This was much better than I was expecting
and if it were not for the Bogart version 10 years later it would probably
have a better reputation. Problem is the Bogart Maltese Falcon is as close
to a perfect film from a perfect book as you can get. It makes this film
look small in comparison. But I was surprised at how both films follow the
book as closely as they do - both using some of the same dialogue - with
the exception of two classic lines - the one that Bogart came up with at
the end of the film - "The stuff that dreams are made of" - and a vital bit
of dialogue that shows the code that Spade lives by - "When a man's partner
is killed, he's supposed to do something about it. It doesn't make any difference
what you thought of him. He was your partner and you're supposed to do something
about it. And it happens we're in the detective business. Well, when one
of your organization gets killed, it's-it's bad business to let the killer
get away with it, bad all around, bad for every detective everywhere. " Without
that in this first version you never really understand why Spade acts the
way he does.
But films are made on the actors and directorial
choices and here this film loses on every level. It is a solid cast but when
compared to Bogart, Astor, Lorre, Greenstreet, Ward Bond and Elisha Cook
it is bombs away - it is an A cast vs a B cast. The second Maltese Falcon
also had something else going for it - for both Bogart and director John
Huston this was a vital film - they both had something to prove. It was Huston's
directorial debut and it is an astonishing noir tour de force - his use of
light and dark and symbolism permeate the mood of the film. For Bogart it
was a chance to break out of being the bad guy in Warner Bros films. Huston
fought for him - the studios wanted George Raft - and he came through with
an iconic performance - much helped by Huston who kept telling him to slow
it down, slow it down till he had Spade perfect. Compare that to Cortez who
yaps and yaps like a 10 cent lothario. Still, this is well worth your while
if you are a Maltese Falcon fan.
