FILM NOIR : The Maltese Falcon

First and foremost, what is film Noir? Film Noir means was coined by French film critics who noticed the trend of how 'dark', downbeat and black the looks and themes were of many American crime and detective films released in France to theaters following the war. Film Noir is unlike classic Hollywood comedies and musicals , film Noir is crime film. The features of film style is a dark and violent criminal world. Besides that, the motive of characters in the film are greed, lust, ambition and drown in fear. Film Noir is developed during and after World War II, taking advantage of the post-war- effects. The post-war- effects are present in Hollywood in the 1940s that resulted in Film Noir and that the post-war- effects can also describe or define the topic.  In Film Noir, it is a battle between the male protagonist(anti-hero) and the femme fatale. 

SYNOPSIS

Maltese Falcon is a film Noir. The story actually is talk about how Sam Spade is on a quest to find the Maltese Falcon. Ms Wonderly is a beautiful but secretive woman. When Ms Wonderly was brought the case to Sam Spade, he was accepted and gets more than he has bargained for. The most coincidentally, when Ms Wonderly shows up, trouble will follow like Sam's partner is murdered and a man was demanded Sam Spade to locate a valuable statuette.

Sam had fall into the trap of danger and crime. Thus, Sam realizes that he must immediately find the things they all are also find it. This things is the bejeweled Maltese Falcon.


ANALYSIS

First of the theories that Maltese Falcon used is low-key lighting. Low-key lighting is a technique used in film and television to create mood or set the tone of a scene. Often associated with the dark look of film noir.

For example, Sam Spade had been followed by a man that he does not know when he was walking out of the alley. In addition, there are distortions in this film which is low-angle shots.the visual language of a low-angle shot is to convey to the audience that the character is either heroic, strong, or dominating.

For example, when Sam Spade was met with Mr Gutman at his hotel room,  Mr Gutman was holding a cigar on his hand. This scene was shot with low angle. Thus, it was not only shows that the dominate in the scene is the cigar in Mr Gutman's hand, and also the dominating character is Mr Gutman in that scene.



Moreover, there are also the mise-en-scene in this film which is several scene were set is cramped areas.

For example, the cramped areas in this film are Sam Spade's office and his apartment. They were set in those rooms seem very cramped to shot for the scenes such as Sam Spade placed his bed in the room where he confronted people at his apartment.

Adding on, the whole film are setting with city bound. It was only set in San Francisco.   



Furthermore, the characters had the trait of being corrupted in this film.

For example, when Sam Spade visited Ms O'Shauneesy at her hotel room, Sam Spade asked 500 dollars from Ms O'Shauneesy. 

Another example is when Ms O'Shauneesy request Sam Spade to help her in the case, Sam Spade's partner, Miles told that he can help Ms O'Shauneesy. It was showed that Miles was lecherous because he was corrupted in a way.




CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, The Maltese Falcon is a good example of film Noir. The film is includes used of low key lighting, low angle shot of distortions, mise-en-scene was set with cramped areas, city bound and trait of being corrupted. These few theories made this film was perfect and entertaining no matter it was a black and white film.