I like the new hair style! Did you notice at the end when Sam Spade finally explained everything to the police, he was able to do it in just a few sentences? When you strip everything away, the story isn't so complicated. It's all the lying that makes it seem complicated. This is one of those movies that improves with repeated viewings. The first time you see it, you don't know what's going on. After that, you can watch Sam Spade fake his way through the story, pretending to be something he's not and acting like he knows what's going on when he really doesn't, until he finally gets enough on everyone to turn the case over to the cops.
Funnily, I feel the same about The Big Sleep, notwithstanding the "Morris the Explainer" scene with the DA and Bernie Ohls in the 1946 pre-release version. A scene which lays out exactly who killed whom up to that point (except for the primary murder, the mystery of which runs through the film). It's all the unreliable narration from characters, including Marlowe and his unreliable speculations and misdirections, which tend to confuse people.
I used to have two co-workers named Peter and Lori. One day, I was talking with another co-worker, and we heard someone down the hall say, "Hey, Peter! Lori is looking for you!" My co-worker said, "Peter Lorre is looking for me? I thought he was dead."
This movie took audiences and critics completely by surprise. Not only had the two previous adaptations done poorly, it was Huston's first time directing, Bogart had been type-cast as gangsters, Astor was trying to make a comeback and Greenstreet had been a stage actor who had never made a film before. So audiences were blown away by how good they all were. By the way, one of the reasons the script was so good is that it stuck pretty close to the novel. Some of the dialogue is word for word.
I have a soft spot for the 1931 version with Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. I think Cortez portrays how sleazy Sam Spade really is. Daniels is also quite good, and the one "lewd" scene is anything but. It also featured Una Merkel in an early role and she's great.
I sometimes wish I'd read the book prior to the film. But the way it turned out, I saw the film, then book, then the other film iterations. My conclusion (which would be tested if I could alter the order) is that Bogart's performance is so pitch perfect that it raises the role above the words on the page, which for me when read, were kind of puerile, almost cartoonish. And I agree with the idea that Spade is sleazier than portrayed here. But I think it works better with Bogart's interpretation, which kind of leans a bit more toward Chandler's Marlowe on the sleazy scale.
When people complain about movies being remade I mention this one. If I had the skills I would write a musical stage version of this book. I think it would work!
Probably my favourite Huston and Bogart collaboration is Key Largo (1948). It co-stars Bogart's wife Lauren Bacall, Edward G Robinson and an Oscar winning Claire Trevor. Would love to see Mia react to that.
"The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of." Such an iconic noir film. This is the stereotypical, textbook example of a noir film. Fun Fact: Three (out of the eight made) of the statuettes still exist and are conservatively valued at over $1 million each. This makes them some of the most valuable film props ever made; indeed, each is now considerably worth more than what it cost to make. Spade's Lighter Fact: The unusual cigarette lighter that graces the desk of Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is a Ronson Touch-Tip table model. Made by the Ronson Co. from 1935-51, it is a classic example of the "art deco" style that dominated that era. Originals are so sought after by collectors that at least one company now exists that is entirely dedicated to restoring original examples to full working order. Accommodation Fact: At 357 pounds, 60-year-old British newcomer Sydney Greenstreet was so large that the studio had to specially manufacture his entire wardrobe for the role of Kasper Gutman. The chair in which Greenstreet sits while talking with Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) in the hotel room was also specially made for him; the chairs the prop department was going to use weren't wide enough to accommodate Greenstreet's girth nor strong enough to support his weight.
The man carrying the falcon is Walter Huston, John Huston's father, and a great actor in his own right. Check out him and Bogart in THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE.
They just don't (and probably can't) write or direct movies like this. How low we have sunk through the decades. No car chases, blood, sex, explosions. Just brilliant actors performing a five-star script. One of THE all-time classics.
I’ve read the Dashiell Hammett novel “The Maltese Falcon” and can tell you that John Huston’s 1941 film follows the novel virtually word-for-word of dialogue. You’ll never find a more faithful film adaptation.
John Huston made some of the greatest films ever about greed: Not only this, but later "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "The Asphalt Jungle," and The Man Who Would Be King."
Yes, Bogart was born in NYC. I’m glad you noticed the acting chops of Elisha Cook Jr. (Wilmer). The look on his face as he realizes he is out of his depth every time Spade confronts him is priceless. I did not know Bogart was the first choice for lead in this film, same as The Petrified Forest 1936, another milestone in his career. He did for “gangster” genre in that film, what he did for noir in this one. By the way, you look stunning!
Hopefully she'll watch The Big Sleep; I love Elisha Cook's character in that...just enough like Wilmer for comparison but with a completely different approach to a life of crime.
Elisha Cook Jr. was around forever. He was still working as late as the late 1980s. His last significant role was playing Icepick, the retired gangster on Magnum P. I.
The Big Sleep is a great film. Bogart is actually in every scene in that film. The director didn't want the audience to know more than bogarts character. Great film.
Fun fact - They did a comedy film of all Humphrey Bogart noir films called The Cheap Detective (1978). It has Peter Falk playing the Bogart part... it's such a good film with a great cast.
1930s and 1940s movie nostalgia was at an all-time high in the 1970s. So many movie homages and scholarly and popular books on the subject came out back then and the late night local TV stations and national TV networks were always showing the great oldies. It was a great time to develop an appreciation of the true classics.
Everyone did a great job in this and the writing is fantastic. If you enjoyed her performance here, Mary Astor in "Dodsworth" (1936) will knock your socks off. In that film, she's romanced by Walter Huston, father to John who directed her here in the Maltese Falcon. A completely different character in another engrossing film.
This is one of those movies that totally earns its classic status, every role cast to perfection and a wonderfully tightly woven script (which is really remarkably close to the Hammett novel; some scenes are virtually word-for-word). The director's father, Walter Huston, did an uncredited walk-on (or rather stagger-on) as the man who delivered the package with the falcon. For a genuinely great movie in which Walter Huston stars opposite Mary Astor, may I recommend DODSWORTH (1936). I never saw it till 5 years ago, and it's a stunning achievement, a real corker. Both of them give performances that would still look modern now, they're so simple and true and believable.
Bogart was great in many, many movies. Everyone has their favorite...for me, his greatest performance might have been in one of his less famous films when he was much older...The Caine Mutiny.
Bogart was born in New York. His family was wealthy. He decided to go on the Broadway stage. When sound movies began, he joined many other Broadway stage actors and went to Hollywood to try acting in the movies. (Broadway actors had good speaking voices.)
Wow - love the new look😍 Glad you liked the movie but you missed out my favourite line - 'You're not going to go around poking at the fire and straightening up the room again, are you?' 🤣 classic cynical Bogie.
@@MoviesWithMia Every time you passed by a great scene I totally figured it was due to having to edit. I've tried to get public domain movies past the robots and still get stupid claims. It must indeed be brutal getting these Warner films in particular through in any form at all. (I'm not a reactor, I just upload random stuff, just to explain.)
Thanks for doing Maltese Falcon - one of my favorites. If anyone has not read Dashiell Hammett before you need to. He wrote a series called the Continental Op which is essentially the Private Eye with no name -- based in San Francisco and another story that is quite good, Red Harvest. Mia your new hairstyle is quite flattering.
