The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Written & Directed by John Huston

1998 List Ranking: 23

2007 List Ranking: 31

Of the various genres of film that exist, there is one that I am, admittedly, not very familiar with: Noir. The 1940’s and 1950’s are generally thought of as the “classic era” of film noir, described as low-key, black-and-white films, full of shadows and shadowy dealings, as the plots typically involve crime with healthy does of sexual motivations and cynical attitudes. The Maltese Falcon, then, is a great example of film noir, and while it may not succeed in every aspect in holding it, it definitely knows how to catch the audience’s attention.

The principal Cast of The Maltese Falcon: Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Mary Astor

The Maltese Falcon follows private investigator Sam Spade, a “typical” hardboiled detective who gets caught up in a game of intrigue, deception, and murder, as three different parties all attempt to outwit one another for a priceless statue (the titular Maltese falcon). It’s a plot full of twists, turns, and double-crosses, and Spade must keep one step ahead of the competing parties while also outwitting the police detectives who believe he murdered his partner.

As Spade, Humphrey Bogart is the quintessential leading man, even if his characterization is incredibly one-note. Bogart doesn’t show much range (nor growth) during the film, always playing it excessively cool and calculated. There is a subplot of him being suspected of his partner’s murder, but if he is concerned about being wrongfully accused and convicted, he never really shows it; it never seems to be that big of a deal for him. This is only my second time seeing a performance of Bogart’s, and I felt fairly underwhelmed by him, especially considering how good he was in 1942’s Casablanca.

Lorre and Bogart square off

The other actors in the film are generally more fun to watch, although Mary Astor as Spade’s primary love interest doesn’t really leave an impact until her final scene (and, by then, it’s a little “too little, too late”). As two of the three competitors for the Maltese falcon, Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet are engaging as always; I’ve only seen Greenstreet in Casablanca (where I also enjoyed his performance), and to watch him here as he masterfully details (for us and for Spade) the history of the falcon was a sheer delight. Even more so, Lorre continues to showcase his versatility, playing here a darker role than I’m used to seeing him in (and providing, from what I recall, the film’s only laugh: after attempting to hold Spade at gunpoint, he gets beaten and disarmed. After he gets his gun back from Spade, he then proceeds to try and hold him up again). Peter Lorre isn’t often thought of when considering well-known actors of the time, and that is definitely a shame.

Greenstreet roofies Bogart…for no reason

From a plot perspective, the film starts off very strong by introducing most of the key players rather early (save for Greenstreet who makes a very delayed introduction), and its different twists are set into motion quite nicely (the early revelation that Spade is having an affair with his late partner’s wife elicited an audible gasp from me). However, by the end, the different plot points are so convoluted that I had very little idea who was really who and what everyone wanted (besides the falcon). For example, at one point, Greenstreet roofies Bogart, and for what? He doesn’t have the falcon, he hasn’t been paid any money for it, and Greenstreet and his men already know where it is. So what exactly is the point? And, it’s never addressed again.

Our introduction to both Astor, Bogart, and the plot

Another plot twist that comes out of nowhere is the revelation that Astor, who begins the film by coming to Spade and his partner to give a concocted story about a missing sister, is actually one of the three looking for the falcon. The problem with this is, if her entire story is made up, then why did she have to go to Spade’s office in the first place? It’s basically her saying, “I came to your office with a fake story”, but since the story is fake, she has no reason to go to his office! It just feels like a method of introducing her, but logically it doesn’t make sense.

A promotional photo of Bogart with the Maltese falcon

For me, the biggest thing I knew about the film going into it was the Maltese falcon itself is a great example of a “MacGuffin”, a term popularized by Alfred Hitchcock (but not, as I learned, coined by him). A MacGuffin is an object that is necessary to the plot or the characters, yet is not in itself important. Think of The Heart of the Ocean from Titanic or any of the objects that Indiana Jones searches for: these objects drive the plot, but by the end of the film, their importance is minimal. Indeed, by the end of this film, neither the audience nor the characters knows the location of the actual Maltese falcon, and that lack of knowledge isn’t really all that important. I bring this up only because had I not known that the falcon was a MacGuffin beforehand, I’d probably be more annoyed that that plot point was never resolved.

Overall, this was a film that started off really interesting, but then stumbled over itself into a convoluted mess. Thanks to these various lists, I’m starting to see more noir films, but I have to be honest and admit that I’m feeling rather ambivalent about the genre.

FINAL GRADE: C