The Maltese Falcon (1941) (3-Disc Special Edition)

Classic Film Noir

By Tim  Mar 6, 2000

The Maltese Falcon is considered a film noir classic. Its also one of the first films that can be considered film noir. Film noir is a cinematic style (not a genre) considered to be the combination of US gangster genre of the 1930's and the German e...xpressionst movement of the 1920's. The style film noir is probably the darkest style in US cinema. Lasting from 1940's onto the 1950's technically. Maltese Falcon is a classic in this style with a mysterious, loner of a good guy (played by Humphrey Bogart) set up against a crime of some kind propelled by devious characters. Woman often evil femme fatales who use their beauty and sexuality to seduce the good guy. Mary Astor's femme fatale in this film is probably the greatest role of her career and one of the greatest examples of the female characters of film noir. This film is about a priceless "gem", the Maltese Falcon, with a great history of theft and disappearance. Its been an obsession to those who know of it and the great many jewels hidden under its black surface. Humphrey Bogart, in the role that brought him to the top of Hollywoods stars, plays a detective caught up in a murderous fight for this falcon. The film became a very successful debut for director John Huston who would later direct such other classics The Treasure of the Sierra Madre(1948), The Asphalt Jungle(1950), The African Queen(1951) and The Man Who Would be King(1975). The film also reveals great performances out of Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet(both in Casablanca with Bogart). This film is a must see for all those who love dark mysteries, and not to forget, good acting and scripting. Read more Less