”THE MALTESE FALCON” (1931) ReviewThe three versions of Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel seemed to have become a legend in Hollywood circles during the past decade. Many filmgoers are familiar with John Huston’s 1941 adaptation that starred Humphrey Bogart. However in recent years, these same movie fans have become familiar with previous adaptations of the novel. In 1936, William Dieterle directed a comic version starring Warren Williams and Bette Davis called ”SATAN MET A LADY”. And Roy Del Ruth directed the original adaptation in 1931, which starred Ricardo Cortez. It is this particular film I will be discussing.I have a confession to make. I have never read the novel, ”The Maltese Falcon”. The only Hammett novel I have ever read was ”The Thin Man”, published in 1934. Because of this, I would not be able to compare the novel to Del Ruth’s film adaptation. But I can discuss the movie. In a nutshell, ”THE MALTESE FALCON” told the story about a San Francisco private detective named Sam Spade, who finds himself drawn into a search for a valuable falcon statuette first created during the Crusades, while investigating three murders.The story began with a Miss Ruth Wonderly hired Spade and his partner, Miles Archer, to find her missing sister and a man named Floyd Thursby. When Thursby and Archer end up murdered, Spade discovered that Miss Wonderly is one of three people searching for a statuette called the Maltese Falcon. A mortally wounded ship’s captain delivered the statuette to Spade’s office before dropping dead, making him the case’s third murder victim. The entire case spiraled into a game of cat-and-mouse between Spade, Miss Wonderly, a wealthy fat Englishman named Caspar Gutman and an effeminate continental European named Dr. Joel Cairo. Spade also had to deal with the police, who are determined to pin the three deaths on him.So, what did I think of this version of ”THE MALTESE FALCON”? In the end, it turned out better than I had expected. However, the movie is not without its faults. There were times when I felt I was watching a filmed play (very common with early talking movies). But the film’s main problem seemed to be its pacing. It seemed too slow for what was supposed to be a witty murder mystery. Especially during the film’s first half hour. By the time Joel Cairo was introduced into the story, the pacing finally began to pick up. The dialogue provided by screenwriters Maude Fulton, Brown Holmes and an unaccredited Lucien Hubbard failed to improve over the course of the movie. Not only did the screenplay allow the dialogue to drag throughout the entire film, the latter was not that memorable. I did recognize a few lines from the 1941 film (which probably came from the novel), but nothing more. Also, I found the scene that featured Spade’s visit to an imprisoned Ruth Wonderly rather irrelevant. Spade’s reluctance to turn her over to the police should have conveyed his feelings for her toward the audience. The prison visit featured in the movie’s final scene simply struck me as unnecessary.But ”THE MALTESE FALCON” still struck me as a pretty damn good film. Considering that it had been released during Hollywood’s Pre-Code Period (1929-34), it is not surprising that this version is considered the sexiest of the three movies. Del Ruth, along with Fulton, Holmes and Hubbard, did an excellent job of conveying the womanizing aspect of Spade’s character by revealing his affairs with Archer’s wife Iva, his casual flirtation with his secretary Effie, and visual hints of his relationship with Ruth Wonderly – like a small indent in the pillow next to the client’s head, which hinted that Spade had spent the night with her. Other signs of Pre-Code sexuality included Spade bidding a female client good-bye at the beginning of the movie, a nude Miss Wonderly in a bathtub, an off-screen striptease eventually revealed with a bare-shouldered Miss Wonderly, and a hint of a homosexual relationship between Caspar Gutman and his young enforcer Wilmer Cook.Fulton, Holmes and Hubbard did a solid job of adapting Hammett’s novel for the screen by maintaining most of the original story. As I had pointed out earlier, the film’s dialogue did not strike me as memorable. It lacked the sharp wit of the 1941 adaptation. And it included an unnecessary scene from the novel – Spade’s visit to an imprisoned Ruth Wonderly – that could have easily been deleted. But the screenplay managed to hold its own. And considering that I have never read the novel, the screenplay did allow me to completely understand the story in full detail for the first time, without leaving me in a slight haze of fog. I found nothing memorable about William Rees’ photography or Robert M. Haas’ art direction . . . except in one scene. The scene in