Discuss The Maltese Falcon

Is there a movie that more relies on dialogue than this one? Usually in visual media it's "show, don't tell". Here, it's "tell, don't show".

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I do not know. The lines were hard boiled but also described things in a way that undercut censorship laws.

Wasn't there a line by Bogart that implied Lorre's character was gay. Something like I smelled you the moment you walked into the room.

I freaking love this movie. More than Casablanca or The Big Sleep. Every performance is incredible, the visuals are spectacular, and the dialogue crackles. I really, really, really need to re-buy this on Blu-ray.

And I don't know about the perfume quote, but while looking for it I did pull up a clip of "When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I1Vh-Ru1z0

Damn, what a movie! For instance, look at the way they paint with the light from the lampshade to Lorre's left; it gives him a wonderfully sinister tint without resorting to an obvious spotlight which was common for that period.

Spoiler below

Oh, yes. The skillful use of light and shadow was an important element in noir. I think I read somewhere that the production designer (or probably, art director) used blinds in O'Shaughnessy's place to suggest that she was headed to jail?

@Satch_the_man said:

Spoiler below

Oh, yes. The skillful use of light and shadow was an important element in noir. I think I read somewhere that the production designer (I don't know if they called them that back then) used blinds in O'Shaughnessy's place to suggest that she was headed to jail?

I love that!

This thread sure did move off-topic, didn't it? I feel like it's my fault, too.

Bogart's "I'm dumping you" speech at the end is probably the best one on film.

@CelluloidFan said:

Spoiler below

Oh, yes. The skillful use of light and shadow was an important element in noir. I think I read somewhere that the production designer (or probably, art director) used blinds in O'Shaughnessy's place to suggest that she was headed to jail?

and even better near the end the shadows of the elevator door on her face suggesting her decent to hell. Redone perfectly in The Grifters to Huston's daughter.

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