2/98

I have finished a second book off ML100.  This week I completed The Maltese Falcon.  It was much better than my first pick off the list.  By that, I mean, I enjoyed it more.  If you have ever seen the classic film based on the book, you already know the story.  The film stays pretty true to the original, even down to specific lines.  Granted, they are great, very important lines, but some film adaptations have been known to take out very important parts of a story.

The Maltese Falcon is primarily a detective novel.  It tells the story of Sam Spade, a private eye, in the time when movies depict private eyes as fedora-sporting, trenchcoat-wearing, chain-smoking smart alecs.  The kind in movies who sit in their office with their feet up on the desk, and the story doesn't start until that hourglass figure is spotted coming in through their smoked-glass office door, and then she walks in.  And often, in the movies, the hero's narrative will say something like that: "The she walked in, a tall glass of water if I ever saw one."  You know that whole genre.

Anyway, The Maltese Falcon is that type of book.  I daresay it even invented that genre.  So of course I liked it.  I knew the story from watching the Humphrey Bogart film adaptation, so I was prepared for all the twists and turns.  Perhaps because I knew what was coming, some parts of the story seemed to drag a bit.  But I didn't even mind, because even if the plot dragged, the writing was great.  Sam Spade is a truly awesome character.  He's like 10 steps ahead of everybody, and is simply too clever.  He calls women "angel" and "sweetheart."  He is most definitely a wise guy.  And he is very complex.  Part of what makes the story so interesting is trying to figure this guy out.  I mean, he's clearly ok with operating outside of the law, but when it comes down to it, he's not willing to break the law for love.  There is a code of conduct for a detective which, to him, is more important than the law.  Of course he can't let his partner's murderer go free, even if he wants to.  That's bad for his reputation as a private eye.  It's completely opposite from what we see in the movies now--people who do anything for love, decide that the live they've been living is nothing without the one they love, and who cares if they have to give up their career, move to a new city and change their name?  As long as they have love.  Sam Spade is decidedly not of that mindset.

Plus, there's always Brigid O'Shaughnessy.  She is one smooth operator.  I said I like a good femme fatale and she certainly is one.  She plays everyone (except Spade) for a fool, and is always looking out for #1.  I was almost sad to see her lose in the end.  Of course she was a criminal, and a manipulative feline, the kind of girl, when watered down, I would hate--selfish, bitchy, Regina George-ish.  But when she is undiluted, she is, frankly, awesome.  I would almost want to be a femme fatale if I lived in the 20s.  Modern day femme fatales are just demented and scary.

Anyway, TMF is a great read, especially if you like detective novels and television shows that parody film noir.  I know "Boy Meets World" did an episode once in this genre, if you're looking for an example.  Now, I'm on to Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov.  I did not realize it was about a pedophile.  This should be interesting...