Recently my mom said, “James, you have an eclectic taste in music.” Admittedly, I like a wide variety of music from country to 80’s pop and rock to Disney soundtracks to angry female pop stars (i.e. Alanis Morissette and Pink) and all sorts of other genres in between. But at the very top of my list is “The Chairman of the Board” himself, Frank Sinatra. I love Old Blue Eyes and the rest of the Rat Pack, not only their music, but their movies and their style. This past Christmas, my sister (shoutout to Julie) gave me a book called “The Way You Wear Your Hat.” It was a book about Sinatra’s “art of living.” Needless to say, I finished it before our New Year’s Day bowl game. The book discusses how Sinatra idolized prominent Hollywood actor and icon, Humphrey Bogart. Intrigued, I decided to add some Bogart films to my Netflix queue, and before I knew it The Maltese Falcon was in my mailbox.
The Maltese Falcon is a classic black and white detective film. It follows private detective Sam Spade (Bogart) as he becomes entangled in a web of greed for a jewel encrusted bird statue. The plot is confusing at times as Sam (and the viewer) tries to sift through the lies and alibis from the various players. I really enjoyed watching a film from the Golden Age of Hollywood and loved diving into the culture and style of the 1940s.
Bogart eloquently portrays a strong-willed, fast-talking PI. At times, I found his dialogue almost cryptic as the fast talking mixed with the mystery of the case, lies from the supporting cast, and the cant of the 1940s. The main broad (in the 40s this didn’t have the negative connotation that it does now so I can use it, what a great word) is typical to her gender in that I had not idea what was going on with her ever. Her emotions and disposition changed more often than Ricky Henderson changed pro teams.
The mystery plot and classic style make for a fun watch even though I wasn’t always in step with the storyline. This detective classic filled with henchmen, murders, and an affair is a one you should watch if you have an affinity for the 40s. Its major downfall is a somewhat unsatisfying resolution, but it’s still a movie that Bogart and even Sinatra fans alike should check out. It could be “the start of a beautiful friendship.”
-Nuss
3 out of 5 stars
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