#but of all the other humf/peter team ups ive discussed on this blog im pretty sure the next leading lady closest in age to bogey is Ilsa

[angelamontoo]

The Maltese Falcon(1941) Directed by John Huston

If you've been on this blog for any amount of time, you know how obsessed I am with Peter Lorres portrayal of Joel Cairo, but I really should sing the praises of Mary Astor as Brigid o Shaughnessy more often. Compared to some other 'femme fatales' in films of the time, who's supposed moral failings rather unambiguously disappear thanks to the love of some man they usually just met, I appreciate that there's no reason to assume Brigid truly fell in love with Spade anymore than theres a reason to assume she genuinely was inlove with Thursby or really even Archer.

Honestly, Mary Astor gives my second favourite performance in the film and that's stiff competition. It's a shame that she and Peter Lorre weren't in any other films together(that I know of)

#the maltese falcon #joel cairo #sam spade #brigid o shaughnessy #kasper gutman #something else thats kinda neat about mary astor in this role is that shes somewhat older and closer in age to her male counterpart than #many other sexy leading ladies of the time #sure its nothing wed really define as an 'older woman' today #and granted even at the time and earlier there were women viewed as sex icons in their 40s and older like mae west #but compared to many other films of the time(including many Ive discussed on this blog) #i find it interesting that theres only a 7 year age difference between herself and bogey #still the better part of a decade sure #but of all the other humf/peter team ups ive discussed on this blog im pretty sure the next leading lady closest in age to bogey is Ilsa #whos actress is is 16 years younger than him #idk its interesting to think about in any case #especially when you consider that only 3 years after this dang film came out she was playing the mother of 3 adults in meet me in st louies #(im shocked i dont hear people talk about that more. like cmon the guy playing her oldest kid has gotta be like 2 years younger than her)