Collie's Bestiary - Stormtiger

First things first: 1) this review has spoilers, and 2) this is less a strict movie review, so much as a review with my thoughts and cultural speculations wrapped around it. Big surprise, I know. ;)

Before now, I'd never seen the movie The Maltese Falcon, and I've been repeatedly told how good it is, and what a classic of hard-boiled detective film noir it is. Finally, I've seen it, and yes, it is good.

This movie is, from what I've been able to find out, the third movie version of this story, and is considered the definitive rendition. The earliest version was titled Satan Meets a Lady, and apparently didn't have much in common with the book by Dashiell Hammett -- it's a jewel-encrusted ram's horn, not a falcon, for example.

There are also some (unsurprising) changes made between the second 1931 movie and this 1941 rendition, considering the cultural norms of the time, such as Sam Spade not forcing Brigid O'Shaughnessy to strip off-camera when the Fat Man, Kaspar Gutman, accuses her of palming a thousand dollar bill.

The 1941 O'Shaughnessy is more tragic and less streetwise as well, not holding back any of the bankroll money Spade demands of her. Also, Spade doesn't refer to Wilmer Cook, the gun thug, as Gutman's "boyfriend." I suspect that wouldn't be acceptable even today, despite its possible truth, although I can't imagine a modern director missing a chance to have the pretty woman strip.

Gutman would make a believable old queen too, I think, with Joel Cairo as his "pretty boy" and Cook as his "rough trade" minions, and O'Shaughnessy as the requisite "hot dame" who deserts them all when given half a chance. Gutman even refers to Cook as being as dear to him as his son -- and yet, when push comes to shove, he dumps the kid without remorse to save himself.

It's possible the pretty boy is actually there more to show what a bad person Gutman is, though. In a environment where any deviance from the accepted cultural norm is frowned on, it's an easy emotional shorthand to use something like implied homosexuality to designate the villain of the piece, much the same way there were white-hat and black-hat cowboys. I doubt that particular emotional shorthand would be accepted in a movie today, though, which I consider a good thing overall.

There's a surprisingly small number of actual speaking parts. The actors were excellent, and of course for Humphrey Bogart the cynical, street-smart Spade is a classic noir role -- you're not sure until the very end how his cold-heartedly complex detective will jump. Mary Astor's performance rang true as well, as the dangerously needy dame in trouble, and Sydney Greenstreet's character, Gutman, was wonderfully, self-righteously greedy.

Indeed, only one of the characters felt a little weak to me: Cook, the hired thug. The actor's tightly restrained delivery gave me the vague impression he wasn't sure how a real thug would move, and so kept his body language rigidly reined in. In his one big scene (where he in effect calls Spade out), they played with the lighting to make him look a little crazy. I'm not sure I'd have believed him without it, though.

No car chases, no explosions, only two murders on screen... surprisingly little violence occurs, when you reflect on how desperately tense the movie's atmosphere feels. Compared to modern movies, The Maltese Falcon is as sharply crafted as its script -- which apparently adhered closely to the original novel. The action is very tightly contained, almost claustrophobically stuffed into a minimum of small, indoor sets. The only scenes outside are of a murder at night, and thus feel just as tightly closed in.

I did have one question once the movie was over -- where was Iva Archer on the night her husband (Spade's partner) was murdered? I know that bit was doubtless put in to throw suspicion around on more individuals, but it was never resolved. However, it's a small mental leap to speculate she was visiting someplace her husband wouldn't want her to be -- and it's not like it's a critical plot point in the movie.

The general tightness of the story is, I think, a central factor in keeping the movie relevant and somewhat timeless. Greed and murder are both entirely familiar to us as a species -- the plot makes sense and the characters' motivations are still believable today. There were a few occurrences which made me raise a curious eyebrow, however, as I noticed things which would no longer be relevant or appropriate today. Please note, this is not a detraction from the movie, of course, but rather an interested exploration of cultural changes from the time of the movie to now.

The first thing which hit me as currently socially inappropriate was Spade's personality. His general demeanor, both with the police and with women, would probably get him in trouble in the modern day. The cops I'm familiar with wouldn't put up for an instant with Spade's getting in their face about not telling them the immediate truth when questioning him. For that matter, I can't see them today ever being up front with anyone they're questioning -- more's the pity.

As far as women, Sam seemed to treat them all with equal disinterest, referring to them dispassionately as "precious," "angel," and "sweetheart," regardless of whether they were his secretary, the grieving widow of his murdered partner, the possible murderer, or a new love interest. Quite frankly, faced with someone with Sam's hard-boiled lack of openness or emotion, I'd have trusted him emotionally about as far as I could throw him.

