Jim wrote:
"I don't think Hammett is more politically oriented or more
concerned with implicit criticism of the status quo than
Chandler."
I agree with you, Jim. And your theory that Hammett's later
public politics was retroactively applied to his earlier
writing sounds very plausible to me. Even The Glass Key,
which had a fair amount about politics, was far more about
friendship and loyalty (come to think of it, wasn't that also
what Hammett's refusal to testify about who was or ever had
been also about that).
In many ways, I think of Chandler as more political than
Hammett. At least I can think of more examples off the top of
my head. Many of his stories revolve around differences of
class and there are many stories involving the
institutionalized corruption of Bay City. However, I think
you're right that both were, first and foremost, about
telling a good story. And that's why they remain
relevant.
Mark
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