Monday, October 04, 2021

The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon premiered on this day in 1941 in New York City. I was not aware that it was John Huston's directorial debut - what a way to start a career. It was the movie that made Humphrey Bogart a star. I have to admit I never saw what the big attraction to Mary Astor was though.

As luck would have it - I recently re-read the Dashiell Hammett book. It really holds up well as a good read. In the book Sam Spade is portrayed as a blonde Satan (not exactly picturing Bogart while reading it but that's OK since he's so great in the movie) and Brigid O'Shaughnessy was so beautiful men would kill or die for her (definitely not picturing Mary Astor when reading the book). 

Interesting to note that Ward Bond probably became one of John Huston's "players" after doing such a fine job on this film. His portrayal of  Detective Tom Polhaus was also spot on to what I pictured in the book. 

Bond, Ward Bond.

4 comments:

  1. Stretch8:31 PM

    I couldn't tell you how many times I've seen TMF. Heck, I've seen it on the big screen in "art houses" at least 8 or 10 times. If you can find the 1931 version https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022111/

    The COMEDIC version staring BETTE DAVIS was made in 1936 and should be watched only as an historical novelty. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028219/

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  2. I'll have to check those two other versions out. Thanks

    I'm a sucker for another Dashiell Hammett book and movie - The Thin Man. If I see that on TV I'm done for the next hour and a half. Going to re-read that one shortly too.

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    1. Stretch2:39 PM

      When they perfect time travel I'm going back and have a torrid affair with Myrna Loy.

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