I've read thousands of novels along with seeing thousands of films and I agree in principle with you that people should read as much as they watch, when possible. I have all of Hammett in my book library but still haven't read him, even though I've seen most of the film adaptations. That's on me, but I intend on correcting it.
I'd chime in with a Raymond Chandler recommendation. All his writing is terrific. The Big Sleep, Long Goodbye, Farewell My Lovely, Murder My Sweet, and screenplays for Double Indemnity, Blue Dahlia, Strangers on a Train
Great reaction to my favorite noir flick. This movie had a major influence on my writing. If you thought this plot was confusing, check out The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart as Detective Phillip Marlowe and Lauren Bacall as the femme fatal. Many critics feel that The Treasure of Sierra Madre was Bogart's best work. Treasure was directed by John Huston and also starred his father, Walter Huston. Walter won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Thanks for reacting to this movie.---Joe C. Ellis -- Noir Detective Novelist
Your mentioning how striking the name Floyd Thursby is reminded me of how, back in the days before the internet made answering such questions too easy, one of my favorite movie trivia questions was "Who played Floyd Thursby in 'The Maltese Falcon'?" I saved it especially for people I knew were film buffs who would immediately recognize the name, then drive themselves insane as they tried to remember the actor. Finally I would have to tell them that NOBODY played Floyd Thursby, because we never actually see him. 😁
Don’t know if this was mentioned in the comments but the last shot of her on the elevator was supposed to be a metaphor for what awaited her - a drop on the gallows! Huston was a master. Kudos!
In 1941 Mary Astor also starred in 'The Great Lie' with Bette Davis, and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. When you consider her dramatic performance in this, and her performance in that film, which was comedic, it was absolutely deserved. Plus this is one of the most iconic endings in film history.
"The Maltese Falcon" is a fabulous cinematic experience meant to be passed down through the generations. I've played this DVD for my daughter and son-in-law. They in turn played it for their children. The scenes that got my attention were between Spade/Bogart and Brigette/Astor. That was the dynamic I emphasized. And of course, Sam Spade telling Joel Cairo that "when you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!". Thank you for the story of Huston and his father's role in the movie, Captain Jacoby. I know they've all passed away. Still, it seems that cast will always be with us. Your new hair style looks very nice, Mia. Also it's your smile and enjoyment at watching "The Maltese Falcon" that make you beautiful. P.S. A classic movie I never get tired of watching is "3 Godfathers", my favorite Christmas movie.
May I suggest an oldie but goodie? "The Virginian" (1929) for several reasons: It is the first talkie to be filmed outdoors and on location instead of in a studio set. It is the first sound film to include ambient sounds (cows mooing, birds chirping, floors creaking, etc.) instead of filtering them out, to help tell the story. There comes a moment when you hear two birds cooing that will make your heart skip a beat. Ambient sounds become a part of the movie for the first time. It is Gary Cooper's first talkie and first starring role (and he was terrified of the microphone). It was directed by Victor Fleming, who would later direct "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard Of Oz." In addition to Cooper, it stars Richard Arlen ("Wings"), Walter Huston in his first movie, Eugene Pallette and Mary Brian. Gary Cooper and Richard Arlen play best friends in "The Virginian." They were best friends in real life, and it shows in their performances here. There is a gut-wrenching scene about halfway through the movie that Gary Cooper struggled to play because it was too emotional for him: The Virginian is forced against his will to hang his best friend for rustling cattle. The scene required Cooper to 'hang' Richard Arlen and Cooper just couldn't do it. It took him two days to get it right. The director finally told Arlen to not look at Cooper during that scene so he could get through it, and they wrote out Cooper's lines off camera so he could say them without looking at Arlen. It's an intense scene - the original 1929 review in Variety called it "the most harrowing scene ever captured on film." It's a good movie, film experts consider it the best version of "The Virginian" even today. I think you'd like it.
My first time here so sorry about not knowing a change in your hair. I love how you spot the little nuances of the movie. It's honestly very refreshing that you can see what most miss. Firstly, I have to say that the country is pronounced Mall-ta or Maal- ta, not Mal-ta. Sorry, I don't like correcting. This was definitely not Humphrey Bogart's first role. He'd been around for several years, mostly playing the hard, vicious gangsters that the Warners studio was known for in their releases. This was the first role that made them take notice of his immense talent. You can see him playing everyone around him. I picture Bogart in this role as playing cards, with a perfect poker face. He's reading everyone else's expressions as the cards are being dealt. He's not got much to play with but he works the rest of the table card by card. When he knows he's finally got a decent hand, he begins making his play, still cagey as to what he's really got. He bluffs well and lets them crack first, unsure of how strong his hand really is. Mary Astor had been in Hollywood since the silent era and was clawing her way back into prominence. Sidney Greenstreet plays a likeable character but don't dare turn your back on him. He plays a similar role with both Bogart and Lorre in Casablanca. Elisha Cook Jr plays Wilmer, an actor who specialised in bit parts and supporting roles, yet he always stood out in them. Peter Lorre is possibly the most interesting of the lot. His career began in Germany, playing in the silent era. His most notable role, and especially creepy, was in M, where he is cast as a child predator. He's both sad and terrifying at the same time. After his move to Hollywood, his roles were never so interesting and he fought hard to maintain his career in a tough environment that tended to overlook him. His career lasted until the early 1970s, appearing in horror films with Vincent Price as well as a memorable light-hearted role in Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Check Lorre out in the brilliant 1944 Cary Grant vehicle, Arsenic And Old Lace. A smaller role, but he plays it with menacing fun.
The small "heavy" was a type of character that showed up in some 30's and 40's movies. They were small men, who had an out sized opinion of their toughness. Usually the protagonist would put them in their place, showing how though he was. They were called "light heavies."
"Out of the Past" and "The Night of the Hunter", two of the quintessential film noir films, both starring Robert Mitchum, are among the most recommendable classic masterpieces.
One of the best black & white movies that is often overlooked is Sullivan's Travels, a Capra-esque tale that holds up very well IMO. Oh, and now that you've seen both Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon, you really should watch the Cheap Detective, one of the very first spoof comedies, which spoofs these movies, with Peter Falk (Columbo) playing the "Bogart" type detective. It was written by Neil Simon, a brilliant play wright & screen writer. Lots of great cameos for stars and comedians.
At the movie's beginning we see a shot of the Bay Bridge, which had not yet been built 11 years earlier when the novel was published. Two wonderful touches, both originally from the novel: we can see just how much Spade thinks of his partner from the fact that he is having an affair with his partner's wife, whom he doesn't even like. And Spade refers to Wilmer as a "gunsel," a word that sounds sufficiently like "gunman" that the book's (and later, movie's) censors didn''t even question it, as Hammett had figured they wouldn't. Through the influence of this book and movie, the word has sometimes come to be used since then to mean gunman, but that's not what it meant at the time: "gunsel" meant a kept boy, used for sexual purposes, so we have a lot more information about the relationship between Gutman and Wilmer than the censors would ever have knowingly permitted. But of course, if you lose a gunsel it's possible to get another, but there's only one Maltese falcon.
Great reaction to one of my favorite movies Mia! Even after seeing it umpteen times I just figured something out. When you asked what Brigid O'Shaughnessy was thinking near the end when Sam was on the phone telling the police about the murders I realized that Sam said Wilma Cook killed Jacoby and Thursby. He didn't include Archer and Ms. O'Shaughnessy noticed that! Also in 1981 Jon & Vangelis has a hit song with The Friends of Mr. Cairo which was an homage to noire movies. Give it a listen!
