Review of Maltese Falcon, The

Introduction

Dashiell Hammett`s "The Maltese Falcon" is a novel full of suspense and mystery, a true relic of oldtime America. The story revolves around private investigator Samuel Spade, but instead of me describing him, here is Hammett`s infamous opening:

"Samuel Spade`s jaw was long and bony, his chin a jutting V under the more flexible V of his mouth. His nostrils curved back to make another, smaller V. His yellow-green eyes were horizontal. The V motif was picked up once again by thickish brows rising outward from creases above a hooked nose, and his pale brown hair grew down - from light, flat temples - in a point on his forehead. He looked rather pleasantly like a blond Satan."

And in 1941, ten years after the novel was published, Hollywood immortalised it on celluloid. Starring Humphrey Bogart, who later went on to star in the classic Casablanca, amongst others, was casted as Spade - the man who seemed to always be calm, always cool, and always in control.

After Spade`s partner, Miles Archer, was killed while investigating the disappearance of a priceless statue, it is up to Spade to not only avenge the murder but also resume the hunt for the statue, under the watchful eyes of three mysterious clients who want to find it - at any cost!

Video

Standard 1.33:1. Before I loaded the disc, I expected the print to be poor quality, since this is over sixty years old and in `bad black and white`. Well, it goes to show how the modern generation presume that if a film is in black and white, especially an old film, it will be almost unwatchable. Far from it in fact. The B&W in The Maltese Falcon is crisp and clear, with good definition, and only the odd artefact appearing here and there on the print: but nothing that deems it unwatchable in any sense. The only slight disappointment is that this is not a widescreen transfer.

First-time helmer, John Huston, directs, and he directs in a way that captures the essence of the novel: nothing is really what it seems, and loyalty ceases to exist in the world that the characters live in. I have to say that if the film wasn`t in black and white, it would lose a certain amount of ambience, as this is a true film noir, and from the shrouds of smoke billowing across the screen to the dark, damp streets of San Francisco, it is almost symbolically represented by the lack of technology in the 40s!

Audio

Dolby Digital Mono (English & Italian). Those of you expecting a full surround sound remix will be disappointed - The Maltese Falcon is still presented in its old, true form: but fortunately the soundtrack is of a high quality to compensate well. Although all the sound is played through the one channel it does lose some effect and definition, but to be honest it does what it is supposed to do.

John Huston not only directed but also adapted the novel - a hard task for sure, considering the class of Hammett`s work, and the fans who would no doubt be disappointed if there favourite bits were cut out for time constraints. Well, after reading the novel myself, I have to say that the film captures the novel excellently: little is left out, and although some bits are speeded up to keep the momentum going, nothing that matters is lost. All in all, a great adaption.

Features

The main extra is somewhat surprising: it is a 45 minute compilation of trailers of Bogart`s work, introduced by film guru Robert Osborne. With an introduction to the nature of each film, and how the Warner Bros. PR department wanted to promote the films, we are taken through more than half a dozen snippetts of his work. Interesting, if a little overlong, but it does come in handy for nostalgic reasons and of course as a taster of other films he has made - hopefully enticing you to buy all of Bogart`s work on DVD!

The second, and final, extra is a trailer for The Maltese Falcon, which was actually shown in the above extra too. It is quite atmospheric, introduced by Sydney Greenstreet in character, and builds the film up well.

The menus are static with music in the background, and are presented in colour. They are very easy to navigate.

Conclusion

A tense, atmospheric classic full of suspense and intrigue, The Maltese Falcon hasn`t aged one iota due to its involving narrative and strong performances from all of the cast.

Huston`s directing defines this genre: the camera shows you exactly what it wants to show you, developing the story until the somewhat shock conclusion.

There is something here for everyone - drama, thrills, action, and even a bit of romance - all blended together into 97 minutes of true film-making.

The DVD itself is good, considering the age of the film, and although there is no widescreen transfer and somewhat-lacklustre audio, there is no reason for complaint. The extras are OK, but a commentary from someone would have been wonderful, plus some `making-of` featurette.

Currently available cheaply, this should be bought at any cost: it is the sort of film that any aspiring film-maker should learn from, and for that matter, any aspiring film-goer. Combine this with a fairly good disc, and you have yourself another title to add to your wishlist.