When you talk about the mystery genre one of the films at the top of the list of the best is The Maltese Falcon. This classic stars the great Humphrey Bogart in one of his most memorable roles as Sam Spade created by Dashiell Hammett. This film set the standard for all mystery films that followed; it became film history's first film noir, along with it being John Huston's directorial debut. This was the third time this story had been brought to the screen and this was the most successful version to date. Detective Sam Spade is drawn into a mystery with a group of lowlifes looking for a jewel-encrusted falcon that could be worth millions, if it exists. Huston shot this film with the brilliance of a seasoned director; there isn't one scene that isn't plotted out to give the audience just enough information to keep them on the edge of their seats. There are two other recognizable faces, besides Bogart, here; they are Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet. Lorre is known for the many characters that portrayed in mystery and horror films and Greenstreet is probably best known for his role in Casablanca. Bogart's role here was his brealtrough performance after years of being a contract player for Warner Bros., and showed that he was a bankable leading man.
Over the years there have been many films that have tried to copy the style and feel of this classic but so many fell short of capturing the audience the way this one does. There are many people that I have talked to over the past few years that have heard of this movie but have never seen it; this movie is a nice introduction into the genre of mystery films. Filmed at a time when there was more substance in the story than in action sequences, you might find that you enjoy this film on its merits and not the effects.
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