Sunday, April 03, 2011
The Maltese Falcon
by Dashiell Hammett
With the last few books, after reading them, I have been watching the movies they inspired. I watched both versions of “All The Kings Men” (1949 and 2006) and more recently “The Maltese Falcon”.
I believe Dashiell Hammett popularized the noir private-eye with this story. Sam Spade is on the edge of society, calculating, corrupt but with a sense of inner justice. When one thinks of the how it was to live in the 30’s one thinks of Spade in his gray suits, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a fedora cocked shading his eyes.
The story is full of caricatures, a jolly fat man, a drop dead gorgeous client, a one track minded cop, and of course Spade. Spade sees through each character to find his justice even at the cost of his own happiness.
The story is dated, the genre is passé, and Spade is extremely sexist and not especially likable. With that said, “The Maltese Falcon” was tolerable.
With the last few books, after reading them, I have been watching the movies they inspired. I watched both versions of “All The Kings Men” (1949 and 2006) and more recently “The Maltese Falcon”.
I believe Dashiell Hammett popularized the noir private-eye with this story. Sam Spade is on the edge of society, calculating, corrupt but with a sense of inner justice. When one thinks of the how it was to live in the 30’s one thinks of Spade in his gray suits, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, and a fedora cocked shading his eyes.
The story is full of caricatures, a jolly fat man, a drop dead gorgeous client, a one track minded cop, and of course Spade. Spade sees through each character to find his justice even at the cost of his own happiness.
The story is dated, the genre is passé, and Spade is extremely sexist and not especially likable. With that said, “The Maltese Falcon” was tolerable.
