The Maltese Falcon (Classic Film Pick)

John Huston’s 1941 film The Maltese Falcon. Although Dashiell Hammett’s “stuff that dreams are made of” novel already had two film versions under the title “Satan Met a Lady,” screenwriter John Huston chose the story for his directorial debut. Huston emphasized its suspense elements to create a noir that didn’t rely on spectacle, but rather on the intrigue of its amoral characters. Hitchcockian right down to its statuette maguffin of a black bird, “The Maltese Falcon” is considered the first “film noir” and launched Humphrey Bogart’s career. Every scene is something to savor thanks to great performances from Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Sydney Greenstreet as “the fat man.”  

(A+) (Five Stars)