Maltese Falcon
The Maltese Falcon and its Significance in American FilmThe world that emerged at the end of World War I was utterly different from what had existed before. An entire generation of young men had been killed in battle and millions were wounded or maimed for life. Entire empires had been removed from the map and new nations were struggling to survive. Europe was no longer the dominant region of the world, for both Britain and France were exhausted and Germany lay in ruins. The United States was now the most important nation in the world. And from this power sprouted influence. This influence spread throughout the art world, especially film and literature. While American movies and books borrowed heavily from past European greats, Americans made the art completely their own. In the lull between the Wars, in time where disillusioned soldiers were returning home to a world that had left them behind, things got a bit darker. Bad guys became human, good guys became bad, and everyone was out to get something or someone. Lines were b!lurred between right and wrong, because who knew which was which anymore. If going over seas to kill nameless men was acceptable, then surely it was all right for Mike Hammer to shoot the escaping
All of this, his visual style of writing, is what makes both the movie and the book stand out at greats. Perhaps even standing in front of a mirror, delivering a line to make sure it was menacing enough. Film noir films (often in black and white) showed the dark and inhumane side of human nature with cynicism. This book and movie, though eleven years apart, couldn't have come at a more opportune time. The setting is San Francisco, surely a big city, but not the northeastern metropolises we're used to in our detective fiction. Perhaps the best !example of the detective/villain story is The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. Hammett wrote like everyone wanted to talk: smooth, assured, and witty. Even while reading that Spade looked like a lanky, blond Satan, I was picturing a stocky Bogart, dark hair perfectly slicked back, and brows knit over half lidded eyes. Exteriors are often night scenes with deep shadows, wet asphalt, rain-slicked or mean streets, flashing neon lights, and again, low lighting. The Maltese Falcon meets all of these standards and more, becoming the grandfather of film noir. One can only imagine him sitting in front of his typewriter with a trench coat and tilted hat! on, hand rolled cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth. What Hammett does with his written word, Bogart does with his eyebrow, with his voice. Narratives are frequently complex and convoluted, typically with flashbacks or voice-over narration. It was a ground breaking book, offering up a style of writing that most hadn't seen before. There were plenty of odd angles, especially during fight scenes, and scenes with Gutman and Cairo.
Common topics in this essay:
Maltese Falcon,
Spade Learn,
Hammett Huston,
Britain France,
John Huston,
Horatio Alger,
Humphrey Bogart,
World War,
Polhaus It's,
Mary Astor,
film noir,
maltese falcon,
detective fiction,
seeing movie,
book seeing movie,
style writing,
hammett written,
book seeing,
low lighting,
black white,
|
Acceptance Essays
