Sun 24 Dec 2017
A PI Movie Review: THE MALTESE FALCON (1931).
Posted by Steve under Mystery movies , Reviews[12] Comments
THE MALTESE FALCON. Warner Bros Vitaphone Talking Picture, 1931. Bebe Daniels (Ruth Wonderly), Ricardo Cortez (Sam Spade), Dudley Digges (Casper Gutman), Una Merkel (Effie Perine), Robert Elliott (Detective Lt. Dundy), Thelma Todd (Iva Archer), Otto Matieson (Dr. Joel Cairo), Walter Long (Miles Archer), Dwight Frye (Wilmer Cook). Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. Director: Roy Del Ruth.
It’s taken me a long time to get around to seeing this one, but I’m glad I did. I’m going to assume everyone reading this knows the story, either by reading the book or watching the 1941 version, the one directed by John Huston and with Humphrey Bogart in his never to be forgotten role of private eye Sam Spade. Or both, of course.
This first adaptation, as I’ve just discovered, follows the story line of the book just about as closely as the Bogart one. In my opinion, though, while very good, if not excellent, it isn’t nearly as good as the later one, in spite of the semi-risque bits it gets away with, having been made before the Movie Code went into effect. (I suspect that I’m not saying anything new here.)
To some great extent, I imagine, how well you like this version depends quite a bit on how well you like Ricardo Cortez in the role. I didn’t, but on the other hand, who could compare with Humphrey Bogart’s performance, in a part made just for him?
I don’t know what the critical or audience reception to this movie was at the time, but it didn’t seem to have any lasting effect on how detective stories in novel form were adapted to the screen. It took another ten years before film versions of other mysteries didn’t have to have goofy cops or funny detective sidekicks tagging along for comedy relief. There’s none of that in this 1931 movie, but except for a few exceptions, such Warner Brothers’ output of gritty crime and racketeer dramas, that’s a simple idea that didn’t catch on.
December 24th, 2017 at 7:22 pm
The 1936 version – Satan Met a Lady – has the pre-code cad Warren William (renamed Ted Shane) in the lead, a horn full of diamonds instead of the falcon and Gutman renamed Madame Barrabas and played by Alison Skipworth. I don’t know if this was an attempt to avoid copyright issues, but add a young Bette Davis in the Wonderley role and Marie Wilson as the agency’s secretary and it’s all great fun as long as you don’t think of Maltese Falcons.
December 24th, 2017 at 7:56 pm
I believe it was John Huston that said what made THE MALTESE FALCON a success after two failed attempts was he filmed the book. He was right. I have found it interesting that no version has used Hammett’s description of Spade. In the book and short stories (all available on e-books) Spade was a blond Satan with a V shaped face. I can’t remember if any blond male played the hero in any American movie.
December 24th, 2017 at 8:30 pm
If the Huston version had never been made we would consider this a classic, much like the George Raft and Edward Arnold version of GLASS KEY.
Cortez’s slick version of Spade is in the book as is Bogart’s more human version. Truth is no one, including Howard Duff, ever played Spade quite as written, but since Hammett never lets us in Spade’s head, we only have his words to go by, tough on actors.
I’ve always wanted to see Richard Conte’s version from the television adaptation of one of the Spade shorts. I wonder if he was more Bogart or Cortez.
December 25th, 2017 at 2:31 am
David I always found it interesting that Bogart is so worldwide accepted as Spade and Marlowe, two different characters.
I thought Cortez played Spade meaner than audiences wanted.
I liked Bogart as both Spade and Marlowe. He had the maybe he is a bad guy vibe of Spade than his Marlowe lacked. And he had the moral beliefs of Marlowe that Spade lacked. He wasn’t exactly what either writer described but I found Bogart understood the subtleties of each.
I found this version ok but nothing could even make it a classic. Without Huston version Spade would not be a film icon.
December 25th, 2017 at 8:14 am
No, I’m not a big fan of Cortez in general, and he certainly did not get the whole Spade, just one dimension.
December 25th, 2017 at 8:47 am
Someone should say something nice about Dwight Frye as Wilmer.
My only objection to the movie is the writers thought they should add some stuff at the end about Spade getting a job with the DA’s office and asking the Warden to go easy on Wonderly. It all looks pretty sappy.
December 25th, 2017 at 1:52 pm
There is much to admire about the 1931 version, which suffers only in comparison to the ’41 masterpiece, and in the casting of dear Ricardo, who (along with Warren Williams) certainly comes to my mind whenever a “hambo” leading man appears in one of the Dan Turner pulp stories. But I love this film.It was shot little more than a year or two after the novel was written, and so we get a more accurate vision of the social milieu Hammett envisioned. Yes, Dwight Frye is a great Wilmer. Duddley Diggs is a fine, slimy Gutman. Then there’s BeBe Daniels as Brigid. Oh yas, oh yas. The only problem I ever had with the Huston version is Mary Astor, who I find about as appealing in the sex appeal department as a wet sack thrown over a fence post. Bebe on the other hand is one hot little mama and knows it and how to work it. I completely believe her as Miss Wonderly, something I’ve never been able to do with Ms. Astor. This version is definitely worth anyone’s attention.
December 26th, 2017 at 12:23 am
Michael,
By classic, I mean it would get more respect within the genre, a sort of cult status it lacks because of the Huston masterpiece.
Stephen Mertz,
Ironically Cortez plays a hambone club owner in the Dan Turner film BLACKMAIL (1947).
December 26th, 2017 at 10:49 am
Blackmail 1947 is a quickie second feature made with Cortez in support of William Marshall, which should tell any film fanatic all they need to know about. In any case it illustrates clearly why Cortez left film for Wall Street, and no comparison in production, wit, style or intent with The Maltese Falcon other than Lesley Selander probably had seen it.
December 26th, 2017 at 5:07 pm
Being the Dan Turner fan I am, I’ve watched Blackmail likely close to a dozen times over the years. It sure ain’t no Maltese Falcon but is IS a great little realization of the Robert Leslie Bellem pulp tale it’s based on. Yes, great use of “Ricardo” as resident hambo and a guy playing Turner who hands in a perfect embodiment of the Hollywood gumshoe and even manages deliver Turner’s wild patter as believable. Search this one out if you can.
December 26th, 2017 at 8:19 pm
Here’s a link to David Vineyard review of the Dan Turner movie, here on this blog, posted not so very long ago:
https://mysteryfile.com/blog/?p=51080
December 27th, 2017 at 11:03 pm
I agree with Stephen 100%, was going to make some similar comments, only he managed to say it better. Last year I had the pleasure of rewatching this film, only with a good friend of mine (who was the first friend of mine to insist I must read more Hammett) who knew of this film but had never managed to see it until we watched it together. I believe he would agree this is an excellent film too, only marred by that tacked on few minutes of fluff at the end.