Historical Context
The early 20th century in America was a time of significant upheaval and transformation. The era was marked by the Prohibition, which gave rise to notorious gangsters, and the Great Depression, a cataclysmic economic downturn that affected millions of lives. This period also inspired artistic responses that captured the zeitgeist, such as Dashiell Hammett’s novel, The Maltese Falcon, which portrayed a society rife with greed and moral ambiguity.
The Era of Prohibition
In 1920, the United States ratified the 18th Amendment, initiating Prohibition and making the sale of alcohol illegal. The accompanying Volstead Act aimed to equip law enforcement agencies with the tools to implement this ban. However, rather than curb alcohol consumption, Prohibition inadvertently spawned a lucrative black market, empowering criminal networks.
Organized crime syndicates quickly capitalized on the demand for illicit liquor. These syndicates were adept at evading federal authorities by creating intricate distribution channels, often involving corrupt local law enforcement. Speakeasies—underground clubs where alcohol was covertly served—flourished, becoming the epicenters of social nightlife. Despite federal raids and confiscations, the profits from these ventures were substantial enough to cover losses and encourage further criminal activity.
The rise of organized crime saw figures like Al Capone gain infamy. Capone dominated Chicago’s underworld and amassed a fortune, reportedly earning $60 million annually from illegal liquor sales. This era also cemented the gangster image in American culture, which was both glamorized and critiqued in contemporary literature like Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon.
The Great Depression’s Unfolding
The 1920s had been characterized by economic prosperity and a booming stock market. However, this prosperity came to a jarring halt on October 29, 1929—Black Tuesday—when the stock market crashed, precipitating the Great Depression. Within days, the market's value plummeted, resulting in colossal financial losses that continued to deepen over the next three years.
The ensuing economic turmoil led to widespread unemployment, with nearly a quarter of the workforce jobless by the 1930s. This catastrophic downturn prompted banks and businesses to shutter, erasing personal savings and plunging many into poverty. Government interventions failed to stimulate recovery, and economic resurgence only began with the outbreak of World War II, as the nation ramped up production to support the war effort.
Literature as Reflection
In the midst of these societal shifts, Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon emerged as a reflection of contemporary American life. The novel shifts from the setting of Hammett's previous work, Red Harvest, to the bustling urban landscape of San Francisco. Within this cosmopolitan backdrop, Hammett explores themes of moral ambiguity and societal corruption.
The novel's character ensemble, predominantly consisting of crooks, deviants, and murderers, draws a bleak portrait of American society. Effie Perrine stands as the lone figure of idealism amidst a sea of moral compromise, highlighting a world where the distinction between good and evil is blurred. Through the relentless pursuit of the titular Maltese Falcon, Hammett critiques the greed and selfishness emblematic of capitalist ideologies.
Spade, the detective protagonist, embodies the existential uncertainty of the era. Initially suspected of murder, his character invites readers to question the nature of justice and integrity. Hammett’s narrative abandons overt social criticism, instead offering a universal exploration of human nature and the pervasive influence of greed.
Style and Technique
The classic detective novel The Maltese Falcon stands out as a masterful exploration of complex characters, narrative style, and underlying themes. At its core, the novel challenges traditional notions of heroism through its protagonist, Sam Spade, who embodies the archetype of the antihero. Unlike the conventional hero motivated by altruism, Spade navigates each scenario with a keen eye on personal gain. His willingness to...
(This entire section contains 478 words.)
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betray those around him, including having an affair with his business partner's wife, paints him as morally ambiguous. Despite his frequent flirtations with illegality, Spade maintains a strategic relationship with his lawyer to gauge how far he can push boundaries. His skepticism extends to his romantic entanglements, as seen in his immediate distrust of Brigid O’Shaughnessy when the coveted Maltese Falcon turns out to be a forgery, a suspicion rooted in his pragmatic approach to relationships. Hammett introduces Spade's morally gray nature from the start, likening him to "a blond Satan."
However, the narrative complexity deepens as Spade ultimately reveals to Brigid that his moral ambiguity serves as a ploy to ensnare criminals, thereby highlighting the novel's simultaneous critique and reinforcement of heroic ideals. By choosing integrity over wealth and romantic entanglement, Spade embodies a paradoxical form of heroism that both mocks and upholds traditional values.
