The original ?Maltese Falcon? late tonight 8/30/10

[FredCDobbs]

Actually, it starts at 3:15 AM, Tue., Eastern time.

 

Also known as ?Dangerous Female?.

 

For early-1930s film fans, this is a very good version of the movie, and it?s pre-code.

 

Ricardo Cortez, Bebe Daniels, Thelma Todd, Dudley Digges, Una Merkel, Dwight Frye.

 

 

 

[LoveFilmNoir]

Thanks for the heads up! I have it set to record, I look forward to watching it some time this week, and also watching many of the Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts shorts this evening.

[Kelly125]

Yeah baby I want see I hear this original version is one that really close to the book

[traceyk65]

I have it set to be dvr'ed! Should be interesting.

[clore]

I just love Sam Spade's polka-dot pajamas. Except for Cortez smiling his way through the film, it is a good adaptation.

[Swithin]

Sounds like fun, I've got the TiVo set. I'm fond of the other version, *Satan Met a Lady.* It's alot of fun. I have to confess my heretical feeling that, although the "classic" version has its moments, and a great cast, but I'm not wild about it. I think John Huston's great films came much later, with *Wise Blood* and *The Dead*.

[FredCDobbs]

One appeal of the original version is the fact that it is a ?pre-code?, meaning that Sam Spade?s relationship with the ladies is more explicit. It has a great classic line, spoken by Thelma Todd: ?Who is that dame wearing MY kimono??

[markbeckuaf]

I woke up early and caught part of it, will watch in its entirety later, but wow! Great stuff!

 

IMO, the 3 ladies here--Bebe, Thelma (natch!!) and Una--smoke their counterparts in the 41 version, but it's overall best not to compare too much (though somewhat inevitable). The pre-code elements definitely make this a racier version, which I adore, of course!

 

And my man Dwight Frye is in this!

[markbeckuaf]

> {quote:title=Swithin wrote:}{quote}

> Sounds like fun, I've got the TiVo set. I'm fond of the other version, *Satan Met a Lady.* It's alot of fun.

 

I agree with that! I found a set on Amazon with the 3 versions, and I think I'll be getting that soon! Gotta dig Warren William!

[Tikisoo]

For all of you who recorded it - there was a glitch in the satellite feed at the precise moment they unwrapped the falcon from the box. The screen froze for about 2 minutes!! Luckily, we see the statue later in the story. But what a BUMMER.

 

Hope it wasn't nation-wide and you all got a decent recording.

[LoveFilmNoir]

> {quote:title=LoveFilmNoir wrote:}{quote}

> Thanks for the heads up! I have it set to record, I look forward to watching it some time this week, and also watching many of the Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts shorts this evening.

 

Apparently, I didn't have it set to record like I thought I did, and was too pooped last night to double check before I went to bed. When I turned on the TV it was just ending and I had my "d'oh!" moment.

[misswonderly3]

I'd love to see the original *Maltese Falcon*, but I wouldn't have been able to get it anyway.

[LoveFilmNoir]

If you go to the page here, there is a link to order the 3 disk set of the 1941 film and it comes with the original as well. I am thinking of ordering it.

[PrinceSaliano]

I'm a big fan of THE MALTESE FALCON (1931). What a cast!

[clore]

>>For all of you who recorded it - there was a glitch in the satellite feed at the precise >>moment they unwrapped the falcon from the box. The screen froze for about 2 minutes!! >>Luckily, we see the statue later in the story. But what a BUMMER.

 

It was fine on my NYC Time Warner cable system.

[Kelly125]

Not on my Verizon FIOS system LOL!

 

Is me or what did Richard Cortez play very feminine when he call that cop girlfriend or sweetheart I don't know my gaydar might be off or ON LOL!

[SansFin]

I am sorry to have to tell you it was fine on our DirecTV. I did not see the problem when watching it so I checked recording. Both times the suitcase was opened - in his office and in his apartment - there was no freezing. I hope they play it again soon so you can make a good recording.

[FredCDobbs]

Yes, the cast was great. I thought Dudley Diggs was very good, his best role in any film.

 

This version makes it more clear as to what is going on between Spade and the Wonderly woman. This is interesting, because Spade had a pretty good idea that she killed Miles Archer, so he knows she is dangerous.

 

This film has something about that murder that the ?41 film didn?t have. It was an old Chinese man talking briefly to Spade at the scene of the murder, and then later the Chinese man is named as a witness at the Wonderly trial, as shown in a newspaper story. So, Archer?s murder had an eyewitness.

 

It looks to me like the ?41 crew studied this film and tried to copy it.

 

Otto Matieson was very good as Cairo, and he was a good actor, but he died in 1932 in a car accident.

[musicalnovelty]

> {quote:title=FredCDobbs wrote:}{quote}

>

> This film has something about that murder that the 41 film didnt have. It was an old Chinese man talking briefly to Spade at the scene of the murder, and then later the Chinese man is named as a witness at the Wonderly trial, as shown in a newspaper story. So, Archers murder had an eyewitness.

>

(Spoiler warning) -

Another big difference was that it is revealed that Guttman is killed at the end.

[Tikisoo]

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote}

> It was fine on my NYC Time Warner cable system.

 

I'm so glad it wasn't nationwide & you got a good copy.

Amazing, though, I'm only 100 miles or so west of you in Syracuse. The satellite travels east to west, no? When on the phone I can hear the delay on TCM between my mother's house 100 miles west from mine. It must have frozen right over my city!

Anyway, I'm happy to have it, flawed or perfect.

[clearskies]

I has just gotten the original "MF" from Netflix a few weeks ago It came with another version on the same disc in which the falcon this time was a ram's horn, same plot.