Posted on 02/17/2005 7:12:30 PM PST by nickcarraway
The most storied bird in cinema history, Dashiell Hammett's ``The Maltese Falcon,'' is winging its way back home to San Francisco to star in the 75th anniversary celebration of a book that helped create the ``hard-boiled'' American mystery genre.
Getting the black bird -- or rather, the 50-pound lead prop used in the 1941 screen version -- from Southern California to San Francisco, where Hammett lived and wrote from 1921 to 1929, could very well make a Hammett-style pot boiler all its own.
Now valued at $2 million, the statue Sam Spade so doggedly pursued will arrive with armed security. Two San Francisco Police Department officers have been assigned to, uh, bird watching. After a short viewing at a private party at John's Grill, it will spend the night in a bank vault.
Depending on whom you ask, Hammett wrote his most popular novel either at John's Grill on Ellis Street, where he would lunch, or at his apartment on Post Street. His office was in the famous Flood Building on Market Street.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
Yes!
"'Okay Marlowe,' I said to myself. 'You're a tough guy. You've been sapped twice, choked, beaten silly with a gun, shot in the arm until you're crazy as a couple of waltzing mice. Now let's see you do something really tough - like putting your pants on.'"
"Bird" bump.
I may get flamed for being, what?, sacrilegious or something, but Powell was a better Marlowe than Bogey or anybody else - - he was the epitome of the hard-boiled private eye. Powell was and remains one of my favorite all-time actors.
Regards,
LH
"'Okay Marlowe,' I said to myself...."
If you think a moment there are a lot of Marlowe quotes lurking in memory.
"I like my women hard-boiled and loaded with sin"
"You can be in Hollywood a long time before you ever see the part they use in films"
"I'd rather have a gun and not need it than need a gun and not have one."
"....I'll talk to anyone, even a Maglishan. Just get me off this frozen star...."
Another Dick Powell fan here, LH. He sure made a big change in his noir era from his happy-go-lucky musical days -- which I actually also enjoy quite a bit. He was great with Ruby Keeler!! Remember "Dick Powell Theater"?
***I own a full-size replica, which I see every time I watch a movie, and treasure.***
So, where can I get a replica of the bird used by Bogart!
Eaven a plaster one would make my day!
Vaguely. Around 1961? Just a couple years ahead of my time. I was seven.
Google "maltese falcon replica" and you'll see many sources. I've had mine for years and can't remember where I bought it, but it was an online store.
Check them carefully; I bought a studio promo still of Bogie with the bird to verify the size and finish. Some of the replicas just look bad, others aren't to scale and some have the wrong finish. Depends on how picky you are, I guess.
I know I paid something like $80 for mine about 8 years ago, and it's gorgeous, so you don't have to spend a fortune.
Yep, around then. I was a kid too, and it was too "adult" for me to enjoy. I just remember how surprised I was the first time I saw this somber Dick Powell playing light-hearted song and dance roles. IIRC, he was married to Joan Blondell at one time.
Ahh yes - - double features.
The first double feature I remember seeing was 'Day of the Triffids' and 'The Delicate Delinquent' at the Keswick theater. Sat through them both twice. For a quarter.
I remember "Christmas In July." What was that slogan -- it's not the beans, it's the bunk -- something like that. I still like hearing him sing "I Only Have Eyes For You" with those psychedelic Busby Berkeley effects!!
If you can't sleep, it isn't the coffee. It's the bunk.
Ah, thank you Nick. Ironically, I was at the start of a rather sleepless night when your response came in. Must have been the bunk.
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