dame of questionable character played by the drab Mary Astor. I liked the wardrobe used in the film. Sam Spade wore some very sharp suits. The story, while convoluted, has some intrigue to it. It's based on a novel by Dashiel Hammett, one of the same authors that influenced the Coen Brothers, who are one of my favorite filmmaking teams. I don't know if it comes directly from the novel or from the movie, but the scene where Spade is conversing and drinking with Kasper Gutman and then passes out from his drink being drugged is directly referenced the Coens' "The Big Lebowski".

And now what's not good. There's too much talking. I know this might be an easy thing to pick on, but it got to me after a while. Everything is exposition in long drawn out explanation and inquiries. The actors just have to memorize the line and spout them out. There's hardly any time to be expressive with their faces. Actually I think there were very few, if any, real close-ups in the film, which brings me to my next flaw: ordinary camera work. Nothing stuck out as being particularly impressive because most of the shots were just people standing and walking around in rooms. There were a few action shots and brief outdoor action, but they went by quick and were not impressive. The story was okay but I never felt riveted. The only character I cared about was Sam Spade, and that's just because he's played by Bogart. None of the characters made me care about them. Also the musical score was nothing extra special, just the usual style for a noir of the time.