However, it's my assumption this sort of behavior on his part was either the social norm, or an admired rendition of masculinity at the time, because he had women throwing themselves at him throughout the movie. Norms are like that. Everyone smoked in the movie too, after all, and Sam even rolled his own cigarettes.

However, what makes this treatment of women by Spade interesting is comparing it to how he treated men. At no point did he refer to them with diminutives, unless he was being deliberately rude, i.e. when he's taunting the thug. It's as if men are mostly people to him, but women are charming but occasionally annoying children.

Indeed, I found the final scenes between Sam and O'Shaughnessy rather tragic -- not so much for the revelation about the murder or the betrayal of trust in order to avenge the slain partner, but rather for the assumption there was any love between them at all. I am doubtless seeing this with modern eyes, but how could either of them have truly believed the other could have cared at all for them? They'd both made it clear repeatedly throughout the movie how willing they were to lie and manipulate others to get their way.

Thus I was vaguely surprised that scene occurred at all, let alone could be said to have any pathos. How could O'Shaughnessy have ever thought it would be wise to depend on love in order to manipulate Spade? Knowing his slippery ethics already, why did she confess to him? For that matter, in sober post-movie reflection I'd have to say she had a darned good chance in court of playing the framed innocent ruthlessly manipulated by both Gutman, and Spade as well, as she tried to escape Gutman.

The second thing which caught my attention in the movie was the dialogue choices -- as in, how they delineated societal norms. For example, no one has any issue at all within the movie with Sam's rather belittling treatment of women. The sole exception in this behavior by Sam is during the short period of time where O'Shaughnessy is a client, where Sam refers to her formally as Miss -- until he realizes she's lying.

The movie also shows some interesting cultural viewpoints on friendship. For example, when the cops initially won't share a drink with Sam, he later explains his immediate hostility to them by using what I believe is macho cowboy symbolism, as in "getting up on his hind legs at the touch of the rope." I'm pretty sure that symbolism would be outdated in a modern movie, however -- not only are cowboys not considered as macho nowadays, but also, what modern detective knows anything about animals? -with the possible exception of guard dogs, perhaps.

However, once the drink is shared, any hard feelings the cops might have had are apparently symbolically cleared away. Also significant is the ritual need to avenge the slain partner by catching his killer. It's apparently all right to sleep with your partner's wife -- but should he be slain, he must be avenged. This relationship apparently outweighs all else, including friendship, helping the police -- even love itself.

Overall the movie was quite enjoyable. The character portrayals were really excellent; I wasn't sure who would do what right up to the end. If all film noir detectives stories are this absorbing, I shall definitely have to see more.

Reader Comments

11.06.04: Kelly's thoughts

(and my replies)

I haven't seen The Maltese Falcon since I was in junior high school. My best friend was obsessed with Bogart. I have to say my favorite Bogart film of all times is The African Queen, and that's because Katherine Hepburn is one of my favorite actresses of all time. :)

Oh, that's another one I've not yet seen which I want to! Hey, if you write a review of it for me, we could put both ours up after I see it. ;)

11.06.04: Jim's thoughts

(and replies)

Interesting commentary... I haven't seen this film, but I am willing to bet that I'd agree with everything you have said about it.

I encourage you to try it some time, Jim. It is an intriguing story, all things considered -- and excellent film-making.

11.07.04: Marc's thoughts

(and replies)

Collie, I found my reference about the word gunsel. It wasn't as clear cut as I remembered it, but it did have gunsel as an American slang for a homosexual lover (as well as for a young gunman and a young fool).

Funny you should mention that, Marc. In the movie review I read of the 1931 version Maltese Falcon, they mentioned the word 'gunsel' being used both in that movie and the 1941 version, by Sam Spade. They also wondered if it was a deliberate play on words, and the possible homosexual connotations of the word were just missed by the 1941 censors.

08.15.05: George's thoughts

(and replies)

Less a review of your piece as some additional comments. Here's some films on my Humphrey Bogart hit list (info from IMDB.com)

We're No Angels (1955) .... Joseph
Sabrina (1954) .... Linus Larrabee
The Caine Mutiny (1954) .... Lt. Cmdr. Philip Francis Queeg
The African Queen (1951) .... Charlie Allnut
The Big Sleep (1946) .... Philip Marlowe
To Have and Have Not (1944) .... Harry 'Steve' Morgan
Casablanca (1942) .... Rick Blaine
The Maltese Falcon (1941) .... Sam Spade

Neat! I've not seen any of those except the last two, but I'd like to see them all. The African Queen has been highly recommended to me, and The Caine Mutiny also, although less so. It was certainly a good book.