When you watch this the second time, you can tell that Sam has all the information he needs to solve the first murder by the end of the first 15 minutes (he likely knew the murderer's identity before he got back home but had no proof). It adds so much to the character interactions on repeat viewings.
Yes! From then on he's just trying to figure out the Why, and especially whether there's any way he can trust Brigid and forgive her. A pivotal moment that's very easy to miss (I did many times) is when he hears that Thursby was completely loyal to her. That's when he realizes that he has no choice; even if he tries to do things her way she might try to kill him at any time.
Thanks for showing this film proper appreciation. It is one of the true iconic greats of the cinema. I still find it thrilling and beautiful and Bogart is just sensational. I saw this movie twice with proper prints in old movie theaters back in the 1980s, which really boosts one's appreciation of the film's power. It's also incredibly funny. Huston's dad, Walter, is the guy who drops dead delivering the Falcon. John got around the censorship of the time about Joel Cairo being gay by having Lorre lightly nibble on the tip of the walking cane. You were right, the lines are sardonic and funny all the way through. A perfect movie. It really annoys me that so many young reactors who watch this film completely fail to get it. Not you, though.
And Bogart's reference to Wilmer as Sidney Greenstreet's "gunsel" was another reference to homosexuality. The word sounds like it means "gunman," but it comes from Yiddish "gansel" (gosling, young goose), and was contemporary street slang for a young man who was kept by an older, richer man.
@@jaykaufman9782 Cool. I knew there were a lot more subtextual things like that, but had to keep my comment to the length of no more than a small novel, lol.
Would love to see your reactions and thoughts on “Anatomy of a Murder.” Great legal drama staring Jimmy Stewart. And, Humphrey Bogart films “Key Largo,” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.” Love your channel!
I love how they portrayed men in those days, stoic and self controlled rather than the hyper-emotional wimps of today. Sidney Greenstreet has such old world charm and seems to belong to the 19th century.
This was made during the time of the studio system, when actors had contracts with the studios, so it was common to see the same actors working together in many movies (Greenstreet and Lorre were also in Casablanca) Bogart is one of my favorite actors. In my opinion, his best films were Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Key Largo. If you want to see Bogart doing comedy, We're No Angels is a great Christmas comedy. The Cheap Detective is a 1978 Neil Simon spoof of 40s film noir starring Peter Falk. Falk also plays a character named Sam Diamond in the great 1976 Neil Simon film Murder by Death, a spoof of detective stories in general.
I was surprised to see Ward Bond in this. Bond starred in a whole slew of John Wayne westerns and was the wagon master in TVs Wagon Train but to me he'll always be Bert the cop in It's A Wonderful Life.
Humphrey DeForest Bogart, nicknamed Bogie Born: 25 December 1899, New York, New York, United States Died: 14 January 1957, Los Angeles, California, United States Spouse: Lauren Bacall (m. 1945-1957) peace out.
You found another winner! Love this movie, my mom looked a lot like Mary Astor. Since you admire John Huston's direction, try to see The Asphalt Jungle if you haven't yet. It's got a great cast and story line. 9:23 Used to have a Webley & Scott pistol just like that the one in the movie. 27:45 Why bring Sam Spade into the scheme? Bridgett is hoping to get the falcon all for herself, heading off Cairo and Gutman. That's why she seduced Capt. Jacoby into bringing it straight to Sam. She likely planned to kill Sam if she had to. 28:58 Bogart was born & raised in Morningside Park on Manhattan, son of a physician and a famous magazine illustrator.
The guy who played Wilmer was Elisha Cook Jr. He played Icepick on Magnum P. I. Mary Astor was from Quincy, IL. Bogart, Green street, and Lorre were also in Casablanca.
I recommend another Huston-Bogart movie called "Beat the Devil" from 1953. It is a lighthearted mystery-comedy (Truman Capote wrote some of the script). It is not rated very highly by most critics, but I've always liked it. Plus, it would be a fitting tribute to Gina Lollabrigida who co-stars and who has just died at the age of 95.
I love how much you care about these old movies. The intro and historical info that you provide is priceless. After I watch movies, I typically read up on them & their cast; it's very inspiring to see somebody who cares about this film history so much.
Just found your channel! Love it! You're a breath of fresh air. Your reactions and your appreciation of the movies are wonderful and your comments are so astute!
Thank you for a great reaction to a favorite classic. You are so good at this, Mia. Your intelligent, interesting observations make rewatching films like this such a pleasure.
There's a couple of movies you might like (if you haven't already seen them) the big sleep 1946. Bogart plays Philip Marlowe. Murder My Sweet 1944. Dick Powell playing Philip Marlowe and The Cheap Detective 1978 a comedy parody of this movie and Cassablanca
The hair looks lovely. The Maltese Falcon is my favorite Bogart movie. Glad you reviewed it. The 1931 version is mostly good, but it misses the point of the end of the novel. The 35 version is just a mess. A shame considering the on screen talent. And Bogie is a New Yorker.
Oh, this is one of my favorites. John Huston was such a great director. There's a scene where Bogie and Sidney Greenstreet are talking and Peter Lorre is in the background just smoking a cigarette. Peter Lorre steals that scene.
Just subbed! This is enjoyable to watch with you, Miss Mia! Looking forward to more reviews, watch your content, and the films and shows that you choose to view appeals!
Humphrey Bogart was from NYC. He is actually an extremely distant cousin of mine-we (and over a million others) are descended from Sarah Rapelje, the first European child born in the colony of New Netherland.
A few months ago, in Summer of 2022, we lost the great Greek electronic composer, Vangelis. He wrote mainly for documentaries, but also wrote and recorded great movie scores, such as "Chariots of Fire " and "Blade Runner" In 1981 Vangelis released his second collaboration with Jon Anderson, singer / lyricist of the Progressive Rock band Yes. Jon and Vangelis "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" is a terrific album, Avant-Garde for its time. The title track, referring to Peter Lorre's character in "The Maltese Falcon", is an 11-minute love song to Classic Cinema, B&W golden oldies, Silents and Talkies. It presents a few moods and even has actors briefly voice-play Bogie, Lorre, Greenstreet, Astor and Jimmy Stewart, for good measure. The music becomes passionately gorgeous, at the end, powerful, with lyrics and Jon's ethereal voice to catch your heart. "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" would make a terrific companion reaction to tonight's video reaction. Enjoy.
Ray Bradbury said there was something wrong with The Maltese Falcon script. "It says it was written by John Huston. It wasn't. The script is exactly the novel." Which is the best compliment a writer can give a screenwriter. Directors like Huston are what I call Literary Directors, because they can do almost exact film treatments of famous novels. P. T. Anderson is probably the best modern example of this type director.
Hi Mia, I just stumbled onto this video, and you just can't imagine my joy to see on your channel my jam, OLD MOVIES!!! Some awsome ones too! I just subbed and look foward too catching up on your videos. You arw a treasure!
Bogart didn't really start playing tough guys until he was in The Petrified Forest on Broadway, and his costar, Leslie Howard, insisted the studio cast Bogart in the film adaptation.
