Huston's first film was shot entirely in dark moody interiors. A ruthless cast of characters inhabit a corrupt, cynical world searching for the bejewelled bird, using and betraying all around, including our hero. There's not an ethic in sight except for our hero but even he does the right thing not from any obvious strong conviction, more because he simply can't help it.
I really enjoyed this film as I have been a fan of the old hard-boiled detective stories made popular by the likes of Raymond Chandler and James M Cain.
I really enjoyed this film as I have been a fan of the old hard-boiled detective stories made popular by the likes of Raymond Chandler and James M Cain.
I felt that this film perfectly captured the style of the books and the performances by the lead characters were powerful and enthralling. I was particularly fond of the wiity script which had me laughing and gasping in equal measure.
I believe the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre truly represent the Golden Age of Hollywood, a time when alot of actors had more integrity.
The music was also of a high standard and really helped to enhance the sense of drama.
