MovieChat Forums > The Maltese Falcon (1941) Discussion > I have tried many times to watch this mo...

I have tried many times to watch this movie

posted 14 years ago by ruthlessroddy
55 replies | jump to latest

Not only am I a BIG Noir fan, but a big Bogart as well. Not that Bogart wasn't good in this, but everytime I've tried to watch this movie, it just loses me at the end. It's not that Bogart's bad (he's great) I think maybe Mary Astor annoys me a little, but I've never been blown away by this film. Now, that being said, 'The Big Sleep' was fantastic, same for 'To Have and Have Not' and 'In a Lonley Place', or other non-Bogey films like 'Double Endemnity', 'Out of the Past', 'Sunset Boulevard' etc. all classic films. But for some reason I just don't quite get the hype over this one. It's good, but I just don't feel it's as good as it's reputation. Although I love the line where Lorre says "You always have a very smoooooth way of explaining things don't you"? and Bogart says "What Da-ya want me to do, learn to Studder?"

Don't get me wrong, there ARE some great scenes and Bogart himself is worth the price of admission because he was just TOO cool for his own good (in just about everything he did), but to me, this film falls short of the 'Greatness' it has notoriously been proclaimed to be. 7 out of 10 is what I'd give it.

TPRoddy1968

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] BertramWilberforceWooster 14 years ago

I think it was the cinematography, on top of the fact that it had been made two times before in a decade, but this is the one that has stood the test of time. If you watch the other two, they are almost painful, whereas this version is beautiful in its simplicity.

--
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

[–] ridge-m-1 10 years ago

Arthur Edeson was the DP on both MF and Casablanca. While Casablanca is not film noir, on MF he uses what became the classic film noir lighting and camera angle techniques. Also notice the 7 minute take during the dialogue driven climax of the film and how the plotline is presented to the audience from Spade's perspective, worked out by John Huston and implemented by Edeson.

Edeson was one of the founding members of the American Society of Cinematographers so obviously he was extremely gifted in his art.

In actuality, the picture "The Maltese Falcon" provided the completely Americanized formula of film noir for the first time and is universally recognized as one of the greatest Hollywood films of all time.

[–] ouxard 14 years ago

I sat through this last night for the first time, and I can definitely see where you're coming from. Granted, this was technically my first noir (unless Sunset Blvd. is noir as well) but I felt restless the entire time I was watching this. I think I need to rewatch. I gave it a 6.

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[–] WongKarWhy 14 years ago

That's cool...personally this movie and "The Big Sleep" are my favorite Bogart films and high on my list of favorite films of all time period...but everyone has a different tastes and you don't just heap arbitrary venom at this movie for no reason so cheers to you...

I have the same problem with Akira Kurosawa's work...a lot of people tell me that "The Seven Samurai" is his best work and it just never really resonated with me the way it does with some other people..."Yojimbo" for me was Kurosawa at the top of his game but that's just my own take on things...

[–] Nikon11 14 years ago

Sure, it's complicated, but it's great stuff.

The only part that got me to go, WTF?!, was at the end with Brigid and Spade and all this love crap. I was ok with her going through the motion, figuring that it's her last attempt to snow him. But what the hell's with Spade saying all that? Unless he's just playing along with her - and then it's just too subtle for me to pick up on.

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[–] Nikon11 14 years ago

Lonely?

He still had Iva Archer. And maybe even Effie.

And neither one them had killed anyone (that we know of).

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[–] jquirk-1 14 years ago

I loved this movie the first time I saw it as a teenager back in the 80s. I've watched it dozens of times since and never grow tired of it. I'm really looking forward to buying the Blu-ray version.

[–] ruthlessroddy 13 years ago

Is it for the extras that you want it on Bu-Ray, because otherwise how good can a 70 year old black and white film really look in Blu-ray? My advice, save up some money and get an oppo blu-ray player that upscales regular DVD's with it's anchor bay chip, you'd be amazed at how good it makes regular DVD's look, let alone an old B&W. You could get tons of used DVD's dirt cheap with the money you'd save. I'm not saying some blu-ray discs arn't worth buying, ones that are heavy in special effects etc. But the oppo will make any existing DVD collection 'shine' and then you could buy many older movies on DVD for the same price of 1 Blu-ray disc. Yet you'd still have a awesome, fast blu-ray player for the newer, heavy in special effects/digital movies you 'must have' on Blu-ray.

TPRoddy1968

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] ridge-m-1 10 years ago

Hopefully you are aware of the Hays Code. Spade and Brigid engaged in an amorous coupling the night that she spent at Spade's apartment. Apparently you missed all of the of the successive clues to that sexual encounter.

