Grade: A
Synopsis: A private eye (Humphrey Bogart) becomes involved in a deadly hunt for a priceless statue.
The Maltese Falcon is a great film. The direction, the script, and the performances, are all top of the line.
As a director, John Huston helped define the film noir genre, and as a writer he crafted a script crackling with some of the best dialog ever, including one of my favorite movie quotes: “When you’re slapped you’ll take it and like it!”
The story is crammed full of memorable characters and the supporting cast, including Peter Lorre, Syndey Greenstreet, and Ward Bond, all turn in performances every bit the equal of Bogart’s. And despite the countless rip-offs over the years none of the roles have lost a bit of the their edge.
Bottom Line: A film noir classic. Highly recommended.
One Response on “The Maltese Falcon (1941)”:
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Jessi said:
A
I loved this movie. It was intriguing and charming. I’m not usually into older movies, but I loved this one.
And on a side note, so when I slap you as long as I say that line I’m in the clear, right?
