American Zoetrope
Not part of a collection.
Hammett
He created "The Maltese Falcon," "Sam Spade" and "The Thin Man." But he didn't write this mystery thriller...he lived it.
Chinatown, San Francisco, 1928. Former private detective Dashiell Hammett, a compulsive drinker with tuberculosis who writes pulp fiction for a living, receives an unexpected visit from an old friend asking for help.
- Original title
- Hammett
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
John Chard
Aug 17, 2015 · via TMDB
She's a disaster. Hammett is a fictional story about the great writer Dashiell Hammett (played by Frederic Forrest). The story finds the writer retired from the Pinkerton Detectice Agency and nursing bad lungs and a taste for the liquor. When old colleague Jimmy Ryan (Peter Boyle) comes a calling, Hammett finds himself down in Frisco's Chinatown district in it up to his neck in muck and grime. The back story to the production of Hammett is long and disappointing, all of which makes for fascinating reading and available at the click of a mouse. The film we have to view now may not be the one originally envisaged by director Wim Wenders, but on repeat viewings it shows itself to be a very loving homage to the halcyon days of film noir, a film of great technical craft and guile. Though not without issues either... Production value is high, the set design that brings late 1920s Frisco to life is a joy, as is Joseph Biroc's luscious colour photography. John Barry provides a musical score that smoothly floats around the Gin Joints and Alleyways, while costuming is on the money. Cast are led superbly by the under valued Forrest, with Marilu Henner (Biroc lights her so well), Boyle and Lydia Lei striking the requisite film noir chords, while a host of cameos and short order roles will have the keen of eye putting names to the faces from similar films of yesteryear. The story is complex, which is purposely complimented by narration, canted angles, slatted shadows, billowing smoke, and of course a number of venues that all anti-heroic detectives must traverse to unravel the mystery bubbling away under the seamy surface. The problems are evident of course, it's a very uneven picture, the re-writes etc leaving a disappointing mark. It's also like watching a performance at the theatre, akin to watching a play, the predominantly stage bound shoot - and the almost forced delivery of lines - makes it synthetic. But ultimately there's a lot of noir love here, enough to ensure that repeat viewings for those of that persuasion should find themselves rewarded for their time. 7/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Fandango At Home
Darkroom
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
Frederic Forrest
Hammett
Peter Boyle
Jimmy Ryan
Marilu Henner
Kit Conger / Sue Alabama
Roy Kinnear
English Eddie Hagedorn
Lydia Lei
Crystal Ling
Elisha Cook Jr.
Eli the Taxi Driver
David Patrick Kelly
The Punk
R.G. Armstrong
Lt. O'Mara
Richard Bradford
Detective Bradford
Jack Nance
Gary Salt
Michael Chow
Fong Wei Tau
Sylvia Sidney
Donaldina Cameron
Royal Dano
Pops
Samuel Fuller
Old Man in Pool Hall
Lloyd Kino
Barber
Fox Harris
Frank the News Vendor
Lisa Lu
Miss Cameron's Assistant
Hank Worden
Pool Room Attendant
Chris Alcaide
Man in Boardroom #1
Ross Thomas
Man in Boardroom #6
Leon Ericksen
Art Direction
Dennis Gassner
Graphic Designer
Philip H. Lathrop
Additional Photography
Joseph F. Biroc
Director of Photography
Pete G. Papanickolas
Key Grip
April Ferry
Costumer
Terry Leonard
Stunt Coordinator
Wim Wenders
Director
Lloyd Nelson
Script Supervisor
Dan Attias
Second Assistant Director
David Valdes
Second Assistant Director
Robert Q. Lovett
Editor
Janet Hirshenson
Casting
Francis Ford Coppola
Executive Producer
Fred Roos
Producer
Robert Q. Lovett
Music Editor
John Barry
Original Music Composer
Wylie Stateman
Sound Editor
Ross Thomas
Screenplay
The Shawshank Redemption
Pulp Fiction
Once Upon a Time in America
The Silence of the Lambs
The Shining
Les Jeunes Filles
Rebecca
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JFK
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Angels with Dirty Faces
Peaceful Warrior
East of Eden
Barton Fink
Contact
The Devil Wears Prada
Miller's Crossing
The Experiment
Sicario
Scarface
Murder She Said
Golden Queen
The Blue Angel
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People on Sunday
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Outsiders
The Poseidon Adventure
Murder at the Gallop
Zappa
From Russia with Love
Starship Troopers
Brother
Desert Hearts
Contempt
Ronia: The Robber's Daughter
The Tin Drum
Dr. No
Insomnia
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
King's Game
The Art of Crying
The Man Who Invented Christmas
Eight Men Out
Cruel Intentions
The Spy Who Loved Me
Angels & Demons
The Da Vinci Code
Katyn
The Tracker
The Sky Crawlers
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
To Die For
The Milagro Beanfield War
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
Mary Queen of Scots
Swimming Pool
Burnt Offerings
Boy Culture
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Great Expectations
Arn: The Knight Templar
Sleepless
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Moonraker
Choke
Believe: The Ultimate Battle
Winged Creatures
Death Defying Acts
Animal Farm
The Tender Hook
Saawariya
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The Lost
The Adderall Diaries
Sagrada Reset Part 2
Walled In
Literally, Right Before Aaron
Jenůfa
Stříbrná šestka
The Sparrow and the Tigress
The Third Parent
Counting Miracles
Úspech
7 Miles Out
Mistr a Markétka
A Street Cat Named Bob
Gigi & Nate
Shadow of a Doubt
Richard Jewell
The Best of Enemies
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The Lady from Shanghai
Milk
Thieves' Highway
Ragtime
Point Blank
Eleanor the Great
A Call to Spy
2073
The Words
Alone in Berlin
Light of My Life
Starving in Suburbia
Genius
The Wilby Conspiracy
Jasper Jones
TalhotBlond
Killer's Kiss
Passing
The Man Who Cheated Himself
The Face of Fu Manchu
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Code 46
Holy Lands
Wonderstruck
Topaz
Paradise Hills
The Quiller Memorandum
6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain
Birth of the Dragon
The Girl in the Book
Sep 17, 1982
