RARA-AVIS: Hammett Day on TCM -- What Coulda Been

From: Kevin Burton Smith ( kvnsmith@thrillingdetective.com)
Date: 17 Jan 2005


On Jan 15, 2005, at 5:12 PM, rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com wrote:

> This Monday, Jan. 17, Turner Classic Movies is showing three
> different versions of The Maltese Falcon. Times shown are Eastern...

It's part of Hammett Day on TCM, a premature tie-in to the 75th Anniversary of the (book) publication of THE MALTESE FALCON next month, for which Vintage will be released a new collection (with just one new story) and new editions of FALCON and RED HARVEST. (And both JANUARY MAGAZINE and THRILLING DETECTIVE will be doing something).

Anyway, on TCM on Monday, besides the Falcons, there are a few Thin Man movies and WATCH ON THE RHINE, but overall, it's a pretty lame and obvious selection with no surprises. Neither version of THE GLASS KEY will be shown (seeing both back to back would be great) and no real treasures. A wasted opportunity. Too bad. I would have loved to see:

ROADHOUSE NIGHTS
  (1930, USA) Based on the novel "Red Harvest" by Dashiell Hammett and a story by Ben Hecht

CITY STREETS
  (1931, Paramount Pictures) Based on an original story by Dashiell Hammett
  Screenplay by Oliver H.P. Garrett and Max Marcin Directed by Rouben Mamoulian Starring Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney

WOMAN IN THE DARK
  (AKA Woman in the Shadows)
  (1934, RKO)
  70 minutes, black and white Based on the novella by Dashiell Hammett Screenplay by Sada Cowan Directed by Phil Rosen Cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg Produced by Burt Kelly Starring Roscoe Ates, Granville Bates, Ralph Bellamy, Reed Brown Jr., Melvyn Douglas, Cliff Dunstan, Ruth Gillette, Joe King, Nell O'Day, Frank Otto, Charles Williams, Fay Wray An ex-con looking for a little peace and quiet, who's pestered by various strange women, ex-lovers and trigger-happy drunks.

MISTER DYNAMITE
  (1935, Universal Pictures) Based on the short story "On the Make" by Dashiell Hammett Directed by Alan Crosland Starring Edmund Lowe as MISTER DYNAMITE

SECRET AGENT X-9
  (1937, Universal) Based on the comic strip created by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond Directed by Ford Beebe and Clifford Smith Starring Scott Kolk as SECRET AGENT X-9

SECRET AGENT X-9
  (1945, Universal)
  13-part serial Based on the comic strip created by Dashiell Hammett and Alex Raymond Directed by Lewis D. Collins and Ray Taylor Starring Lloyd Bridges as SECRET AGENT X-9

THE FAT MAN
  (1951, Universal) Based on a character created by Dashiell Hammett Directed by William Castle Starring J. Scott Smart as BRAD RUNYON

Or even:

THE HOUSE ON TURK STREET AKA "No Good Deed"
  (2002, Seven Arts Pictures) Shooting Began: July 17, 2001 in Montreal Based on the short story "House on Turk Street by Dashiell Hammett Adapted by Christopher Canaan and Steve Barancik Directed by Bob Rafelson Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Milla Jovovich, Stellan Skarsgard, Doug Hutchison Evidently this has very little to do with Hammett's short story, ewhich featured the Op. In this film, Jackson is a San Francisco cop
(not a private eye), long overdue for a vacation, who tries to help a friend find a missing daughter.

Has anyone seen any of these? I've only seen the last one. It ain't Hammett.

Kevin Burton Smith The Thrilling Detective Web Site Holiday Issue It's time to vote for the 2004 Thrillies! http://www.thrillingdetective.com

------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> What would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater? Donate or volunteer in the arts today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/pkgkPB/SOnJAA/Zx0JAA/kqIolB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
  Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rara-avis-l/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     rara-avis-l-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 17 Jan 2005 EST