The Maltese Falcon

This detective film started off rather quickly­­- we were barely introduced to the detective and his partner before detective Spade’s (Humphrey Bogart) partner Miles was shot. Another man was shot directly following this murder, and into a tangle of characters and uncertain motives we’re thrown. I’m glad it began this way- I knew it was going involve some sort of mystery so there’s no use wasting time. Spade was sent on a job to follow a man at the request of a young woman who came to the detective office. While on the job that evening, he was shot and killed. Soon after police were investigating this death, the man who Spade was following was also killed.
Police question Spade concerning the death of his partner, whose wife he was having an affair with, and Spade wonders what the beautiful young woman’s motive was for having Spade follow this man.
The plot was complicated enough to keep me guessing until the end- when I was still unsure exactly how certain characters were involved and how dangerous they were. Keeping it more lively was some humor inserted here and there. Whether it was completely intentional or not, I’m not sure. The film is from 1941 so the shots that made me laugh may just be dated attempts at being serious or dramatic. However, when Peter Lorre’s character Cairo was the recipient of the woman’s fake kicks and punches, it was a good laugh and prevented the scene from becoming tedious. The ending was terribly corny, but I was satisfied – I was grateful that Spade made the right choice instead of falling for the girl’s tears. This would be a good rainy-day mystery but not one that I would take too seriously.