question featured an exterior setting, namely a street in San Francisco’s Chinatown where Miles Archer’s body was discovered. I suspect that this particular scene gave both Rees and Haas an opportunity to display their artistry beyond the movie’s usual interior settings.”THE MALTESE FALCON” also featured a surprisingly solid cast. In fact, I would say that it turned out to be better than I had expected. Ricardo Cortez, a New York-born Jewish actor with a Latin name, led the cast as detective Sam Spade. Cortez got his start in silent films and had grown to leading man status by the time he shot this film. By the late 1930s, he ended up in supporting roles as a character actor and later ended his acting career to become a successful stockbroker on Wall Street. I thought that Cortez gave a very sexy interpretation of Spade in his performance. Mind you, his constant smirks and grins in the film’s first ten to fifteen minutes seemed annoying. But in the end, Cortez grew on me. I can honestly say that not only did I find him very effective in portraying a sexy Sam Spade, he also managed to superbly capture the character’s cynical humor, toughness and deep contempt toward the police.Bebe Daniels, another survivor from the silent era, portrayed the movie’s femme fatale, Ruth Wonderly. She first became a star (following a stint as a child actor before World War I) during the 1920s. Her role in ”THE MALTESE FALCON” has been be considered as one of her best. And it is easy to see why. She managed to give an excellent performance as the ladylike, yet manipulative Ruth Wonderly, who drew Spade into the labyrinth search for the Maltese Falcon. Mind you, she lacked Mary Astor’s throbbing voice and nervous manner. But that is merely a minor hitch. Daniels still managed to portray a very convincing elegant temptress.Irish-born Dudley Digges portrayed the wealthy and obsessive Caspar Gutman, who is not above murder, bribery and a score of other crimes to acquire the falcon statuette. Although not as rotund as Sydney Greenstreet, Digges seemed plump enough to be regarded as Gutman’s nickname, "the Fatman". However, Digges’ Gutman seemed a bit too obsequious in his performance. He lacked the style to believably portray a man wealthy enough to conduct a twenty-year search for a valuable artifact. Instead, Digges reminded me of a corrupt minor official at a British post in the tropics. He seemed to the subtlety for infusing menace into his character. Whenever he tried to be menacing, he only ended up giving a hammy performance. On the other hand, Otto Matieson gave a more believable performance as Dr. Joel Cairo, Gutman’s Continental accomplice. Despite Effie’s description of him as an effeminate, Matieson portrayed Cairo as a no-nonsense and practical man who is careful with his money and with whom to trust. Whatever effeminate qualities his character possessed, Matieson kept it to a minimum.Una Merkel gave a humorous performance as Spade’s Girl Friday, Effie. Her Effie is not hesitant about expressing her attraction to Spade, yet at the same time, she seemed to find the detective’s other amorous activities rather amusing. Perhaps Merkel was amused at Thelma Todd’s performance as Archer’s widow and Spade’s mistress Ivy Archer. I found the future comedy star’s portrayal as the amorous and spiteful Ivy rather theatrical and false. It could have been her slightly hammy acting . . . or the fake clipped tone she used when pronouncing her words. All I do know that is that Todd seemed to be trying too hard as a scorned lover without any subtlety. At least Dwight Frye fared better as Gutman’s young enforcer, Wilmer Cook. Frye barely had any lines in the film, thank goodness. I have seen him in other films and his performance seemed to come off as hammy. But in ”THE MALTESE FALCON”, I thought he did a solid job in conveying the portrait of a baby-faced killer.It is a shame that John Huston’s 1941 movie has overshadowed this version of Hammett’s novel. Mind you, Roy Del Ruth’s version is not perfect. The movie’s pacing in the first 15 to 20 minutes struck me as rather slow. But if I must be honest, I can say the same about the 1941 film. I was not that impressed by Dudley Digges and even less impressed by Thelma Todd’s performances. And this Pre-Code movie seemed to lack any memorable dialogue or mysterious atmosphere. But it had a sly sexuality that seemed to be missing in both the 1936 and 1941 versions. Also, the rest of the cast gave excellent performances – especially Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. And ironically, this version of ”THE MALTESE FALCON” made me clearly understand the story’s plot in clear detail for the very first time. I believe that it deserves to be considered more than just a footnote in movie history.
