MovieChat Forums > The Maltese Falcon (1931) Discussion > Hotter Actresses

Hotter Actresses

posted 15 years ago by au561
11 replies | jump to latest

The actresses in this version were much hotter. Even the clothes were hotter. The Code dumbed down everything.

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] nycgrl7 13 years ago

I agree with the OP Mary Astor was miscast

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] lastmidnite2 13 years ago

Bebe Daniels may have been hotter (personally I don't see it) but the great Mary Astor was ten times BETTER.

[–] Jes' Sayin' (5984) 3 years ago

Something that's forgotten today is that Mary Astor had sort of a reputation in real life, which may have helped her portrayal back then, even if not anymore. People saw her already as a "bad girl".

[–] directorscut 12 years ago

Yeah the 1941 version is so dumbed down.

So sezeth I, so sezeth the world.

[–] lima-2 11 years ago

I just saw this version on Turner Classic Movies this morning. I never knew it existed. What a great film! I decided to post on this thread because I agree with OP au561 that Bebe Daniels was a hotter actress. I can't envision Mary Astor in the "bedroom" scene that Bebe Daniels portrayed. But like, lastmidnite2, I believe Mary Astor was a more superb actress. I am SO used to the Humphrey Bogart version I can't picture anyone else but Bogart, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook, and Sidney Greenstreet in their respective roles. I would like to fantasize though about Bebe Daniels acting in the newer version. I just listened to Hammett's novel as a book on tape, last year. Dialog directly from the book made it into the scripts from both films, but I think the script from the 1931 version was closer to the book. Realistically, the 1931 and 1940's version are from two different eras of American filmdom. The latter was a tamer version. The older version still evokes censorship even today. I'd like to see the comments from the posters who were deleted by IMDB administrators! :-)

[–] avnrulz 11 years ago

Just found it today, also, never knew it existed!

OMG! (it's not what you think)

[–] marym52 11 years ago

I like Bebe Daniel's straightforward portrayal, but Mary Astor's fragility and refinement give her a damsel-in-distress quality that brings out Bogart's chivalry. That makes the characters more complex & interesting to me.

[–] mendacity (19) 3 years ago

Bebe Daniels was sexier but so was Una Merkel as Effie

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

Mary Astor was well cast, in that she read as so ladylike, delicate, and vulnerable, that she seemed to be above suspicion.