"gardenias?"
― World Congress of Itch (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:36 (eleven years ago) link
"When you're slapped you'll take it and like it"
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:39 (eleven years ago) link
Isn't there some lavender reference to Joel Cairo?
― Love Max Ophüls of us all (Michael White), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:41 (eleven years ago) link
His card, maybe?
― Love Max Ophüls of us all (Michael White), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:42 (eleven years ago) link
Yes. IN WITH HIM, DARLING.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:43 (eleven years ago) link
Also Astor's catty remark: "You'll get him around like you did that boy in Istanbul, Joel..."
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:44 (eleven years ago) link
"When you're slapped you'll take it and like it!"
xxpost
― Race Against Rockism (Myonga Vön Bontee), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:47 (eleven years ago) link
there is a lot of homo-villainy in MF - spade implies that gutman and wilmer are in a relationship too. the original 1931 movie got into hot water because of lewd content including homosexual references.
― Roberto Spiralli, Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:54 (eleven years ago) link
The first thing we put in our new apartment when we bought it was a replica of the Maltese falcon.
― Love Max Ophüls of us all (Michael White), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:56 (eleven years ago) link
Not so sure that Wilmer isn't gay, too.
― Love Max Ophüls of us all (Michael White), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:57 (eleven years ago) link
"gunsel" is homo slang
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 10 May 2012 16:58 (eleven years ago) link
i remember that from the other ilx thread about the movie, yeah
― pet tommy & the barkhaters (darraghmac), Thursday, 10 May 2012 17:00 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.peterlorrebook.com/img/file002.jpg
― saltwater incursion (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 27 December 2012 04:20 (eleven years ago) link
One of the best things about /The Maltese Falcon/ is discovering that almost all the film's dialogue was lifted straight out of the novel without alteration.
― Albee Thousand (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 December 2012 04:53 (eleven years ago) link
It's like the only thing omitted, that and the very ending with the secretary's distaste for Spade.
― JoeStork, Thursday, 27 December 2012 08:02 (eleven years ago) link
man this movie is so awesome
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 06:58 (eight years ago) link
it's great, as i said upthread, I'm not sure there's a single line in it where someone is telling the truth. everyone lies about everything all the time.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 February 2016 11:51 (eight years ago) link
The only odd/awkward line delivery is Spade's "You've got brains. Yes you have."
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:17 (eight years ago) link
Spade isn't lying anywhere in the "you're taking the fall" windup, i don't think.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:32 (eight years ago) link
ok, i need to see it again - it's been too long. didn't i see something about a theatrical re-issue?
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:35 (eight years ago) link
tho trying to remember that scene, not sure 'lying' is the right word - i think it felt more like every line exemplifies speech as manipulation, as motive, as a token moved on a board, on the basis of an expected response, even anger and love, traditionally 'sincere' emotions.
― Fizzles, Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:43 (eight years ago) link
so like the entire workday in an advertising agency
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:44 (eight years ago) link
tons o love for Lorre (he used to live upstairs from my grandma in Berlin, after M came out people would avoid him on the streets), but Greenstreet giving up Wilmer is so cold.
― clotpoll, Monday, 30 August 2010 15:45 (5 years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
0_o
― Thomas of Britain (Tom D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 12:47 (eight years ago) link
It's true, he was very nice from what I heard (third-hand information, sadly, but I'm inclined to believe it).
― JoeStork, Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:09 (eight years ago) link
he was a complicated guy, persistent health and drug problems (excellent full length bio is The Lost One)
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:13 (eight years ago) link
It still blows my mind that his daughter was almost murdered by the Hillside Stranglers.
― T.L.O.P.son (Phil D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:17 (eight years ago) link
Of all the movies in the world, this is the one I have returned to the most often. The only minor flaw in it is Mary Astor's wardrobe, which is a shade too elegant and tasteful when it ought to a shade more brazen and alluring.
― a little too mature to be cute (Aimless), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:23 (eight years ago) link
i woulda voted Greenstreet to tie this up btw
― ulysses, Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:35 (eight years ago) link
Not sure Bogart shouldn't be in here as an option.
― k¸ (darraghmac), Monday, August 30, 2010 11:44 AM (5 years ago)
i agree w/ this. basically every character in this movie is a villain, except for spade's secretary and his murdered partner.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:45 (eight years ago) link
"well, if you lose a son, it's always possible to get another..."
― JoeStork, Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:45 (eight years ago) link
― Fizzles, Thursday, February 25, 2016 12:35 PM (6 hours ago)
yeah it's been rereleased for the 75th anniversary, i saw it the other night. perfect, except that the theater played the sound way too low (unfortunately typical for old movie showings in my experience) so it was harder to ignore the morons in front of me who kept snickering at what they obviously considered "lame old movie stuff" (while not laughing at the actual funny bits).
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:48 (eight years ago) link
came in here to post bogart challop
― denies the existence of dark matter (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 25 February 2016 18:52 (eight years ago) link
The only minor flaw in it is Mary Astor's wardrobe...
and her hair
― Brad C., Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:16 (eight years ago) link
P Kael was right that the music is a bit oppressive at the climax
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:24 (eight years ago) link
Astor was a big star, she was not gonna look slummy
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:26 (eight years ago) link
― ulysses, Thursday, February 25, 2016 1:35 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
me too! so greenstreet wins.
re: dialogue and chess-move manipulation - - - is this a noir thing generally? i don't know the genre very well but it seems to fit this universe of hard-boiled and cynical characters trading beats and on some level appreciating the wit and tone even of the people they're trying to beat... even setting aside that they are all going to be liars as part of the plot. there's something similarly arch about a lot of the big sleep for example, i think.
