One of the first and most essential film-noirs to come out, this film marked both actor Humphrey Bogart and director John Huston among the most important figures of classic Hollywood. Huston's solid direction, screenplay, and Bogart's great performance make this mystery film a true winner.
Based on the novel of the same name, the film starts with private investigators Sam Spade and Miles Archer, who Ruth Wonderly hires to find her missing sister. When Miles ends up murdered, Sam realizes that this case is far more complex than he realized as he finds himself dealing with multiple characters all after a rare falcon statue.
Throughout the film's runtime, it never loses its engaging plot even as the story becomes more complex with different twists and turns constantly in action. This is thanks to Hutson's screenplay and direction, with the script filled with great dialogue and character exchanges throughout, and the pacing never slows down as we constantly wonder how all this will end. The film also has all the classic staples of the genre, most notably with the camera work from cinematographer Arthur Edeson. The black and white brings out the shadows that define the genre, so much so that it's hard to imagine films like this in color.
Humphrey Bogart's role as Sam Spade is one of his best. Bogart's look and mannerisms just bring the character to life in such a special way, it's no wonder he was somewhat typecasted into roles like this because he just fits them so well. As he gets dragged through these perilous situations it's a lot of fun anticipating how he will inevitably get out of them, whether it's through a sharp wit or a little roughhousing. It also helps that Sam is a likable character, at least given his situation and the people around him. His charming relationship with his secretary and his sense of humor do a great job of humanizing him. His sense of code is also an aspect that keeps the audience rooting for him. This is best shown by the ruthlessness of the other character's when it comes to getting the falcon, a level of greed that Spade never succumbs to. The rest of the cast is great too, starting with Mary Astor as Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy. She's the classic femme fatal archetype with Spade and the audience in constant question of where her true motives lie. Peter Lorre's iconic look and line delivery make him a screen legend and it's a treat to see him here as well. Sydney Greenstreet earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as the villain Kaspet Gutman and I'd say it was deserved as he displays a cold-blooded drive, but not without reason or class which makes him a memorable antagonist.
The Maltese Falcon is classic Hollywood entertainment at its finest. Both its style and characters help make it a cinematic time capsule that has endured for over 80 years now.
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