The Maltese Falcon

After World War II, the French started watching a particular type of American crime thriller film. These crime genre films were normally detective and investigation films which very different from the films in 1940s. Hence along with other characteristics, instead of saying film noir is a genre, in fact, it was a movement emerged from 1941-1958. Film noir basically presented as all people are bad, non of the human beings is pure good which attracted filmmakers to reveal this reality world and made into movies (Hayward, 2013). One of the great film noirs, The Maltese Falcon directed by John Huston would be discussed while looking into its characteristics found in a film noir. 

During the war, men joined the army, whereas women were moved into the workforce to maintain and increase the economy of the nation. During this period, women who used to be taking care of household started to meet people and expand their horizons. They started making money, getting wiser, and economically independent. However, when men came back from war, women were already trained. Men became paranoia, suspicious, and questioned themselves on masculine and national identity. Therefore, film noir narrations expressed the sexual independence of women which threatened masculinity yet femme fatale were generally being punished in the films such as: she is killed, becomes insanity or forced to marry and leave the city. The narrative diegesis of film noir was typically a criminality world which fulls of paranoia, lies, and malicious where no one should be trusted and telling lies has been accepted as a human nature. A film noir was commonly central of greed, lust, intention, and afraid of paranoia. The lighting used was chiaroscuro which is high contrast and low key lighting, dark visual and played with lots of distorted lines and shadows to enhance a sense of suspicious. For instance, a huge shadow of the character is projected on a surface behind the character to represent the evil side of him and the lower angle shots to create distorted and evil look of him.

Next, the setting in film noir is generally city-bound, crowded place, suffocating space, and especially rain-washed street which is to present a sense of some criminals have happened. All of these reminiscent of German Expressionism. Besides, the main character or the protagonist in film noirs is normally known as anti-hero, who is tough, flawed, and not being a gentleman. He is not a completely typical hero which can be seen in other films, we are still following his story throughout a film noir though. Blurred moral is one of the characteristics of film noir, it gives meaning of, it is not about doing it right, but it is about my intention to whether do it right. Next, it usually features a narration in the film which something have had already happened. Character's names are purposely picked to resemble his/her characteristics too (Hayward, 2013).

Detective Sam Spade and his partner, Miles Archer, approached by a beautiful but secretive woman, Miss Wonderly who claims to be looking for her missing sister, who is believed with a man named, Floyd Thursby. Both Spade and Archer accept the assignment, Archer agrees to follow Miss Wonderly that night and get her sister back. However, Archer is murdered followed by Thursby. Spade is worried that police will think he kills Archer as he is having an affair with Archer's wife. He realizes that he is entangled in a dangerous situation of crime. Soon, he discovers Miss Wonderly is telling lies and her real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy. 

In The Maltese Falcon film noir, we can see the principle of contrastive lighting which is chiaroscuro with high contrast and low key lighting is applied in this typical monochrome film to bring a sense of pessimism and suspicion. Beisdes, this film noir plays with lines as well which can be seen on the setting in Miss O'Shaughnessy's apartment such as the windows, curtains, walls, frame, lamps, furniture, etc. Other than that, the shadows and low angle shots of Sam Spade are to enhance his characteristics in the film noir to create a sense of distorted and evil side of him. Sam Spade is the anti-hero in this film, he is neither a pure good nor pure bad character, he is wise, tough, good looking, love money and ets hooked on the femme fatale in the film.

Additionally, Miss Wonderly, Miss LeBlanc, and Miss O'Shaughnessy who are definitely the same person represent the femme fatale in The Maltese Falcon. She tells lies, hides secrets by lying, and most important is to pretend to be an innocent act to achieve her goals and intentions. This is somehow shown in the scene which Miss O'Shaughnessy calls to Spade's office, she gives her location and screams over the phone to signal that she is in trouble. When Spade reaches the location she has provided, she leans against the wall, pretends to be weak and frustrated who needs Spade to hold her to the apartment. At the end, Miss O'Shaughnessy attempts to throw herself at Spade again, hoping he will protect her as she believes Spade loves her, in fact, although Spade can't deny his love for her, nonetheless, Spade insists to turn her to police as he distrusts her murderous and lying nature. The lines shadows of the elevator gates projected on Miss O'Shaughnessy's face who is standing behind it, represents her will be soon set behind the bars.

Time passes, film noir has developed and evolved, it has slowly changed into a genre lately as known as Neo Noir. Some other genres films started absorbing film noir characteristics into their films too, for instance, the cowboy in Western genre films has been portrayed as an anti-hero, he doesn't care for the people and somehow he is being stereotype as well. Due to the technology advancement, since 70's, filmmakers have started making film noirs in a different way, eg: China Town which was shot in colors; Blade Runner in the 80's is a science-fiction film noir; In the 90's the significant film noir, Bound, was although shot in colors, however, the visuals of the film including the costumes and setting are purposely set mono-chromatically. On the other hand, what filmmakers used to do with femme fatale such as the consequences she has to pay for it through death or submission, they don't do it that way anymore. Conversely, femme fatale has started being praised in films of being a 'femme fatale' upon her attitudes and she has empowered by her sexuality.