One of Huston’s greatest movies was The Man Who Would Be King. He tried for years to make this movie with Bogart and Spencer Tracy but never could get it going, maybe for the better because he finally made it in 1975 with Sean Connery, Michael Caine and with Christopher Plummer as Rudyard Kipling. The great thing about the wait is he had the wherewithal to make a great movie in exotic locations instead of a backlot movie. It greatly enhanced the story.
This movie is undoubtedly a masterpiece! One of the best Warner Bros. movies I’ve ever watched aside from “Casablanca”! I actually watched the entire movie at least once or twice and I’m a huge fan of Humphrey Bogart’s work! I’m glad you got to see it just like I did! Wonderful upload! Also, love the haircut as well! 😁🤩👍
Wow, took me a bit to get to this reaction. Great analysis and attention to the story! Also, if it's possible to say without sounding weird, you look amazing in this. The new hair, the face, the sweater: it all works!
In November 2013, Bonhams in New York sold the lead statuette of the Maltese Falcon for the sum of $4,1million. The note described it as "The only statuette confirmed by Warner Bros. Archives as having appeared on the screen." The buyer was Steve Wynn, a Las Vegas hotel and casino billionaire. It was one of the highest prices ever paid for a piece of movie memorabilia. - There are also said to be a couple of resin/plaster made Maltese Falcons, made for this movie or for the 1975 Maltese Falcon satire, called The Black Bird. One of which is owned by Leonardo DiCaprio.
You did call out most of the "name" actors before the movie started, but you did miss one. To us older TV viewers, when John Hamilton, who played the District Attorney, first appeared on screen everyone "of a certain age" said out loud "It's Perry White, Great Caesar's Ghost!". Hamilton played the role of Daily Planet Editor Perry White on "The Adventures of Superman" TV series in the late 50's and early 60's. "Great Caesar's Ghost" was his signature line, his cry of surprise or anger on the show. Great reaction, your comments were right on the money, and your new hair cut is superb.
Happy 2023, and thanks for this! It is a tribute to Bogart's ease with Shakespeare that he improvised that final line taken from The Tempest, when Prospero says "We are such things as dreams are made on ... " The line is in keeping with the spirit of Hammett, who always portrayed our world as steeped in fakery and lies. Wild to see a young Elisha Cook Jr here, as I recall him so well from roles much later in his career, like his selling the new apartment to John Cassavetes and Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. Thanks again.
Thank you once again, Mia. I _strongly_ recommend watching the 1931 version to contrast it to this one. I couldn't tell you why people didn't go for it 10 years earlier. It surely wasn't the production, which is excellent. Part of it may have been the earlier film style that was still very much influenced by silent films. Also, love the hair.
Mia! you need to checkout this comedy movie, The Great Race. Starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemon, Peter Falk,and Natalie Wood. Oh by the way, you are absolutely beautiful!!:)
🎥"The Maltese Falcon" and Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Sam Spade is the quintessential template that Hollywood used for all future noir films. For this reason (provided you haven't seen it already) it is essential that you see "Chinatown" '74. 🎥A movie that I have always considered to be Roman Polanski's homage to John Houston & The Maltese Falcon. Stars ...Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway ...and yes, John Houston. 🎥With a screenplay to die for, it is one of the most visually and stylistically beautiful films I've ever seen. Impeccable! And still holds up to that title to this day. 🎥One of the very films that continues my strong belief that the true "Golden Age of Hollywood" was the late 60's to the mid 80's. However, the films of the 30's - 50's do shine with a resounding Silver.
I saw you catch the symbolism of her being behind bars at the end. Cooler yet is the shadow of the bars casting a shadow over her eye in the shape of a bird’s foot.
Ok Mia. I’ve been peaking at your reviews in a flirtatious way, but your review of The Maltese Falcon captured my heart and now I’m a new subscriber. See you at your next review 😊
Mary Astor is in so many great movies throughout her career: Red Dust, Meet Me In St. Louis, The Great Lie, Prisoner of Zenda, Dodsworth, Little Women(1949) and Midnight.
I like the new hair style!
Did you notice at the end when Sam Spade finally explained everything to the police, he was able to do it in just a few sentences? When you strip everything away, the story isn't so complicated. It's all the lying that makes it seem complicated.
This is one of those movies that improves with repeated viewings. The first time you see it, you don't know what's going on. After that, you can watch Sam Spade fake his way through the story, pretending to be something he's not and acting like he knows what's going on when he really doesn't, until he finally gets enough on everyone to turn the case over to the cops.
Funnily, I feel the same about The Big Sleep, notwithstanding the "Morris the Explainer" scene with the DA and Bernie Ohls in the 1946 pre-release version. A scene which lays out exactly who killed whom up to that point (except for the primary murder, the mystery of which runs through the film). It's all the unreliable narration from characters, including Marlowe and his unreliable speculations and misdirections, which tend to confuse people.
@@Hexon66 Well, didn't the author not really know some of the questions the director had?
I used to have two co-workers named Peter and Lori. One day, I was talking with another co-worker, and we heard someone down the hall say, "Hey, Peter! Lori is looking for you!" My co-worker said, "Peter Lorre is looking for me? I thought he was dead."
The dialogue in this movie was almost completely lifted from the book. It is one of the most faithful adaptations I know of.
Yes, because Huston being a screen writer knew perfection wen he saw it. I have this book and The Continental Op by Hammett. Both great reads.
This movie took audiences and critics completely by surprise. Not only had the two previous adaptations done poorly, it was Huston's first time directing, Bogart had been type-cast as gangsters, Astor was trying to make a comeback and Greenstreet had been a stage actor who had never made a film before. So audiences were blown away by how good they all were. By the way, one of the reasons the script was so good is that it stuck pretty close to the novel. Some of the dialogue is word for word.
I love this film, and that's some interesting background info I didn't know. Many thanks!
I have a soft spot for the 1931 version with Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels. I think Cortez portrays how sleazy Sam Spade really is. Daniels is also quite good, and the one "lewd" scene is anything but. It also featured Una Merkel in an early role and she's great.
I sometimes wish I'd read the book prior to the film. But the way it turned out, I saw the film, then book, then the other film iterations. My conclusion (which would be tested if I could alter the order) is that Bogart's performance is so pitch perfect that it raises the role above the words on the page, which for me when read, were kind of puerile, almost cartoonish. And I agree with the idea that Spade is sleazier than portrayed here. But I think it works better with Bogart's interpretation, which kind of leans a bit more toward Chandler's Marlowe on the sleazy scale.
When people complain about movies being remade I mention this one.
If I had the skills I would write a musical stage version of this book. I think it would work!
@@mikemilne This is also my favourite example when the topic of "remakes never work" subject comes up.
Probably my favourite Huston and Bogart collaboration is Key Largo (1948). It co-stars Bogart's wife Lauren Bacall, Edward G Robinson and an Oscar winning Claire Trevor. Would love to see Mia react to that.
A great movie worth reacting to. 👍
Tremendous film. You are so right. A favorite of mine as well.
Key Largo is wonderful and shows the love between Bogart and Becall
Great shout!
Great choice!
One of the great MacGuffins in cinema history. Props to Ward Bond and Elisha Cook Jr in their roles
Adore those two! 🌟 🌟
Really everyone was perfect in their parts including small ones like the hotel detective.
"The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of."
Such an iconic noir film. This is the stereotypical, textbook example of a noir film.
Fun Fact: Three (out of the eight made) of the statuettes still exist and are conservatively valued at over $1 million each. This makes them some of the most valuable film props ever made; indeed, each is now considerably worth more than what it cost to make.