The titular Maltese Falcon operates as more than just a plot device; it serves as a powerful metaphor representing the characters' deepest motivations and desires. Described as an invaluable, jewel-encrusted artifact, the Falcon is never truly seen but remains the driving force of the story. It symbolizes Gutman's obsession, Cairo's greed, O’Shaughnessy's duplicity, and Spade's relentless curiosity. This metaphorical significance echoes Alfred Hitchcock's concept of the "MacGuffin," an object that, regardless of its intrinsic value, becomes pivotal as a representation of the characters' internal struggles and ambitions.
Hammett's narrative prowess is further exemplified by his innovative use of perspective. Breaking away from the idolatrous first-person narration of traditional detective stories, Hammett adopts a more objective third-person view in The Maltese Falcon, allowing for a more nuanced and multifaceted portrayal of deceit and illusion as dominant themes. This stylistic choice aligns him with literary contemporaries like Ernest Hemingway, known for their succinct prose and lack of narrative commentary. Debate continues over the influence shared between Hammett and Hemingway, yet it is undeniable that Hammett's departure from gratuitous violence in favor of exploring the subtleties of human deception marks a significant evolution in his writing.
Despite the acclaim for The Maltese Falcon as possibly Hammett's best work, it also serves as a poignant reminder of the literary potential he left untapped, constrained by financial pressures and the demands of Hollywood. Hammett's ability to weave intricate character studies and compelling metaphors within the framework of detective fiction cements his legacy as a pioneer of the genre, even as it hints at the broader literary achievements that might have been.
Setting
In The Maltese Falcon, the bustling city of San Francisco serves as more than just a backdrop; it is a character in its own right, steeped in corruption and intrigue. The narrative, primarily set within this Californian port city, reflects the murky moral landscape traversed by the protagonist, Sam Spade. As the story unfolds, various locations within the city reveal their own unique facets of danger, deception, and occasional sanctuary—each contributing to the novel’s exploration of human nature and societal darkness.
San Francisco
San Francisco, a port city known for its historical vibrancy, becomes a labyrinth of moral ambiguity and shadow in the novel. Here, detective Sam Spade maneuvers through a world where, he claims, most things can be "bought or taken." Spade's frequent references to the city as his "burg" underline the intimate, yet gritty, relationship he maintains with his surroundings. The nocturnal events dominating the storyline cast the city in perpetual twilight, enhancing the themes of moral decay and hidden dangers lurking within its confines.
Spade’s Apartment
Situated on Post Street, Spade’s apartment is a microcosm of the novel’s tension between safety and peril. Despite its well-appointed bachelor decor, the apartment is no refuge from the chaos that surrounds Spade’s life. It is here that he receives the devastating news of his partner’s death and endures police harassment. The intrusion of violence into this personal space is marked by a conflict between Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Joel Cairo, underscoring the apartment’s role as a stage for the personal and professional dramas that unfold.
Spade’s Office
On Sutter Street lies Spade's private detective office, which serves as the setting for many daytime scenes in the novel. This setting, more public and business-like, suggests a veneer of legitimacy and morality contrasting with the shadowy events elsewhere. Effie Perine, Spade’s steadfast secretary, embodies this sense of uprightness and is consistently associated with the office. The space is divided into an outer room for Effie and an inner room once shared with his deceased partner, Miles Archer, highlighting the personal loss shadowing Spade’s professional life.
Coronet Hotel
The Coronet Hotel, located on California Street, becomes part of Brigid O’Shaughnessy’s attempt to evade danger, following the ransacking of her previous lodgings at the St. Mark's Hotel. Yet, the Coronet offers no true sanctuary, as her room here is also searched, illustrating the precariousness of safety in this treacherous version of San Francisco. The hotel represents a transient safe haven, easily penetrated by the deceitful forces at play.
Archer’s Murder Spot
On Bush Street, near the borders of Chinatown—a place often portrayed in the novel as duplicitous—lies the scene of Miles Archer's murder. This location is shrouded in darkness and loneliness, reinforcing the atmosphere of menace that pervades the story. Archer’s death, occurring during his surveillance of Floyd Thursby for Brigid O’Shaughnessy, epitomizes the perilous entanglements and fatal outcomes that characterize the novel’s plot.
Alexandria Hotel
The Alexandria Hotel, home to the enigmatic Casper Gutman, further cements the novel’s themes of danger and duplicity. Spade's encounters here expose him to direct threats, such as being drugged during his initial visit. The hotel stands as a symbol of the deceit and betrayal intrinsic to the quest for the falcon statue, embodying the treacherous allure of the rewards that drive the characters' machinations.
