Starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane
Directed by John Huston
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)
Detective Sam Spade is hired to rescue a woman's sister from a criminal, but soon discovers he's been used as a pawn by a group of ruthless characters after a priceless statuette.
Humphrey Bogart makes quite the impact as Dashiell Hammett's private eye in this version of his famed novel, supported by quality turns from Astor, Lorre, and the unforgettable Sydney Greenstreet. It's not hard to see how this role showcasing Bogart's toughness, intelligence, and humor launched him on the road to stardom, and marked the start of an equally fine career for his director John Huston, who delivered a stylish and entertaining mystery. Not to be neglected is the excellent dialogue throughout the film, advancing the story and enriching each character. Perhaps the film's only detriment, albeit a minor one, is the casting of Astor, who despite delivering an excellent performance, is not the knockout beauty that the screenplay describes her as.
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