I am anxious to read the newly released novel SPADE & ARCHER
by acclaimed mystery writer and onetime private eye Joe Gores. This is a "prequel" to Dashiell Hammett's classic 1929 story THE MALTESE FALCON
, from which three feature films were made.
The last of these, released in 1941 and directed by John Huston, itself became a classic, starring Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Mary Astor. This movie, more than any other factor, whetted my interest in writing mystery stories, particularly in the noir genre. I came to like the book as much as the film, but interestingly, because I saw the story on the screen first, I had a clear vision of the main characters. When I read the book, Bogart of course was Samuel Spade, Greenstreet was the "Fat Man," Lorre was Joel Cairo, and Mary Astor was the duplicitous Bridget O'Shaughnessy.
Like many people, I usually tackle a book before seeing (often with trepidation) the film version, so the characters' appearances become formed in my mind's eye--only to later be overturned by the cinema casting. This leads to the question: Will "Spade & Archer" be made into a movie? If so, it will be a daunting challenge for the filmmakers to find a Sam Spade who can make viewers erase the image of Humphrey Bogart. For that matter, Jerome Cowan also was damned good as Miles Archer, albeit in a smaller role.
One reason the Huston-directed movie was so enjoyable was its remarkable fidelity to the book. Much of the dialogue came word-for-word from the novel, delivered by first-rate performers. If ever there was a film truer to the story from which it was taken, I'm unaware of it. But I'm open to nominations. Do you have any?
Robert Goldsborough
by acclaimed mystery writer and onetime private eye Joe Gores. This is a "prequel" to Dashiell Hammett's classic 1929 story THE MALTESE FALCON, from which three feature films were made.The last of these, released in 1941 and directed by John Huston, itself became a classic, starring Humphrey Bogart, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Mary Astor. This movie, more than any other factor, whetted my interest in writing mystery stories, particularly in the noir genre. I came to like the book as much as the film, but interestingly, because I saw the story on the screen first, I had a clear vision of the main characters. When I read the book, Bogart of course was Samuel Spade, Greenstreet was the "Fat Man," Lorre was Joel Cairo, and Mary Astor was the duplicitous Bridget O'Shaughnessy.
Like many people, I usually tackle a book before seeing (often with trepidation) the film version, so the characters' appearances become formed in my mind's eye--only to later be overturned by the cinema casting. This leads to the question: Will "Spade & Archer" be made into a movie? If so, it will be a daunting challenge for the filmmakers to find a Sam Spade who can make viewers erase the image of Humphrey Bogart. For that matter, Jerome Cowan also was damned good as Miles Archer, albeit in a smaller role.
One reason the Huston-directed movie was so enjoyable was its remarkable fidelity to the book. Much of the dialogue came word-for-word from the novel, delivered by first-rate performers. If ever there was a film truer to the story from which it was taken, I'm unaware of it. But I'm open to nominations. Do you have any?
Robert Goldsborough
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