― shandemonium padawan (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:29 (eight years ago) link
The only minor flaw in it is Mary Astor's wardrobe, which is a shade too elegant and tasteful when it ought to a shade more brazen and alluring.
for me the point of Brigid is that she pretends to be classy ("This isn't the spot for the school girl act!").
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:32 (eight years ago) link
this is pre- or proto-noir. No noir proper til '45/46 (officially). Plenty of hardboiled crime lit in '20s-WW2, obviously, including Hammett.
Lorre did a repeated gag on the set where he would duck into Astor's empty dressing room when there were visitors, and emerge zipping up his pants.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:34 (eight years ago) link
btw Astor said she got the Supporting Actress that year "really" for the Falcon, not entertaining soaper The Great Lie.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:34 (eight years ago) link
the big sleep has "hard-boiled" dialogue that does things w subtext that make you laugh (horses etc), and marlowe is cool and ironic, but he is also a kind of saint, or sacrifice, a contrast to the rest of his shadowy world, which is why he's summoned more than once (including lebowski + inherent vice here as well as long goodbye) to be incompatible all over again with the wicked values of other times. spade is an asshole.
― denies the existence of dark matter (difficult listening hour), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:36 (eight years ago) link
I like the closeup of a horrified Effie when Spade squeezes her arm tightly after opening the package ("We got it, angel, we got it!").
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:38 (eight years ago) link
like, it finally dawns on her that her would-be tough line earlier in the movie ("Look at me. You worry me.") was true.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:39 (eight years ago) link
main argument aside from era vs the film being a noir is ~90-95% is people talking in rooms. Cinematography is as good as it has to be, no baroque stuff.
Huston didnt shoot last chapter of book, where Effie completely realizes Sam is an asshole.
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:39 (eight years ago) link
she pretends to be classy
Exactly! She's an adventuress who tries to be classy. The difficulty is that she dresses and acts the part far too primly and perfectly.
The problem here is that her too-perfectly upper class role playing makes her a bad adventuress, because she is too self-contained and a bit of a cold fish, whereas an adventuress needs to attract and hold her male targets and the bait for that is sexuality, not propriety.
― a little too mature to be cute (Aimless), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:43 (eight years ago) link
hmmm, Astor had a pretty sexy reputation....
― we can be heroes just for about 3.6 seconds (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:44 (eight years ago) link
spoiler alert here
rewatching the film i couldn't help but wonder when spade figured out that brigid was a murderer. did he figure it out right away and was he just stringing her along, or does he really just figure it out while talking out loud at the end of the movie?
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:49 (eight years ago) link
He realizes it as she establishes a pattern of lies and he realizes the Black Bird isn't another.
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:50 (eight years ago) link
didn't Astor write in her memoir that she and John Barrymore splacked all day?
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:51 (eight years ago) link
considering his waterlogged reputation it's a wonder he was awake through it.
xp Much of the suspense comes from the question of how much of a crook Spade will turn out to be. That ambiguity gets tidied up in the movie ("Don't be too sure I'm as crooked as I'm supposed to be"). At the end of the novel, Effie's reaction shows that he's not a good guy pretending to be bad, but a bad guy cautious and calculating enough to stay within the law.
― Brad C., Thursday, 25 February 2016 19:52 (eight years ago) link
Ages ago, when I was new to teaching, another teacher and I would send this one kid in grade 3, Andrel Wisdom, back and forth between our two classrooms to recite movie lines we liked. One of them was "I'm a man who likes talking to a man who likes to talk." There'd be a knock on my door, Andrel would come in and announce "I'm a man who likes talking to a man who likes to talk." We were probably being a little irresponsible, but Andrel seemed to enjoy it as much as we did.
― clemenza, Monday, 12 August 2019 02:18 (four years ago) link
Mary Astor is pretty great in most roles with any juice to 'em
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Monday, 12 August 2019 02:31 (four years ago) link
I haven't lived a good life. I've been bad, worse than you could know.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 12 August 2019 02:44 (four years ago) link
See Bebe Daniels in the 1931 The Maltese Falcon (and for good measure, Bette Davis in 1936's Satan Met a Lady). I've seen Mary Astor bring the heat on other occasions, but as Brigid she seems a little too much like a schoolmarm trying to play a bad girl, rather than the other way around.
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Monday, 12 August 2019 13:21 (four years ago) link
this is a weird take because Astor and Huston emphasize her piss-elegance: the corsage, the stoles, etc. And the point is that Spade falls for neither her sexuality nor her propriety; he isn't fooled for an instant, unlike, say, poor dead Miles.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 12 August 2019 13:23 (four years ago) link
My students disliked it, I think.
― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:01 (one month ago) link
That's on them
― Morris O’Shea Salazar (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:15 (one month ago) link
Did you tell them what gunsel means?
― shave and a haircut, two brits (Matt #2), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:21 (one month ago) link
Explaining who was gay and why genuinely surprised them.
― poppers fueled buttsex crescendo (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:22 (one month ago) link
Oh bless
― Morris O’Shea Salazar (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:32 (one month ago) link
Just tell them they'll take it and like it
― Morris O’Shea Salazar (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 16 March 2024 14:33 (one month ago) link
Timely revival; the "When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it" line was in my head earlier this a.m.
― Hongro Hongro Hippies (Myonga Vön Bontee), Saturday, 16 March 2024 16:05 (one month ago) link