The Maltese Falcon

by  Dashiell Hammett

Aside from a few old black-and-whites that exist in the mindspace that isn't quite memory, "The Maltese Falcon" was my first real introduction to film-noir. It's still one of my favorite movies.

Usually, when I read a book after seeing the movie adaptation of it, I come back to the movie feeling a bit disappointed. I know I shouldn't talk about the movie adaptation as movies and books are vastly different mediums and changes always need to be made for one or the other. However, I'm surprised to say, this was hardly the case for "The Maltese Falcon." The movie is so similar to the book, I could practically do the lines along with the narrator.

Speaking of which, this review is for the audio version, narrated by William Dufris. Dufris was obviously influenced by the movie, as he voices each of the characters using impressions of their movie counterparts. His Joel Cairo is so spot-on, it sounds like Peter Lorre is actually in the room.

But this brings me to the point I've been struggling with, which is how to write a review for this book.

~~ Spoilers Ahead ~~

"The Maltese Falcon" is a hard-boiled detective novel set in the late 1920s in San Francisco. Our protagonist is Samuel Spade, a morally gray anti-hero, who is at times described as looking distinctly like Satan. This is a straight-to-the-point description of him, as he does, at times, seem to be the goddamn devil.

Sam co-runs the detective agency with longtime partner Miles Archer. But he doesn't really like Archer, evidenced by the fact that he's sleeping with his wife, who he also doesn't particularly like. Also joining Spade is his secretary Effie Perine, a boyish young lady, clever, likable, and empathetic. Effie serves to smooth out Sam's rougher angles and Sam seems to like a Effie great deal more than he likes Archer. Even if he is an insufferable asshole to her.

In the opening act, Spade and Archer are hired by beautiful blonde damsel in distress to tail a man named Thursby, who she claims has seduced her younger sister. She tells the two men that she simply wants to find out where Thursby lives, hoping she can use the information to contact her sister and talk some sense into her.

Archer, who is about as loyal to his wedding vows as his wife, likes the woman and agrees to shadow Thursby. The woman warns them that Thursby is very dangerous, but neither Spade nor Archer seem concerned.

Until several hours later, when Sam receives a phone call informing him that Archer is dead. What's more, the beautiful blonde damsel in distress doesn't appear to have a sister. And oh yeah, everyone Sam meets from here on is looking for an enameled statuette of a bird.

A Maltese Falcon.

The final act is full of lots of twists and turns, as Sam ingratiates himself among crooks, murderers, and thieves, while dodging around cops who seem to think he's somehow involved with the killings.

This is certainly one of Hammett's best and, despite Sam's troubling character flaws and some obviously outdated stereotypes, I'd recommend this one to just about anyone who hasn't read it.