For Bogart interacting with interesting female characters, check out The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not. In both Bogart plays opposite his real life love interest Lauren Bacall. Or check out Bogart's confrontation with Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen.

I do so like strong, interesting, thoughtful characters, regardless of what gender they are. I just like a balanced mix of them, you know? If Sam Spade were as intense as he was against a giggly blonde babe, or a puppydog-eyed girl with no brains, then there wouldn't be much purpose to all that Spadean intensity, and he'd come off looking as silly as the women did. I'm not sure why some folks still don't seem to get that when they're creating female characters, though.

Unfortunately, most "noir" does not rise to the level of The Maltese Falcon. Like most genres, the best are wonderful and the rest are average at best.

I'd say, to be fair, that's true of most of life, actually... depending on how bored or cynical I was feeling at that moment! ;)

Regarding your discussion of how Bogart treats the women in the film, I think that much of it was based on the time. For example, Max Brand, writer of western novels and Dr. Kildare stories (many made into films around that time), was quoted as saying about stories "There should be a woman, but not much of one. A good horse is much more important."

Holy cow, that's just tragically revolting -- was he the ghost author of Sky Captain or something? See my comments above re strength in supporting characters making the lead character that much better.

I lifted this quote from an interesting article on the portrayal of women in films entitled "Ten Hollywood Movies That Get Women Right."

I was led to the article by this blog post in Cinematical entitled "Getting Women Right."

Oooh, I'll have to check those out ASAP! ;)

Thanks for an interesting review!

You're quite welcome -- I always enjoy sharing interesting new discoveries with friends! ;)

08.15.05: Joe's thoughts

(and replies)

I found it an interesting read.... some of the points you made were ones that I had missed entirely watching the film, primarily because the last few times I saw it I was getting ready to use the Maltese Falcon's plot as the basis for a roleplaying game storyline (though replacing the Falcon with another item of value, and Joe Cairo with an alien who was obsessed with old 1940s films and had chosen that part as his 'disguise' to the normal humans in the storyline).

It's certainly a great story to borrow from. Like Casablanca, it has a lovely, complex, interesting supporting cast, and an actual plot! -unlike some of the pulp or noir "wanna-bes" we've seen since then... *cough*Sky Captain*cough* ;-p

Additionally I've spent so much time reading and immersing myself in 1930s/40s culture in years past that much of the common cultural elements just blended in to me as being 'right.' (Unlike some modern movies I've seen set in that era that got some startling obvious things wrong becuase of lack of understanding on the writers and directors of what was period).

Well, I'm glad I was able to add something to your viewing, then! I've always liked being able to look at movies or other media both with modern, and with (when possible for me) "historic" eyes. I think that's one of the reasons I love anthropology so much, in fact -- I love being able to look at multiple levels of meaning! ;)

1941 was a cusp period, women were just starting to make social strides again (which would be stolen from them again by male culture in the 50s) after having moved from the early to mid 1930s concepts of women (which changed badly rapidly after the stock market crash). It's part of the ping pong effect on such that we regularly see in this country's earlier historical periods.

I think that's one of the definitions of culture we often miss, actually -- that you have to locate your "cultural exploration" in a time as well as in a place. Culture changes so much, and so fast (relatively speaking), and women's rights are an excellent example of that change in action.

I find it hopeful that we appear to be slowly gaining and holding on to more in each swing of the social pendulum... but how tragic that women have to fight for simple things like possession of their own bodies or equal opportunities with men, you know?

08.15.05: Scott's thoughts

The Male stocism in Matlese Falcon was the male Ideal for a lonmg time. People in General had that "Shut up, and Put up" attitude, through the depression because no one would halp you but yourself and there was no buusiness whining about it. My Father's Father was of that Generation, and was about ad deadpan and reticent as anything on film, but we stil loved hom, and later we knew he loved us, as he would clandestinely weep when it was time for him to go back to Kansas after the Christmas Holiday. (The weeping really bothered us kids when we occasionally saw it). That attitude was extant through the mid 60's. A loss of control, was seen as a weakness. My father lost his cool a lot, but was otherwise "calm", and it was my mom that was the one that displayed a range of emotion (usually optimistic) at home. For me, I tend to look at Male emotional weakness, and when I do it I try to be in private, and hate myself if it's public.

As for the movie. I've always loved that period, but you knew that allready. Yu may like a lot of the Film Noir movies as they tend to be a lot more complex plot-wise than the current fare, and it's a lot mor character centric. I'd have to think on which ones, before I ave you any recommendations, but they used to run a lot of them on Turner Classic Movies (Cable), and I would watch them. heck I think a lot of 30's and 40's movies might be entertaining for you.