"THE GLASS KEY" (1935) ReviewYears ago, I watched the 1942 adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's 1930-31 novel called "The Glass Key". At the time, I had no idea that there had been a previous adaptation. Then I stumbled across one - produced and released by the same movie studio, Paramount Pictures, back in 1935."THE GLASS KEY" told the story of Ed Beaumont, a gambler and the brainy aide of a crooked political boss named Paul Madvig. The latter plans to support the political campaign of the corrupt Senator John T. Henry and marry the latter's daughter Janet. Unfortunately, the senator's son, Taylor Henry, is a gambling addict who is in debt to a gangster named Shad O'Rory, a gangster whose club Paul intends to put out of business. Also, Taylor has been romancing Paul's younger sister, Opal Madvig, much to the political boss' dismay. When Ed finds Taylor's dead body not far from Paul's home, everyone begins to suspect him of murder. Ed begins an investigation to discover Taylor's true killer, much to the displeasure of not only O'Rory, but also the Henry family and Paul.I have read a few reviews of "THE GLASS KEY". Most of the reviews seemed to be of the opinion that it is more of a film noir than the 1942 version. To be honest, I did not make a big deal of trying to determine how much of a noir movie it was. I was too busy trying to maintain my interest in the story. What can I say? The plot seemed pretty damn good. And screenwriters Kathryn Scola and Kubec Glascom, along with dialogue scribe Harry Ruskin did a very solid job of adapting Hammett's novel. Sure, they made a few nips and tucks in the narrative. But overall, I had no real problems with the story.The performances in "THE GLASS KEY" struck me as pretty solid. I thought the most memorable performances came from Edward Arnold as political boss Paul Madvig, Claire Dodd as Janet Henry, Guinn Williams as the O'Rory thug Jeff, and Ray Milland as the privileged and weak senator's son, Paul Henry. All gave very interesting performances. Rosalind Keith, Charles Richman and Robert Glecker also gave solid performances as Opal Madvig, Senator Henry and Shad O'Rory. One would notice that I have not said anything about lead actor George Raft. Before one assumes that I have a low opinion of his performance . . . I do not. I thought he did a pretty solid job, even if there were moments he came off as slightly wooden. He certainly did a pretty good job in carrying the film.So, if I had no problems with the movie's narrative and the acting . . . why did I find it so difficult to maintain my interesting in the film? I have to lay most of the blame on director Frank Tuttle. I found his direction of the film rather dull and lifeless. Boring. It is a miracle that the cast managed to rise above his insipid direction. In fact, I find it a crime that a director could make a movie with a first-rate narrative and an eighty minute running time so dull and slow. Even the famous scene in which Ed Beaumont suffered a beating at the hands of Jeff the Thug came off as slightly dull.Another problem I had with "THE GLASS KEY" proved to be its production values. Just because a movie has been labeled as a film noir does not mean I had to spend most of the film trying to make out the shapes and figures on the screen. There were plenty of moments when I could barely make out the images on the screen, due to Henry Sharp's photography. I found it incredibly dark at times. Sharp's dim photography was not helped by Hans Dreier and A. Earl Hedrick's art direction for this film. I was less than impressed by the film's production designs and art direction. The entire film looked as if it had been produced as an off-Broadway stage play. I have seen Warner Brothers B-movies released three or four years earlier that looked more prestigious. When one combines dark photography with less-than-mediocre production designs, well . . . it does not look good for a movie based upon a first-rate novel by Dashiell Hammett."THE GLASS KEY" had plenty of virtues to offer - solid and excellent acting from a cast led by George Raft, and first-rate adaptation of Hammett's novel. It seems a pity that those virtues seemed wasted by the movie's mediocre production values, a slow pacing and limpid direction by Frank Tuttle. Oh well. It has been years since I saw the 1942 version of Hammett's story. It would be interesting to see how it fares in compare to this film.
Below is a list of my favorite Christmas movies . . . or movies set around the Christmas holidays:
TOP FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES
1. "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" (1969) - Based upon Ian Fleming's 1963 novel, James Bond's professional life and personal life intertwine, when he falls in love during his search to find criminal mastermind, Ernst Stravo Blofeld. George Lazenby starred as British agent James Bond.
2. "The Thin Man" (1934) - William Powell and Myrna Loy starred as Nick and Nora Charles in this adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's novel about a former private detective who is drawn into an investigation of the murder of the secretary/mistress of a wealthy man, who is missing. W.S. Van Dyke directed.
3. "Die Hard" (1988) - Bruce Willis debuted as NYPD detective, John McClane, who faces a group of highly organized criminals, performing a heist under the guise of a terrorist attack, while holding hostages that include McClane's wife on Christmas Eve. Directed by John Tiernan, the movie co-starred Bonnie Bedelia, Alan Rickman and James Shigeta.