Spade's Lighter Fact: The unusual cigarette lighter that graces the desk of Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is a Ronson Touch-Tip table model. Made by the Ronson Co. from 1935-51, it is a classic example of the "art deco" style that dominated that era. Originals are so sought after by collectors that at least one company now exists that is entirely dedicated to restoring original examples to full working order.
Accommodation Fact: At 357 pounds, 60-year-old British newcomer Sydney Greenstreet was so large that the studio had to specially manufacture his entire wardrobe for the role of Kasper Gutman. The chair in which Greenstreet sits while talking with Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) in the hotel room was also specially made for him; the chairs the prop department was going to use weren't wide enough to accommodate Greenstreet's girth nor strong enough to support his weight.
The man carrying the falcon is Walter Huston, John Huston's father, and a great actor in his own right. Check out him and Bogart in THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE.
Check out W. Huston and M. Astor in Dodsworth (1936) as well. Great story and acting!
@@Divamarja_CA Saw it several times. It only gets better with repeated viewing. 👏👍👏
They just don't (and probably can't) write or direct movies like this. How low we have sunk through the decades. No car chases, blood, sex, explosions. Just brilliant actors performing a five-star script. One of THE all-time classics.
It was like watching a play. Which I love.
It's called talent, period.
Fun fact; the hillside stranglers let Peter Lorre's daughter go because of whom her father was
I think the Maltese Falcon is hiding inside that boss haircut.
I’ve read the Dashiell Hammett novel “The Maltese Falcon” and can tell you that John Huston’s 1941 film follows the novel virtually word-for-word of dialogue. You’ll never find a more faithful film adaptation.
John Huston made some of the greatest films ever about greed: Not only this, but later "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "The Asphalt Jungle," and The Man Who Would Be King."
Your commentary, insights and observations are fantastic. You bring the film to another level.
Yes, Bogart was born in NYC. I’m glad you noticed the acting chops of Elisha Cook Jr. (Wilmer). The look on his face as he realizes he is out of his depth every time Spade confronts him is priceless. I did not know Bogart was the first choice for lead in this film, same as The Petrified Forest 1936, another milestone in his career. He did for “gangster” genre in that film, what he did for noir in this one. By the way, you look stunning!
Hopefully she'll watch The Big Sleep; I love Elisha Cook's character in that...just enough like Wilmer for comparison but with a completely different approach to a life of crime.
Elisha Cook Jr. was around forever. He was still working as late as the late 1980s. His last significant role was playing Icepick, the retired gangster on Magnum P. I.
LOVE The Petrified Forest, also High Sierra is a fantastic "early Bogart" film.
Elisha Cook Jr. had a long career including the TV movie Salem's lot (1979) and Electra Glide In Blue (1973).
Bogie wasn't the first choice. It was George raft. Which he turned down
Great film.
Would also recommend “The Big Sleep”.
Bogart played two iconic PIs, Sam Spade and Philip Marlow!
Also co-starred a certain Lauren Bacall.
The Big Sleep is a great film. Bogart is actually in every scene in that film. The director didn't want the audience to know more than bogarts character. Great film.
@@darylabrams2
The Marlowe novels are all narrated in first person, so that makes sense. If he wasn't there to see it, it isn't in the story.
A great choice. A couple of my favorites are 'Murder, My Sweet' and 'Double Indemnity' - these movies never really seem to get old!
Fun fact - They did a comedy film of all Humphrey Bogart noir films called The Cheap Detective (1978). It has Peter Falk playing the Bogart part... it's such a good film with a great cast.
Very funny film - and the greatest Ingrid Bergman impression ever... by Nurse Ratched!
Mia should react to the first Columbo TV movie sometime, or better yet, Murder, Inc. which gave Peter Falk his Oscar nomination.
1930s and 1940s movie nostalgia was at an all-time high in the 1970s. So many movie homages and scholarly and popular books on the subject came out back then and the late night local TV stations and national TV networks were always showing the great oldies. It was a great time to develop an appreciation of the true classics.
CHECK OUT THE BLACK BIRD 1975,WITH 2 ACTORS FROM THE ORIGINAL FILM IN 1942
Everyone did a great job in this and the writing is fantastic. If you enjoyed her performance here, Mary Astor in "Dodsworth" (1936) will knock your socks off. In that film, she's romanced by Walter Huston, father to John who directed her here in the Maltese Falcon. A completely different character in another engrossing film.
Mary Astor was very underrated,...
That last scene between Bogie and Astor is probably the best scene in any movie ever
This is one of those movies that totally earns its classic status, every role cast to perfection and a wonderfully tightly woven script (which is really remarkably close to the Hammett novel; some scenes are virtually word-for-word).
The director's father, Walter Huston, did an uncredited walk-on (or rather stagger-on) as the man who delivered the package with the falcon. For a genuinely great movie in which Walter Huston stars opposite Mary Astor, may I recommend DODSWORTH (1936). I never saw it till 5 years ago, and it's a stunning achievement, a real corker. Both of them give performances that would still look modern now, they're so simple and true and believable.
I agree Dodsworth is a really good movie and very interesting subject matter for it's time.
Dodsworth is a beautiful movie!
Dodsworth is wonderful movie. Huston and Astor had great, if somewhat surprising, onscreen chemistry.
Bogart was great in many, many movies. Everyone has their favorite...for me, his greatest performance might have been in one of his less famous films when he was much older...The Caine Mutiny.
Bogart was brilliant in The Caine Mutiny. It's my favorite of his performances, too.
Bogart was born in New York. His family was wealthy. He decided to go on the Broadway stage. When sound movies began, he joined many other Broadway stage actors and went to Hollywood to try acting in the movies. (Broadway actors had good speaking voices.)
The three of them teamed up together again in Across the Pacific, another great film.
Wow - love the new look😍 Glad you liked the movie but you missed out my favourite line - 'You're not going to go around poking at the fire and straightening up the room again, are you?' 🤣 classic cynical Bogie.
Thank you!! And ahh I know this was a brutal edit only because Warner Bros. movies are so hard to get on YT
@@MoviesWithMia Every time you passed by a great scene I totally figured it was due to having to edit. I've tried to get public domain movies past the robots and still get stupid claims. It must indeed be brutal getting these Warner films in particular through in any form at all. (I'm not a reactor, I just upload random stuff, just to explain.)
Thanks for doing Maltese Falcon - one of my favorites. If anyone has not read Dashiell Hammett before you need to. He wrote a series called the Continental Op which is essentially the Private Eye with no name -- based in San Francisco and another story that is quite good, Red Harvest. Mia your new hairstyle is quite flattering.
He also wrote The Thin Man! Dashiell Hammett had been a Pinkerton detective for a short time in his storied past.
I've read thousands of novels along with seeing thousands of films and I agree in principle with you that people should read as much as they watch, when possible. I have all of Hammett in my book library but still haven't read him, even though I've seen most of the film adaptations. That's on me, but I intend on correcting it.
I'd chime in with a Raymond Chandler recommendation. All his writing is terrific. The Big Sleep, Long Goodbye, Farewell My Lovely, Murder My Sweet, and screenplays for Double Indemnity, Blue Dahlia, Strangers on a Train
He was born on Christmas Day in 1899. In New York his father was a doctor his mother was an artist.
