The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Currently #105 of Top 250 Films on IMDb
(As of this posting)

Directed by John Huston

Written by John Huston
Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett

Stars: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Elisha Cook Jr.

The Maltese Falcon is one of those staple movies that have been in the lexicon of film goers for seventy years since it came out. I just watched this three Academy Award for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor for Greenstreet. For john Huston's directorial debut, I did not disappoint.

True to it's film noir roots the movies starts with the murder of private detective Sam Spade's (Bogart) partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) when he was trying to tail a prep. The woman that hired the team, Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Astor) is being exposed as being a part of a conspiracy that have innocent people killed  because of a priceless Maltese falcon statue made in the 16th century.

From the word go this movie have you going on a wild roller coaster ride that leads to the satisfying conclusion.

I was surprised  that "deer in the headlights" Peter Lorre was in the film as Joel Cairo. A lot skinner I might add. Bogart played spade like an anti-hero. he is not likable, but he is charming enough enough to make you forgive his transgressions. Mary Astor as the femme fatale was fine. I don't see why everyone wants to be with her. Greenstreet as the "antagonist" of the movie, Gutman was a little weird. He was nominated for an Oscar. I don't see it, but standards were different back then.

My favorite part of the movie was the dynamic between Spade and Gutman's young hitman, Wilmer Cook (Cook, Jr.) Spade treated Wilmer like a gnat that needed to be swatted. I loved the banter between them.

The movie was a delight to see the twists and turns, the anger and betrayal. Easy, breezy, beautiful, Cover Girl.

My Rating:

M - The Criterion Collection

M - Eine Stadt sucht einen Mörder (1931)


Currently #52 of the Top 250 Films on IMDb
(As of this posting)


Directed by Fritz Lang


Written by: Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang
Based on the article by Egon Jacobson


Stars: Peter Lorre, Otto Wernicke,  Theodor Loos and Inge Landgut


I always wanted to see M,  even though I knew very little about the movie. It is one of top film voted on by users that have seen it. The movie does not disappoint for the most part.


The story follows a suspected child killer, Hans Beckert (Lorre) as he is pursued by all sides. The police want to arrest him and put him on trail, the public wants to crucify him and a bunch of hoods have to deliver street justice on him.


Not being familiar with German films, I was caught off guard with the way that the people were interacting with each other. The beginning of the movie was a slow deliberate burn to add to the tension of the latest victim of Beckart, Elsie Beckmann (Landgut) rocks a small neighborhood. Then, it became chaotic with the different people shouting at each other. It was hard to keep up with what was going.


When the witch hunt focuses in on Beckert, the movie began to take an interesting turn. It dealt more with this disturbed man that is constantly in a "deer in headlights" mode that we feel what it happening to him.


The movie takes an interesting look at the psyche of the human condition. You almost feel sorry for this monster that killed nine little girls as the angry mob want to give him his comeuppance. I also felt the anger from the crowd towards the man as he could get away with murder unless someone stops him.


It is a relevant piece about what is right and wrong. Is there a gray area? Is justice blind?


The movie certainly got better as it went along and I was glad that I stayed on the ride.

My Rating: