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Who knows anything about Hammett (1982)?
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Hammett
- Thread starter MK
- Start date
Imahomer
Practically Family
- Messages
- 680
- Location
- Danville, CA.
"The novel writter Dashiell Hammett is involved in the investigation of the mysterious disappearance of a beautiful chinese cabaret actress in San Francisco. "
Hmmm... Sounds like my kind of movie and I'm embarrassed to say I've never heard of it!!!
Hammett - a nice idea, but...
Hammett was based on a good book by crime-writer Joe Gores. It sees Dashiell Hammett investigating the murder of a friend after leaving the Pinkerton agency to become a writer.
The film was directed by Wim Wenders, who made The American Friend (based on Patricia Highsmith's "Ripley's Game") and Wings of Desire (which features Peter Falk as an earthbound angel trying to chose just the right hat) among others, for Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Films. The result was fun and interesting, but far from perfect. Frederick Forrest makes a good Hammett, and the cinematography by Joseph Biroc (who shot It's a Wonderful Life) is darkly atmospheric and quite handsome. It has a very artificial, soundstagey look to it, but that is not a real hinderance since it is so interested in referencing films (mainly noir) of the past. Where the film falls down is in its attempts to blend the "real" Hammett with the Sam Spade-like Hammett of fantasy. Wenders has said: "I wanted to find a balance between the detective story and the story of the writer who begins to confuse reality with fiction." The Coen brothers tried something similar with Barton Fink, and did it all a lot more successfully. I like Wim Wenders; his best work is fascinating and complex, but at his worst he gets bogged down in details or loses sight of his themes altogether. This is neither his best work nor his worst, and for fans of the period (the film is set in 1928), or fans of Hammett, it's good fun.
Hammett was based on a good book by crime-writer Joe Gores. It sees Dashiell Hammett investigating the murder of a friend after leaving the Pinkerton agency to become a writer.
The film was directed by Wim Wenders, who made The American Friend (based on Patricia Highsmith's "Ripley's Game") and Wings of Desire (which features Peter Falk as an earthbound angel trying to chose just the right hat) among others, for Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Films. The result was fun and interesting, but far from perfect. Frederick Forrest makes a good Hammett, and the cinematography by Joseph Biroc (who shot It's a Wonderful Life) is darkly atmospheric and quite handsome. It has a very artificial, soundstagey look to it, but that is not a real hinderance since it is so interested in referencing films (mainly noir) of the past. Where the film falls down is in its attempts to blend the "real" Hammett with the Sam Spade-like Hammett of fantasy. Wenders has said: "I wanted to find a balance between the detective story and the story of the writer who begins to confuse reality with fiction." The Coen brothers tried something similar with Barton Fink, and did it all a lot more successfully. I like Wim Wenders; his best work is fascinating and complex, but at his worst he gets bogged down in details or loses sight of his themes altogether. This is neither his best work nor his worst, and for fans of the period (the film is set in 1928), or fans of Hammett, it's good fun.
Flitcraft
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,037
Re: Hammett...
Its pretty entertaining. Not exactly accurate.
Saw it in a restored 1920's theatre when it first came out, so that was pretty cool.
Movie is worth a look.
Its pretty entertaining. Not exactly accurate.
Saw it in a restored 1920's theatre when it first came out, so that was pretty cool.
Movie is worth a look.