Great reaction to my favorite noir flick. This movie had a major influence on my writing. If you thought this plot was confusing, check out The Big Sleep with Humphrey Bogart as Detective Phillip Marlowe and Lauren Bacall as the femme fatal. Many critics feel that The Treasure of Sierra Madre was Bogart's best work. Treasure was directed by John Huston and also starred his father, Walter Huston. Walter won an Oscar for best supporting actor. Thanks for reacting to this movie.---Joe C. Ellis -- Noir Detective Novelist
Bacall is not really a femme fatal in "The Big Sleep." She helps Marlowe.
It’s Fetale
@@randywhite3947 You are correct, yet Bacall was not a Femme Fatale in her role as Vivian Sternwood, maybe her sister Carmen.
@@jackasswhiskyandpintobeans9344 Yes, Carmen had led Sean to an early death.
Loved the way these movies relied on good dialogue/writing, camera and lighting work instead of action
Your mentioning how striking the name Floyd Thursby is reminded me of how, back in the days before the internet made answering such questions too easy, one of my favorite movie trivia questions was "Who played Floyd Thursby in 'The Maltese Falcon'?" I saved it especially for people I knew were film buffs who would immediately recognize the name, then drive themselves insane as they tried to remember the actor. Finally I would have to tell them that NOBODY played Floyd Thursby, because we never actually see him. 😁
Haha! That is fantastic!!! I gotta use that trivia someday!!
That same actor played Sean Regan in The Big Sleep and the German courier carrying the letters of transit in Casablanca!
@@adamwarlock1 🤣Well played, sir! Years later I believe he also played George Kaplan in "North by Northwest."😁
@@DanielOrme Oh nice!
Such a dick move. I approve.
Don’t know if this was mentioned in the comments but the last shot of her on the elevator was supposed to be a metaphor for what awaited her - a drop on the gallows! Huston was a master. Kudos!
Bogart was born in New York City to a Doctor . His mother was a famous artist named Maud Humphrey.
In 1941 Mary Astor also starred in 'The Great Lie' with Bette Davis, and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. When you consider her dramatic performance in this, and her performance in that film, which was comedic, it was absolutely deserved. Plus this is one of the most iconic endings in film history.
Not to mention her role as the Mother in Meet Me in St. Louis! Such a diversity of roles in just a few short years.
@@Divamarja_CA My favourite Judy Garland film.
As a big Humphrey Bogart fan, I’m a huge fan of this film. One of his absolute best in his career
"The Maltese Falcon" is a fabulous cinematic experience meant to be passed down through the generations. I've played this DVD for my daughter and son-in-law. They in turn played it for their children.
The scenes that got my attention were between Spade/Bogart and Brigette/Astor.
That was the dynamic I emphasized.
And of course, Sam Spade telling Joel Cairo that "when you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!".
Thank you for the story of Huston and his father's role in the movie, Captain Jacoby.
I know they've all passed away. Still, it seems that cast will always be with us.
Your new hair style looks very nice, Mia. Also it's your smile and enjoyment at watching "The Maltese Falcon" that make you beautiful.
P.S. A classic movie I never get tired of watching is "3 Godfathers", my favorite Christmas movie.
May I suggest an oldie but goodie? "The Virginian" (1929) for several reasons:
It is the first talkie to be filmed outdoors and on location instead of in a studio set.
It is the first sound film to include ambient sounds (cows mooing, birds chirping, floors creaking, etc.) instead of filtering them out, to help tell the story. There comes a moment when you hear two birds cooing that will make your heart skip a beat. Ambient sounds become a part of the movie for the first time.
It is Gary Cooper's first talkie and first starring role (and he was terrified of the microphone).
It was directed by Victor Fleming, who would later direct "Gone With The Wind" and "The Wizard Of Oz."
In addition to Cooper, it stars Richard Arlen ("Wings"), Walter Huston in his first movie, Eugene Pallette and Mary Brian.
Gary Cooper and Richard Arlen play best friends in "The Virginian." They were best friends in real life, and it shows in their performances here.
There is a gut-wrenching scene about halfway through the movie that Gary Cooper struggled to play because it was too emotional for him: The Virginian is forced against his will to hang his best friend for rustling cattle. The scene required Cooper to 'hang' Richard Arlen and Cooper just couldn't do it. It took him two days to get it right. The director finally told Arlen to not look at Cooper during that scene so he could get through it, and they wrote out Cooper's lines off camera so he could say them without looking at Arlen. It's an intense scene - the original 1929 review in Variety called it "the most harrowing scene ever captured on film."
It's a good movie, film experts consider it the best version of "The Virginian" even today. I think you'd like it.
My first time here so sorry about not knowing a change in your hair. I love how you spot the little nuances of the movie. It's honestly very refreshing that you can see what most miss.
Firstly, I have to say that the country is pronounced Mall-ta or Maal- ta, not Mal-ta. Sorry, I don't like correcting.
This was definitely not Humphrey Bogart's first role. He'd been around for several years, mostly playing the hard, vicious gangsters that the Warners studio was known for in their releases. This was the first role that made them take notice of his immense talent. You can see him playing everyone around him. I picture Bogart in this role as playing cards, with a perfect poker face. He's reading everyone else's expressions as the cards are being dealt. He's not got much to play with but he works the rest of the table card by card. When he knows he's finally got a decent hand, he begins making his play, still cagey as to what he's really got. He bluffs well and lets them crack first, unsure of how strong his hand really is.
Mary Astor had been in Hollywood since the silent era and was clawing her way back into prominence.
Sidney Greenstreet plays a likeable character but don't dare turn your back on him. He plays a similar role with both Bogart and Lorre in Casablanca.
Elisha Cook Jr plays Wilmer, an actor who specialised in bit parts and supporting roles, yet he always stood out in them.
Peter Lorre is possibly the most interesting of the lot. His career began in Germany, playing in the silent era. His most notable role, and especially creepy, was in M, where he is cast as a child predator. He's both sad and terrifying at the same time. After his move to Hollywood, his roles were never so interesting and he fought hard to maintain his career in a tough environment that tended to overlook him. His career lasted until the early 1970s, appearing in horror films with Vincent Price as well as a memorable light-hearted role in Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. Check Lorre out in the brilliant 1944 Cary Grant vehicle, Arsenic And Old Lace. A smaller role, but he plays it with menacing fun.
The small "heavy" was a type of character that showed up in some 30's and 40's movies. They were small men, who had an out sized opinion of their toughness. Usually the protagonist would put them in their place, showing how though he was. They were called "light heavies."
"Out of the Past" and "The Night of the Hunter", two of the quintessential film noir films, both starring Robert Mitchum, are among the most recommendable classic masterpieces.
the hair is just plain gorgeous
One of the best black & white movies that is often overlooked is Sullivan's Travels, a Capra-esque tale that holds up very well IMO. Oh, and now that you've seen both Casablanca and the Maltese Falcon, you really should watch the Cheap Detective, one of the very first spoof comedies, which spoofs these movies, with Peter Falk (Columbo) playing the "Bogart" type detective. It was written by Neil Simon, a brilliant play wright & screen writer. Lots of great cameos for stars and comedians.
At the movie's beginning we see a shot of the Bay Bridge, which had not yet been built 11 years earlier when the novel was published. Two wonderful touches, both originally from the novel: we can see just how much Spade thinks of his partner from the fact that he is having an affair with his partner's wife, whom he doesn't even like. And Spade refers to Wilmer as a "gunsel," a word that sounds sufficiently like "gunman" that the book's (and later, movie's) censors didn''t even question it, as Hammett had figured they wouldn't. Through the influence of this book and movie, the word has sometimes come to be used since then to mean gunman, but that's not what it meant at the time: "gunsel" meant a kept boy, used for sexual purposes, so we have a lot more information about the relationship between Gutman and Wilmer than the censors would ever have knowingly permitted. But of course, if you lose a gunsel it's possible to get another, but there's only one Maltese falcon.
Great reaction to one of my favorite movies Mia! Even after seeing it umpteen times I just figured something out. When you asked what Brigid O'Shaughnessy was thinking near the end when Sam was on the phone telling the police about the murders I realized that Sam said Wilma Cook killed Jacoby and Thursby. He didn't include Archer and Ms. O'Shaughnessy noticed that! Also in 1981 Jon & Vangelis has a hit song with The Friends of Mr. Cairo which was an homage to noire movies. Give it a listen!
This was Sydney Greenstreet's first film appearance. He was strictly a stage actor before this film.
Bogart was born to a rich family in New York City and he started his career in the theater.
When you watch this the second time, you can tell that Sam has all the information he needs to solve the first murder by the end of the first 15 minutes (he likely knew the murderer's identity before he got back home but had no proof). It adds so much to the character interactions on repeat viewings.
Yes! From then on he's just trying to figure out the Why, and especially whether there's any way he can trust Brigid and forgive her. A pivotal moment that's very easy to miss (I did many times) is when he hears that Thursby was completely loyal to her. That's when he realizes that he has no choice; even if he tries to do things her way she might try to kill him at any time.
Thanks for showing this film proper appreciation. It is one of the true iconic greats of the cinema. I still find it thrilling and beautiful and Bogart is just sensational. I saw this movie twice with proper prints in old movie theaters back in the 1980s, which really boosts one's appreciation of the film's power. It's also incredibly funny. Huston's dad, Walter, is the guy who drops dead delivering the Falcon. John got around the censorship of the time about Joel Cairo being gay by having Lorre lightly nibble on the tip of the walking cane. You were right, the lines are sardonic and funny all the way through. A perfect movie. It really annoys me that so many young reactors who watch this film completely fail to get it. Not you, though.
And Bogart's reference to Wilmer as Sidney Greenstreet's "gunsel" was another reference to homosexuality. The word sounds like it means "gunman," but it comes from Yiddish "gansel" (gosling, young goose), and was contemporary street slang for a young man who was kept by an older, richer man.
@@jaykaufman9782 Cool. I knew there were a lot more subtextual things like that, but had to keep my comment to the length of no more than a small novel, lol.
And the scented handkerchief.
Would love to see your reactions and thoughts on “Anatomy of a Murder.” Great legal drama staring Jimmy Stewart.
And, Humphrey Bogart films “Key Largo,” and “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.”
Love your channel!
Anatomy of a Murder is excellent.
Nice hair Mia and a Happy New Year
I like to watch movies with people who like to watch movies.
I love how they portrayed men in those days, stoic and self controlled rather than the hyper-emotional wimps of today. Sidney Greenstreet has such old world charm and seems to belong to the 19th century.
This was made during the time of the studio system, when actors had contracts with the studios, so it was common to see the same actors working together in many movies (Greenstreet and Lorre were also in Casablanca) Bogart is one of my favorite actors. In my opinion, his best films were Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and Key Largo. If you want to see Bogart doing comedy, We're No Angels is a great Christmas comedy.
The Cheap Detective is a 1978 Neil Simon spoof of 40s film noir starring Peter Falk. Falk also plays a character named Sam Diamond in the great 1976 Neil Simon film Murder by Death, a spoof of detective stories in general.
For Bogart I would also recommend In A Lonely Place.
Fabulous reaction and hair! So envious of that thick, glossy hair!
I was surprised to see Ward Bond in this. Bond starred in a whole slew of John Wayne westerns and was the wagon master in TVs Wagon Train but to me he'll always be Bert the cop in It's A Wonderful Life.
Humphrey DeForest Bogart, nicknamed Bogie Born: 25 December 1899, New York, New York, United States
Died: 14 January 1957, Los Angeles, California, United States
Spouse: Lauren Bacall (m. 1945-1957) peace out.
You look fabulous! LOVE your hair like that.
I had no idea this was the third go round for this story. I’ll have to watch it again.
You found another winner! Love this movie, my mom looked a lot like Mary Astor. Since you admire John Huston's direction, try to see The Asphalt Jungle if you haven't yet. It's got a great cast and story line. 9:23 Used to have a Webley & Scott pistol just like that the one in the movie. 27:45 Why bring Sam Spade into the scheme? Bridgett is hoping to get the falcon all for herself, heading off Cairo and Gutman. That's why she seduced Capt. Jacoby into bringing it straight to Sam. She likely planned to kill Sam if she had to. 28:58 Bogart was born & raised in Morningside Park on Manhattan, son of a physician and a famous magazine illustrator.
The guy who played Wilmer was Elisha Cook Jr. He played Icepick on Magnum P. I. Mary Astor was from Quincy, IL. Bogart, Green street, and Lorre were also in Casablanca.
yeeeeeessss! one of my all time favourite films 🤩
mia, your hair is lovely ☺
I recommend another Huston-Bogart movie called "Beat the Devil" from 1953. It is a lighthearted mystery-comedy (Truman Capote wrote some of the script). It is not rated very highly by most critics, but I've always liked it. Plus, it would be a fitting tribute to Gina Lollabrigida who co-stars and who has just died at the age of 95.
I love how much you care about these old movies. The intro and historical info that you provide is priceless. After I watch movies, I typically read up on them & their cast; it's very inspiring to see somebody who cares about this film history so much.
They explained earlier that it was covered over the years and that is how it passed through so many hands without anyone knowing what value it held.
Beautiful hair! Oh, and great commentary on one of my favorite movies!
Just found your channel! Love it! You're a breath of fresh air. Your reactions and your appreciation of the movies are wonderful and your comments are so astute!
So glad you enjoyed this one. It's one of my favourites of all time. Massive q coding among the bad guys as well. Fast, funny and nasty as hell.
It’s the stuff dreams are made of.
Mia - Your hair looks great! This is one of my favorite films. Also recommend The Big Sleep. Thank you!
Thank you for a great reaction to a favorite classic. You are so good at this, Mia. Your intelligent, interesting observations make rewatching films like this such a pleasure.
There's a couple of movies you might like (if you haven't already seen them) the big sleep 1946. Bogart plays Philip Marlowe. Murder My Sweet 1944. Dick Powell playing Philip Marlowe and The Cheap Detective 1978 a comedy parody of this movie and Cassablanca
The hair looks lovely.
The Maltese Falcon is my favorite Bogart movie. Glad you reviewed it.
The 1931 version is mostly good, but it misses the point of the end of the novel. The 35 version is just a mess. A shame considering the on screen talent.
And Bogie is a New Yorker.
Never thought I'd see a reaction to this one! One of my all-time favorites (thank you for this one - the print really does look great)!
Oh, this is one of my favorites. John Huston was such a great director. There's a scene where Bogie and Sidney Greenstreet are talking and Peter Lorre is in the background just smoking a cigarette. Peter Lorre steals that scene.
