RE: RARA-AVIS: The Maltese Falcon

Spurlock, Duane (Dspurlock@paulschultz.com)
Mon, 1 Dec 1997 09:23:49 -0500 >
>- The dedication. Who's Jose?

As I recall, Jose was Hammett's wife. Other more knowledgeable Hammett
fans on the list will know more definitely.
>
>- I don't think Spade is gay, or that Elsie's intuition is very good.

Knowing how the book ends, I found the frequent mentions about Elsie's
good intuition to be a running joke. I suppose that's a post-modernist
reading : ). Actually, this is the first time I've read the novel. I've
seen the movie several times, but I tried to come to the book with the
POV of someone who wasn't familiar with the story--tricky to do, I'll
admit. So, I'm not sure that the references to Elsie's intuition would
have stuck in the mind of someone encountering the tale for the first
time. Still, it's a nice gag.
>
>
>- What's the "Baumes rush"? Spade mentions this when talking to
>Wilmer. Is it some homosexual thing?

I'm not sure if this is a pun on "bum's rush" or if it may actually be
the origin of what we now call "bum's rush." A good slang dictionary
might help us out.
>--Duane
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