On 8 September 2004, Marc Seals wrote:
: I think that there are some pretty significant differences
between the
: novel and the 1941 film, presumably largely caused by
adherence to the
: Hays Code. I am most disturbed by Spade's strip-search of
Brigid
: O'Shaunessy.
Cleaning up the language and scenes like that seem to make up
most of the changes. One other different is Gutman's
daughter, Rhea, who was dropped completely for the movie. In
the book, just after Captain Jacobi stumbles into Spade's
office, he gets a phone call, goes to Gutman's hotel, sees
the daughter (who's been drugged and was sticking herself
with pins to stay awake), and gets an address from her. He
goes there, finds an empty house, searches it, and comes back
knowing it was all misdirection. In the movie, Spade gets the
phone call and is given an address, and when he goes there he
finds it's an empty lot. He turns around and comes back. It's
simpler, more efficient, and I think it works better.
Gutman's daughter doesn't serve any purpose anywhere.
One other difference is a matter of scene construction. At
Spade's first meeting with Gutman, he smashes his glass and
threatens Gutman, saying he's got to decide fast if he's in
or out. In the book, the chapter ends with this. By God, you
think, Spade's one tough hombre. The next chapter opens with
Spade getting in the elevator, sweating, his hands shaking,
wired up after putting on a show. In the movie, Spade walks
out in the corridor, sees how badly his hands are shaking,
laughs, goes to the elevator, and the scene ends. The
difference casts the threat, and Spade's moxie, in a bit of a
different light.
I may have misremembered details of the movie. I haven't
fired it up for another viewing yet.
Bill
-- William Denton : Toronto, Canada : http://www.miskatonic.org/ : Caveat lector.
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/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 : 10 Sep 2004 EDT