Just subbed! This is enjoyable to watch with you, Miss Mia! Looking forward to more reviews, watch your content, and the films and shows that you choose to view appeals!
Humphrey Bogart was from NYC. He is actually an extremely distant cousin of mine-we (and over a million others) are descended from Sarah Rapelje, the first European child born in the colony of New Netherland.
A few months ago, in Summer of 2022, we lost the great Greek electronic composer, Vangelis. He wrote mainly for documentaries, but also wrote and recorded great movie scores, such as "Chariots of Fire " and "Blade Runner"
In 1981 Vangelis released his second collaboration with Jon Anderson, singer / lyricist of the Progressive Rock band Yes. Jon and Vangelis "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" is a terrific album, Avant-Garde for its time. The title track, referring to Peter Lorre's character in "The Maltese Falcon", is an 11-minute love song to Classic Cinema, B&W golden oldies, Silents and Talkies.
It presents a few moods and even has actors briefly voice-play Bogie, Lorre, Greenstreet, Astor and Jimmy Stewart, for good measure. The music becomes passionately gorgeous, at the end, powerful, with lyrics and Jon's ethereal voice to catch your heart.
"The Friends of Mr. Cairo" would make a terrific companion reaction to tonight's video reaction. Enjoy.
“You eembeceele!” What a great reaction, Mia! At last you’ve seen this classic! Love the hair, too! You look great!
Ray Bradbury said there was something wrong with The Maltese Falcon script. "It says it was written by John Huston. It wasn't. The script is exactly the novel." Which is the best compliment a writer can give a screenwriter. Directors like Huston are what I call Literary Directors, because they can do almost exact film treatments of famous novels. P. T. Anderson is probably the best modern example of this type director.
Hi Mia, I just stumbled onto this video, and you just can't imagine my joy to see on your channel my jam, OLD MOVIES!!! Some awsome ones too! I just subbed and look foward too catching up on your videos. You arw a treasure!
You're about the most professional reactor I've seen. Good job. I take that back ... outstanding job.
Bogart didn't really start playing tough guys until he was in The Petrified Forest on Broadway, and his costar, Leslie Howard, insisted the studio cast Bogart in the film adaptation.
Just this minute found your channel, loved your reaction to this movie.
One of Huston’s greatest movies was The Man Who Would Be King. He tried for years to make this movie with Bogart and Spencer Tracy but never could get it going, maybe for the better because he finally made it in 1975 with Sean Connery, Michael Caine and with Christopher Plummer as Rudyard Kipling. The great thing about the wait is he had the wherewithal to make a great movie in exotic locations instead of a backlot movie. It greatly enhanced the story.
Ooh I’ve got to check that one out!!
Great film, for sure. Saw it in a revival theater back in the late '70s when it was still a relatively new film.
This movie is undoubtedly a masterpiece! One of the best Warner Bros. movies I’ve ever watched aside from “Casablanca”! I actually watched the entire movie at least once or twice and I’m a huge fan of Humphrey Bogart’s work! I’m glad you got to see it just like I did! Wonderful upload! Also, love the haircut as well! 😁🤩👍
Wow, took me a bit to get to this reaction. Great analysis and attention to the story!
Also, if it's possible to say without sounding weird, you look amazing in this. The new hair, the face, the sweater: it all works!
Hi Mia! Have you ever watched Mr. Blandings builds his own dream house? It's a very funny movie with Cary Grant.
I love the new hair-do! The Maltese Falcon is a classic for a good reason.
Such Men Are Dangerous was the movie Kenneth Hawks was making when he died. 10 men were killed in a mid air collision.
Oooh! Look at that hair!!!!! ❤❤
Great reaction Mia!!! I always look forward to your bloopers at the end! Your hair btw…. Beautiful!!
Thank you, Cho!! ☺️☺️
In November 2013, Bonhams in New York sold the lead statuette of the Maltese Falcon for the sum of $4,1million. The note described it as "The only statuette confirmed by Warner Bros. Archives as having appeared on the screen." The buyer was Steve Wynn, a Las Vegas hotel and casino billionaire. It was one of the highest prices ever paid for a piece of movie memorabilia. - There are also said to be a couple of resin/plaster made Maltese Falcons, made for this movie or for the 1975 Maltese Falcon satire, called The Black Bird. One of which is owned by Leonardo DiCaprio.
You did call out most of the "name" actors before the movie started, but you did miss one. To us older TV viewers, when John Hamilton, who played the District Attorney, first appeared on screen everyone "of a certain age" said out loud "It's Perry White, Great Caesar's Ghost!". Hamilton played the role of Daily Planet Editor Perry White on "The Adventures of Superman" TV series in the late 50's and early 60's. "Great Caesar's Ghost" was his signature line, his cry of surprise or anger on the show. Great reaction, your comments were right on the money, and your new hair cut is superb.
Happy 2023, and thanks for this! It is a tribute to Bogart's ease with Shakespeare that he improvised that final line taken from The Tempest, when Prospero says "We are such things as dreams are made on ... " The line is in keeping with the spirit of Hammett, who always portrayed our world as steeped in fakery and lies. Wild to see a young Elisha Cook Jr here, as I recall him so well from roles much later in his career, like his selling the new apartment to John Cassavetes and Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby. Thanks again.
Thank you once again, Mia. I _strongly_ recommend watching the 1931 version to contrast it to this one. I couldn't tell you why people didn't go for it 10 years earlier. It surely wasn't the production, which is excellent. Part of it may have been the earlier film style that was still very much influenced by silent films. Also, love the hair.
Until this reaction, had never noticed that Cairo's cane handle mimics or resembles the Maltese falcon head/beak.
I love your hair cut beautiful!! I would love watching Classic Movies with you.❤❤❤
Mia! you need to checkout this comedy movie, The Great Race. Starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemon, Peter Falk,and Natalie Wood. Oh by the way, you are absolutely beautiful!!:)
🎥"The Maltese Falcon" and Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Sam Spade is the quintessential template that Hollywood used for all future noir films. For this reason (provided you haven't seen it already) it is essential that you see "Chinatown" '74.
🎥A movie that I have always considered to be Roman Polanski's homage to John Houston & The Maltese Falcon. Stars ...Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway ...and yes, John Houston.
🎥With a screenplay to die for, it is one of the most visually and stylistically beautiful films I've ever seen. Impeccable! And still holds up to that title to this day.
🎥One of the very films that continues my strong belief that the true "Golden Age of Hollywood" was the late 60's to the mid 80's. However, the films of the 30's - 50's do shine with a resounding Silver.
I saw you catch the symbolism of her being behind bars at the end. Cooler yet is the shadow of the bars casting a shadow over her eye in the shape of a bird’s foot.
Love your new Haircut.
Great review.
Ok Mia. I’ve been peaking at your reviews in a flirtatious way, but your review of The Maltese Falcon captured my heart and now I’m a new subscriber. See you at your next review 😊
Mary Astor is in so many great movies throughout her career: Red Dust, Meet Me In St. Louis, The Great Lie, Prisoner of Zenda, Dodsworth, Little Women(1949) and Midnight.
Prisoner of Zenda -- 1930s version -- would be a good film for Mia.
Excellent review! Now next step is to review Treasure of Sierra Madre with Bogart and John Huston (won an Oscar)