4. "Trading Places" (1983) - John Landis directed this comedy about an upper class commodities broker and a homeless street hustler, whose lives cross paths when they are unknowingly made part of an elaborate test of nature vs. nurture by a pair of wealthy elderly brothers. Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy starred.
5. "Christmas in Connecticut" (1945) - Barbara Stanwyck and Dennis Morgan starred in this charming comedy about a food writer who has lied about being the perfect housewife. She is forced to cover her deception when her boss and a returning war hero invite themselves to her home for a traditional family Christmas. Peter Godfrey directed.
6. "Lethal Weapon" (1987) - Mel Gibson and Danny Glover first paired together in this action tale about a veteran cop and a suicidal younger cop forced to work together and stop a gang of former C.I.A. operatives, turned drug smugglers. Richard Donner directed.
7. "The Santa Clause" (1994) - Tim Allen starred in this funny tale about a man, who inadvertently kills Santa Claus, before he finds himself magically recruited to take his place. Directed by John Pasquin.
8. "Die Hard 2" (1990) - Bruce Willis returned as police detective John McClane, who attempts to avert disaster as rogue military officials seize control of Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., on Christmas Eve.
9. "While You Were Sleeping" (1995) - Sandra Bullock and Bill Pullman starred in this charming romantic comedy about a Chicago ticket collector, who saves a man for whom she harbors feelings after he is pushed onto the commuter train tracks. While he is in a coma, his family mistakes her for his fiancée. Jon Turteltaub directed.
10. "Home Alone" (1990) - Macaulay Culkin became a star in this holiday comedy about an eight year-old boy, who is mistakenly left home in Chicago, when his family flies to Paris for the holidays. Chris Columbus directed this movie, which co-starred Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard and Catherine O'Hara.
Below is a list of my current top ten favorite film noir movies:
TOP TEN FAVORITE FILM NOIR MOVIES
1. "L.A. Confidential" (1997) - Two Academy Awards went to this outstanding adaptation of James Ellroy's 1990 novel about three Los Angeles Police Department detectives who become caught up in a case involving police and political corruption. Directed by Curtis Hanson, the movie starred Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce.
2. "Sunset Boulevard" (1950) - Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett's caustic and brilliant tale about a one-sided love affair between a Hollywood has been and a struggling screenwriter ending in tragedy, won three Academy Awards. Directed by Wilder, the movie starred William Holden and Gloria Swanson.
3. "Chinatown" (1974) - Inspired by the California Water Wars, this dark tale about a L.A. private detective caught up in the murder of a Department of Water and Power engineer won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar. Written by Robert Towne and directed by Roman Polanski, the movie starred Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.
4. "Double Indemnity" (1944) - Billy Wilder directed and co-wrote this superb 1944 adaptation of James M. Cain's 1943 novella about an insurance salesman drawn into a murder scheme with a provocative housewife. Co-written by Raymond Chandler, the movie starred Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck and Edward G. Robinson.
5. "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995) - Denzel Washington starred in this adaptation of Walter Mosley's 1990 novel about a World War II veteran and laid off worker who becomes mixed up in a murderous political scandal, when he is hired to find a missing woman. Directed by Carl Franklin, the movie co-starred Tom Siezmore, Jennifer Beals and Don Cheadle.
6. "Laura" (1944) - Otto Preminger directed this excellent and tight adaptation of Vera Caspary's 1943 novel about a New York police detective who falls in love with a woman, whose murder he is investigating. The movie starred Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney and Clifton Webb.
7. "The Maltese Falcon" (1941) - John Huston wrote and directed this third adaptation of Dashiell Hammett's 1929 novel about a San Francisco detective being caught up in the hunt for an elusive artifact. The movie starred Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor.
8. "The Big Heat" (1953) - Fritz Lang directed this violent and energetic adaptation of William P. McGivern's 1952 novel about a police detective's battle against the syndicate responsible for his wife's death. Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin starred.
9. "The Black Dahlia" (2006)- Brian De Palma directed this surprisingly entertaining adaptation of James Ellroy's 1987 novel about the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short. The movie starred Josh Harnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart and Hilary Swank.
10. "The Usual Suspects" (1995) - This Oscar winning movie followed a tale of a petty con artist who recounts to Federal authorities how a theft committed by him and four colleagues led to a violent gun battle on the L.A. docks. The movie was directed by Bryan Singer.
