Another of those uncomfortable times where I have to step up to the plate as one of the few who finds a universally revered "classic" Overrated. THE MALTESE FALCON does have much going for it: It's got one of Humphrey Bogart's greatest performances as tough detective Sam Spade; some sensational dialogue; smart casting in Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Elisha Cook, Jr. (Mary Astor - not as smart); dark and brooding noir photography; but the most important thing goes wrong -- the plot is so highly convoluted, full of holes, and so nearly impossible to follow that it makes for a real headache-inducing 100 minutes. I liked the characters and actors so much that I really "wanted" to get involved in the story. But everything was strewn all over the place and confused me enough that I was prevented from fully getting into the movie. There have been some films that seemed incomprehensible to me at times, but as long as most of their loose ends become tied up by the time the end credits begin to roll, I'm usually a happy moviegoer. FALCON did not afford me that privilege and was very hard to follow. I can't consider that the mark of a great motion picture. **1/2 out of ****
Review of The Maltese Falcon
