The Maltese Falcon
In today’s remake-crazed atmosphere it’s worth noting that this was the second remake of Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade detective novel. John Huston got his first directing assignment in exchange for scripting‚ Raoul Walsh’s High Sierra. In one of many bad career decisions, George Raft turned down the lead role that consolidated Humphrey Bogart’s star status.
About John Landis
John Landis is the director of Animal House, The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf In London, Trading Places, Coming To America, Kentucky Fried Movie, Spies Like Us, Three Amigos!, Into The Night and Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and the recent Burke and Hare for Ealing Studios, among many other films and television shows. His documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project premiered on HBO and won an Emmy for Best Music, Comedy or Variety Special. He is also the subject of noted film critic Giulia D’Agnolo Vallan’s recent book “John Landis” and his own book “Monsters in the Movies’ was published to critical and popular acclaim in 2012.