Compare and Contrast
1930: During this time, it is deemed acceptable and even friendly for employers like Sam Spade to refer to employees such as Effie Perine with affectionate terms like “angel” and “precious.”
Today: The use of such terms, often linked to romantic connotations, is both socially and legally discouraged, as they could be used to coerce an employee into an unwanted relationship.
1930: Traveling by steamship from Hong Kong to San Francisco typically takes several weeks but remains the most common mode of travel.
Today: The journey from Hong Kong to San Francisco can be completed by jet plane in just a few hours.
1930: Hotels employ house detectives to monitor guests and ensure they do not engage in illegal activities on the premises. These detectives are often retired police officers.
Today: Desk clerks can utilize computerized information systems to conduct background checks more thoroughly than house detectives could in the past.
1930: Americans perceive private detectives as operating on the edge of legality.
Today: Although the private detective stereotype occasionally appears on television, it is generally believed that the job is not as glamorous as it was once portrayed.
Adaptations
- The Glass Key (Radio Plays 1930s-1940s): Adapted as a radio play series.
- The Maltese Falcon (Radio Plays 1930s-1940s): Adapted as a radio play series.
- The Fat Man (Radio Plays 1946-1950): Adapted as a radio play series.
- The Adventures of Sam Spade (Radio Plays 1946-1951): Adapted as a radio play series.
- Roadhouse Nights (1930): Based on Red Harvest, filmed by Paramount.
- The Maltese Falcon (1931): First screen adaptation titled "Dangerous Female," directed by Roy Del Ruth, starring Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade and Bebe Daniels as “Ruth Wonderly.”
- The Maltese Falcon (1931): Directed by Roy Del Ruth, starring Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels, produced by Warner Brothers.
- Satan Met a Lady (1936): An adaptation of The Maltese Falcon, directed by William Dieterle, starring Warren William and Bette Davis, available on videocassette from Warner Home Video.
- The Glass Key (1935): Adapted by Paramount.
- The Glass Key (1942): Directed by Stuart Heisler, starring Brian Donlevy and Veronica Lake, produced by Paramount.
- The Maltese Falcon (1941): Directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Elisha Cook Jr., available on DVD and VHS from Warner Brothers, noted for its close adherence to Hammett’s original dialogue.
- The Thin Man (1934): Adapted by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hacket, directed by W. S. Van Dyke, featuring William Powell and Myrna Loy.
- The Thin Man (1975): Universal "Movie of the Week" production for television.
- The Dain Curse (1978): Three-part television film by CBS.
- The Black Bird (1974): Parody of The Maltese Falcon, directed by David Giler, starring George Segal, Lee Patrick, and Elisha Cook Jr., available on videocassette from Columbia/Tristar.
- Hammett (1982): Directed by Wim Wenders, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, starring Frederick Forrest, based on the fictional involvement of Hammett in a cabaret singer's disappearance, available on VHS from Warner.
Bibliography
Sources
Cuppy, Will, “Mystery and Adventure,” in New York Herald Tribune, February 23, 1930, p. 17.
Curtis, William, “Some Recent Books,” in Town & Country, February 15, 1930.
“Judging the Books,” in Judge, March 1, 1930.
MacDonald, Ross, Self-Portrait: Ceaselessly into the Past, Capra Press, 1981, p. 112.
Further Reading
Gregory, Sinda, Private Investigations: The Novels of Dashiell Hammett, Southern Illinois University Press, 1985. Coming from outside of the small, specific world of detective fiction, Gregory examines Hammett’s novels with the same critical eye that one might apply to the works of Dostoyevsky or John Updike.
Layman, Richard, Dashiell Hammett: A Descriptive Bibliography, University of Pittsburgh Press, 1979. This book gives a comprehensive, painstakingly assembled survey of Hammett’s many novels and stories, with the detailed publication history of each.
Marling, William, “Dashiell Hammett, Copywriter,” in The American Roman Noir: Hammett, Cain, and Chandler, University of Georgia Press, 1995, pp. 93–147. Marling’s analysis of Hammett, and of The Maltese Falcon in particular, fits into a larger context of detective fiction in books and films.
Wolfe, Peter, Beams Falling: The Art of Dashiell Hammett, Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1980. Wolfe approaches the author’s life as a mystery, piecing together clues from his writings to create a convincing portrait of the man.