preview

Essay on Analysis of The Maltese Falcon

Better Essays

Analysis of The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon, was not only a detective film, but a film that displayed many different aspects of the female and the male character in the movie. The film was more than a story, but a story that explored the ideas of the detective genre and the different characteristics of femininity and masculinity. It also brought forth subjects of sexual desires and the greediness of money. The characters and the visual motifs in the film contributed to the developing of the plot and assisted in creating a more detective and gender oriented film. In the film, The Maltese Falcon, the role of men and women are portrayed in different ways in the film to show the distinct functions of masculinity and femininity …show more content…

She used her figure as a power tool and focused on her image to express the way she felt. Women in these cases were very distracting to the male characters in the film. Sam said to Iva, ?You shouldn?t have come here today, precious. It wasn?t wise. You can?t stay.? This shows that Iva was in the way of Sam Spade?s work. Iva was seen as a suspicious character in film as well. Effie said to Sam, ?She kept me waiting at the door while she undressed, her clothes on a chair where she dumped her hat and coat underneath, her slip was still warm.? This quote described the suspicions that Effie had about Iva on the night that Miles, Iva?s husband was murdered. Sam could trust Effie, but both Effie and Sam had a hard time trusting Iva. This may have meant that some men may have a harder time trusting woman who are very feminine.

A character that Sam Spade had a hard time trusting was a woman named Brigid O?Shaughnessy, who was also know as Miss Wonderly. Effie said to Sam, ?She?s a knockout.? Not only did Effie and Sam Spade see that she was pretty, but so did his partner, Miles. Miles said to Sam, ?She?s sweet...Maybe you saw her first, but I spoke first.? Brigid takes on the sexy woman figure whose voice is gentle, helpless, and manipulative all at the same time. She is very self-centered and tends to deceive others in order to get what she wants. Brigid said to Sam, ?Can?t you shield me so that I won?t have to answer their questions...I am afraid and alone.?

Get Access