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Masculinity In The Maltese Falcon

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In life people always have that one special person that look up to. To them they are by far and idol in their eyes. Just like a child growing, they always had that one superhero they would love to be and hope to be as brave as them. For example Superman, Batman, Wolverine, and the Hulk. These characters are created in different ways to show masculinity and to help give the impression that they are not scared of anything. Sam Spade in Dashiell Hammet’s 1941 movie The Maltese Falcon is one of a kind. Ruthless, strong mind, and sneaky Spade has multiple personalities that he can hide behind to get facts for solving a case. Spade is by far someone that has different ways of showing his masculinity. Trapped in situations, held at gun point and followed …show more content…

Spade character in the 1941 film is the hard-boiled detective that fears nothing. His mood and facial expressions barely change, also the tone in his voice is serious. Spade never beats around the bush, he is always ready to get straight to business. Being held at gun point multiple times, Spade not once shows any ounce of fear. For example, Joel Cairo comes to Spades office to question him about the falcon. When Spade turns around to tell Effie she can leave for the day, Cairo has a gun pointed at him threating to shoot him if he does not tell him where the bird is. Spade with no hesitation punches Cairo and knocks him cold on the couch. Another example of Spade showing his masculinity is when he takes the guns from Wilmer Cook, Kasper Gutman’s hitman. While walking back to Gutman’s home, Wilmer Cook has two pistols pointed at Sam Spade. Without thinking Spade turns around and pulls Cooks coat over his shoulder and snatches the gun. The last way Spade shows his masculinity is by slapping Cairo for trying to put his hand on Brigid. After Brigid slaps Cairo for getting an attitude with him, he rears back to slap her back. Spade steps in and grabs him before he has a chance to and violently slap Cairo multiple time back. Even though Spade knows that Brigid is a liar, he still knows right from wrong. Spade has an image to uphold hold being a rough, hardcore, ruthless detective. By letting Cairo hit her shows he is less of a man and

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His need to win drives him more than love or any other emotion. That drive could be mistaken as detachment from emotions because of how strong it is. It became obvious when he gave up Brigid, Gutman, Cairo and Wilmer to the police in order to save himself, after he had told Gutman he wouldn’t that he has a great self interest. A characteristic that some force of evil may be portrayed as. Spade gives the impression that he thinks he knows everything and owns the world.

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On the other hand, instead of arresting the criminals involved, he makes a deal with them. Furthermore, it is important to note that Spade takes money from Gutman and O’ Shaughnessy to provide the impression that he is corrupt so that he may fit in. As a detective, he is still morally obliged to “resolve” the situation as demonstrated by his response to Brigid after they all find out that the falcon is worthless. In that scene, Brigid asks, “Would you still have done this to me if the falcon had been real and you had been paid your money”? Spade responds, “Don’t be too sure I’m supposed to be as crooked as I’m supposed to be.

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