That little statuette may have been "the stuff that dreams are made of, but I submit that Dashiell Hammett's novel and John Huston's film have been the stuff that detective fiction fans have been dreaming of for more than eighty years.
We all know the plot. As Sam Spade tracks down the killer of his partner Miles Archer he encounters Kasper Gutman and his cronies who are searching to the legendary Maltese Falcon, a statuette that may be as substantial as dreams. In this radio version, based on John Huston's screenplay, Spade is played by Edward G. Robinson (if you can't get Bogart as the tough guy, go with Little Caesar), Gail Patrick is Bridget O'Shaughnessy, and Laird Cregar is Kasper Gutman. Buried down in the cast was Bea Benaderet, who would go on to fame as the "Busy Bea," with more than 1000 radio and television appearances, including as Blanche Morton on the Burns and Allen shows, the voice of Betty Rubble on The Flintstones, and Kate Bradley on Petticoat Junction.
Cecil B. DeMille was the host and John Milton Kennedy served as the show's announcer.
Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T12ew2uBwfY
No comments:
Post a Comment