60/60 Review #42: The Maltese Falcon.

I have somewhat of a history with this film. Even as a youngin (like, prior to the double digits), I somehow knew of this movie. I don't know where I'd heard of it, but I knew it was one of the classic greats. In essence, this is the one film that has sat in the back of my mind as one of the most quintessential films of all time. And it's only taken me this long to finally get around to seeing it. Of course, it came at an incredibly inopportune time. Usually I have my Netflix films in advance. But my flicks were delivered a day late. And then, on top of that, I was one movie short when they were finally delivered. And that missing film? The original film needing to be reviewed today. Because of this, I had to skip ahead and check out the next film on my list, which I did happen to have in my possession. However, this is also coming during my first week back to work/school, and I'm both completely physically and mentally exhausted. All of that out of the way, what did I think of the film? Well, let's just start with the plot.

Private Eye Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) and his partner, Miles (Jerome Cowan), are hired by Brigid (Mary Astor) to follow a man. But after his partner is killed, Spade gets caught up in a deeper conspiracy that ties him with criminals Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) and Kaspar Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet) in search for the long-lost Maltese Falcon.

The first thing I noticed is that this movie moves very fast. And I don't just mean the dialogue. In the first 15-20 minutes alone, almost more happens than in most full-length features these days. And I know I've complained about slow starts in other films recently, but this was too fast. It threw me off with everything going on, and it took me too long to get caught up with my tired brain and deal with it. And it wasn't hard to follow whatsoever. It was just a mix of seemingly way too much happening with way too little soul behind it way too quickly.

Besides that, I was initially put off from Bogart's character. I couldn't wrap my head around why he seemed to uncaring about his partner's death. I mean, you don't see them buddy-buddy or anything before his fate, but you would imagine they had some kind of history in order to start a business that put both their names on a window. And then the guy dies and he shows no signs of any emotion. All I could think about for 20 minutes was how much of an ass Spade was and why he would react like he was, and it was distracting me from really focusing on the rest of the film.

Two things saved this movie for me, however. The second Peter Lorre showed up, the film caught my interest again. His acting and his character are fun. Every scene he was in was a hoot. Strangely, the other thing was actually Spade. After a while, I got into his character and appreciated him. I think what finally got me were moments where he snaps and yells at people; then, when he leaves the room, he's smiling at himself showing that he's just messing with everybody in a childlike fashion. He's not your typical do-gooder. He's selfish and just out to help himself and do what makes things better for himself. If it means for him to go a little crooked, he'll do it. Once I got him pegged, I got into it a bit more.

Still, I didn't get into the movie as much as I wish I would have. Again, it was just bad timing. There were parts that were definitely well written, particularly in the third act. But I was a bit too out of it to focus too whole-heartedly on the overall product. I wouldn't mind seeing it again someday to get a better grasp on it and fully take in why I latched onto it as a youngster. But as for now, it'll have to remain in the back of my mind, and continue to be one of those childhood fancies, the stuff dreams are made of.


I Am McLovin!

60/60 Review #25: Casablanca.

I don't want to review this movie. I really, really don't want to review this movie. This film along with the very next one on this list are considered two of the greatest films ever made. And we all know what hype and expectations can do to a film's initial viewing. On top of that, it's been placed at the end of a month full of high-quality Nazi-related films, which followed a month of nothing but war-related films, so at this point it's safe to say I'm rather sick of this whole type of film. Needless to say, there was a lot going against my praising of this film.

The story of Casablanca gives us Rick (Humphrey Bogart), a tavern owner in the namesake city. It's the middle of World War II, and Casablanca is a transit town where people stop by to help get to safe harbor. Rick is someone who knows people and can help them do just that. Rick, however, is warned that a man named Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) is going to show up asking for help to leave, but he's to keep him in the city under all circumstances. Victor is traveling with a woman, as well--a woman named Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), who happens to be an old flame of Rick's. The rest is a tale to figure out what happened between them in the past and what's going to happen to them in the relatively near future.

The one thing I'll say is that this truly is a classic. I'd say the script is fantastic, but I can't tell if I'm saying that because I honestly liked it or because I've practically heard the whole thing quoted famously throughout the years. "Play it, Sam," "Here's lookin' at you, kid," "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine," "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life," "We'll always have Paris," "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," and more. I mean, seriously. Half the lines I just listed I didn't even realize were from this movie (I think the first 3 I knew were from this and that's it). This is an epically quoted film and for a reason. I think the bulk of my enjoyment of this movie just came from hearing these lines from the source for the first time.

The first roughly 20 minutes of the movie had me worried. Honestly, I thought it was rather dull and kind of cheesy. It wasn't until we first hear about Laszlo that things start getting interesting, and soon after that the film picks up. Continuing with that honesty, however... I didn't care all that much. Blame it on the things I mentioned in my opening paragraph. I don't know. I found about half the conversations going in one ear and out the other. Rick and Sam were the only interesting characters to me, and Sam pretty much disappears from the film about halfway through.

I'm not saying this is a bad film. Not at all. It's an incredibly well made film--obviously, considering all the accolades it gets. The cinematography is pretty dang good at times, too (I particularly liked a segment where Rick is opening a safe and all you see is his shadow). I'm just saying that it didn't grab me and pull me in. I'm glad I've seen it. I can now mark it off the list. Though I have to say, unless a particular lovely young woman wants to sit down and watch it with me, I don't see myself just putting it in because I have the urge to watch it again.

So I guess that leaves me back with how I opened this review--I really would prefer not to. Of course, I just finished doing so, which makes this statement moot. I did enjoy the movie as a whole. I enjoyed a couple characters. I enjoyed how certain backstories ended up merging together to give you the whole picture of what happened between them. I really enjoyed hearing all those classic lines in context. So yes, I enjoyed it; I just didn't love it. Bring on the pitchforks.


A Keanu 'Whoa'

(P.S. This brings us to a close on Nazi Month. This was easily my least favorite month thus far, and not solely due to the subject matter. With the exception of maybe 2-3 films, I was left feeling completely apathetic toward the majority of the films this month. And I had a couple big ones this month... so it was kind of shameful that I didn't feel the love that these movies get from practically everybody in existence. I saw their high quality, but I had such a hard time getting emotionally attached to them. Needless to say, I'm very much looking forward to a change of pace and getting away from war (as I've been dealing with for 2 months, basically) as I move into May--or, What A Twist! Month. Up next? Probably another controversially apathetic review of what's considered the greatest movie ever made. We'll see next week!)

(P.P.S. All I could think about when I saw Bogart, because this was my first Bogart film, was that he's really not a traditional looking charmer--particularly his mouth. In fact, I thought that if maybe Ray Romano stared in The Nutty Professor, Bogart would be his Buddy Love. Continue the hate mail now.)