View the movie again with this knowledge in mind and pay particularly close attention to Brigid's verbal references in the way she now addresses Spade. Also watch their first encounter in Spade and Archer's office and notice how Spade does not even attempt to mask his desire for her. He looks at her "wolfishly" which is the way Hammett described the Samuel Spade character in his novels. This third film version of MF was the first one that actually remained faithful to the novelette. The Hays Code forced Huston to tone down the sex in MF but Lorre pulls one over on the censors with the business using his walking stick. Watch as he nearly inserts the handle into his mouth.

[–] Information-Police (4054) 7 years ago

He was being cruel to her because she played him for a sap and he fell for it.

And those were great lines, dropping with sarcasm: "if your a good girl, you'll be out in 20 years - I'll be waiting. If they hang you, I'll always remember you. "

"Don't be cruel, Sam."

[–] Information-Police (4054) 7 years ago

[–] mysterymovieguy 13 years ago

Honestly, I was into the story throughout the entire movie, and the ending I thought was amazing. Bogey can't go wrong.

[–] Sewaat 7 years ago

Honestly, I was into the story throughout the entire movie, and the ending I thought was amazing. Bogey can't go wrong.

I feel the exact same way. It was even better the second time. I can see this easily becoming a film that I always go back to and never get sick of. The dialogue and performances from everyone were just stellar. I totally believed in their characters. Just great work overall. I will have to hunt down a Blu-ray copy.

[–] marecek (122) 6 years ago

I know what you mean. Personally, I have never been able to get what everyone sees in Martin Scorcese.

[–] vinidici 13 years ago

My own appreciation for TMF took several viewings, during the course of many years spent growing up and gaining life experience.

"The Big Sleep," on the other hand, and as fun as it otherwise may be to watch, I found near impossible to figure out--and Hollywood legend has it that Bogey and the other actors couldn't understand the plot, either, even as they were filming it!

The magic & chemistry among Bogie and co-stars Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre was electrifiying. Bogie and most of the top supporting cast were together in other films, but only "Casablanca" (Bogie, with Greenstreet and Lorre) came close to re-capturing that onscreen chemistry, making TMF truly a once-in-a-lifetime kind of movie, in that sense.

A good DvD or Blu Ray edition should have the documentary & critics' add-ons to help further enhance the viewer's understanding/appreciation of TMF.

[–] jquirk-1 13 years ago

My advice, save up some money and get an oppo blu-ray player that upscales regular DVD's with it's anchor bay chip, you'd be amazed at how good it makes regular modern movies on DVD look, let alone an old B&W.

I hear what you're saying, Ruthless, but I don't own this one on DVD, and the price tag on the Blu-ray is pretty reasonable, at least on Amazon. There are some other black-and-white films I bought on Blu-ray recently and I thought the transfers were stunning. For instance, "Psycho" looks amazing on Blu-ray, as does the original "King Kong."

[–] HoneyBakedHam 13 years ago

Fair enough to those who didnt quite get it the first time, there is a lot of dialogue to absorb in this so sometimes it may require two or more watches to pick up on everything. Even I didnt pickup on it every bit of detail on it the first time. But the good thing is they dont overdo everything with the story, the and the dialogue is well thought out.
Im also not implying anything here to anyone but some older films like film noir and the such do have a lot of well written dialogue so it might take a bit of getting used to if you are more used to watching new movies with a much simplier dialogue. Also people who arent as fluent with English might have a bit of difficulty following the quick pace of the dialogue and might need to concentrate a bit more then others.

Like some of the others here Astor didnt have as much of an impact as other female leads but I did like the other support cast like Lorre etc. Still a great movie

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[–] SonicAndy 13 years ago

I'm here because I bought it on video today. I already have it taped from the TV, and I have the DVD, as well. I think it's close to genius, and the cast is up there with Gone With The Wind, The Wizard of Oz, etc. But I get what you're saying - I've never enjoyed Out of the Past, myself.

"God, there's no acting required here, is there?"

Hopkins on Thor

[–] Dragon_Eye_Morrison 13 years ago

I loved this one on my first view, on the other hand, i also could never get into "Out of the Past". It was ok, but the second half was just slugish, "Falcon" has great pacing, always keeps you hooked.

[–] movie_nazi 10 years ago

I've never enjoyed Out of the Past, myself.

😮Blasphemy! j/k

Out of the Past is one of the essentials for sure though. Love it, love it, love it.

My Vote history: http://www.imdb.com/user/ur1914996/ratings