The Maltese Falcon

Where's this book been?
by Dashiell Hammett | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0307291987 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 6/7/2018
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This book is in the wild! This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Thursday, June 7, 2018
I got this hardcover from the ongoing book-sale shelves in the Dunstable, MA public library, and was glad of another release copy.

I love the classic 1941 Bogart film and was pleased to be able to read the book it was based on. [While browsing the IMDB site for a link to the Bogie film, I found that there was a 1931 film that was pre-code and, according to the reviews, a good deal spicier than the 1941 version. Will have to see if I can find a copy of that one!]

Later: I did find a copy of the 1931 film, on a double-feature DVD with Satan Met a Lady, also based on the novel but with more of a parody-take to it - possibly to avoid having to pay for the rights! I found the 1931 film to be interesting, but it was so hard to shake the image of Bogart as Spade (even if he doesn't match the physical description in the book) that I couldn't accept anyone else in the role. Still worth seeing, with some more explicit, grittier aspects of the story kept in than was done in the Bogart film. [Satan Met a Lady, which has a young Bette Davis as the female lead, is a real hoot; would be a good subject for a screening-party, with lots of drinks and back-talk from friends.]

The book, now... ah, the book! It defines the characters, it has the dialog ("You're good. You're very good. It's chiefly your eyes, I think, and that throb you get into your voice when you say things like 'Be generous, Mr. Spade'"), it has the plot/counterplot - you'd think the movie was actually based on it or something {grin}. The Spade of the book is even more hard-bitten and cynical and wary (and not always very nice) as in the film, and while the film touches on the many affairs that are going on here, the book makes 'em more clear, but all in all the film's faithful to the book.

And the book's worth reading, if you like your stories noir!

[Also worth a look is the TV Tropes page, mainly for the Bogart film version.]

Released 5 yrs ago (6/11/2018 UTC) at Little Free Library, Youth Garden, Crandall Park in Tolland, Connecticut USA

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

I left this book in the charming Little Free Library near the Youth Garden; hope someone enjoys it!

*** Released for the 2018 Movie release challenge. ***

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