As in a lot of old movies, every character is a character, but in this one nearly everyone is loveable in his own way. The women are frankly a little disappointing: Mary Astor's character is one of the most manipulative characters I've ever seen, but, while well written, it's not acted as convincingly as I'd have hoped, and she's not even that pretty. That's maybe superficial, but it affects how you see her womanly wiles. On the other hand Peter Lorre as Mr Cairo and Sydney Greenstreet as Kasper "Fatman" Gutman are a joy every moment they are on screen. Gutman is a delightful crook who revels in Spade's antics and has a genuine fondness for him despite being pitted against him. Lorre has the craziest eyes and manner of any actor I think ever. "Look what you did to my shirt!" he complains after waking from being one-punched in the face by Spade.
Speaking of one-punches - this movie is a prime example of how tense action can be summed up in one movement. There are I think maybe 5 scenes with action in them, but the intensity of the film makes them matter. Cairo's punch to the face, Spade getting punched in the throat and later kicked in the head, and Archer getting shot, are all explosive little moments. Many films today focus on extended action scenes, and don't get me wrong, they can be awesome. However, too often blurry fast-pans and quick cuts disguise the action rather than intensify it. Being disoriented can be exciting, but it can be annoying too. Action is much cooler when you can SEE it. And it should be the result of real tension, not contrivance.
"You...you imbecile!"
The Maltese Falcon was a great movie full of great characters and great lines. Some issues with Mary Astor aside I loved it and definitely recommend it.
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