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The Maltese Falcon (1941). This classic flick is a rare character heavy piece whose plot is as rich as Thanksgiving gravy. Though we cannot help but cheer for Bogart's hero, we are still a little apprehensive about our emotional investment. Industrial strength duplicity seems high on the list of everyone's curriculum vitae, and in this noir flick it is not apparent who might end up with the prize for their cunning efforts. The supporting cast is a high octane affair, each threatening to outshine the others as well as the lead, but this only seems to catalyze Humphrey Bogart's theatrical prowess into the sidereal realm that legends are cast in. John Huston's directorial debut is nothing short of astounding, having made this first enterprise an all-time classic. The editing was occasionally sloppy, but such a sniveling trivia can easily be overlooked as mere pedantry in this swell classic. This third effort to get Hammett's story right was rewarded with acute success where the viewer is the winner, able to lap up this rich movie time after time with only renewed admiration. Merci beaucoup.
Genruk
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Fate is my mistress, mother of the cruel abomination that is hope.
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