Released – November, 1942 

Directed By - Preston Sturges

Starring – Claudette Colbert (Geraldine ‘Gerry’ Jeffers), Joel McCrea (Tom Jeffers), Mary Astor (Princess Centimillia), Rudy Vallee (John D. Hackensacker III).

Description – A fast-paced screwball comedy about a married couple down on their financial luck. Tom Jeffers is an inventor with, what he believes is, a great idea. It’s Tom’s plan to build an airport suspended over the city by wires.

Tom’s wife Gerry has a solution to help finance this grand plan; divorce Tom and marry a millionaire.

On a train to Palm Beach, Gerry meets the wacky and eccentric John D. Hackensacker III one of the richest men in the world. After learning of his wife’s plan, Tom also heads to Florida in the hope of saving his marriage.

When he arrives, Gerry still intent on completing her plan, introduces Tom as her brother. Things start to get a little crazy when Hackensacker falls for Gerry, his man-hungry sister Princess Centimillia chases after Tom, and her former suiter still desires the Princess.

But, is everyone who they say they are? It turns out Gerry is a twin and so is Tom. So who is really married to who?

NOTABLE: Don’t miss the opening sequence where Claudette Colbert is seen tied up in a closet and one minute later in a wedding dress.

The Palm Beach Story was singer Rudy Vallee’s first comedic role. He did such a good job that Paramount offered him a film contract.

This film is #77 on AFI’s list of 100 Films…100 Laughs.

The motion pictures original title was to be Is Marriage Necessary? However, this title caused some problems with the Production Code.

The Palm Beach Story

Preston Sturges – The Filmmaker Collection (Sullivan’s Travels/The Lady Eve/The Palm Beach Story/Hail the Conquering Hero/The Great McGinty/Christmas in July/The Great Moment)

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Released – October, 1941 

Directed By - John Huston

Starring – Humphrey Bogart (Sam Spade), Mary Astor (Brigid O’shaughnessy), Sydney Greenstreet (Kasper Gutman), Peter Lorre (Joel Cairo).

Description – This screen version of Dashiell Hammett’s novel introduces us to Private Investigator, and “anti-hero,” Sam Spade. While trying to find out who murdered his partner, Sam becomes tangled up with murderous criminals and a beautiful woman, who just can’t seem to tell the truth.

Each are looking for a priceless jewel-encrusted statuette of a falcon. To make things worse, Sam is considered to be a suspect in his partners murder and possibly another. With more murder, blackmailing, and back-stabbing yet to come this is one of the best of the ‘film noir/crime’ genre.

NOTABLE: In 1989 this film was selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry.

This film was nominated for three Oscar’s; Best Picture, Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Sydney Greenstreet), and Best Writing, Screenplay.

The American Film Institute, in 1997, voted this #31 on the Greatest Movies of All Time list, and it is ranked #6 on the Greatest Mysteries of All Time list.

Author Dashiell Hammett spent some time as a Private Detective for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in San Francisco.

Sydney Greenstreet, nicked-named ‘The Fat Man’ in the film, gave such an impressive characterization that the Atomic Bomb dropped on Nagasaki during World War II was called ‘Fat Man.’ This was also Greenstreet’s first on-screen performance.

The ‘Maltese Falcon’ was believed to have been modeled after the ‘Kniphausen Hawk,” a 1697 pouring vessel. The Hawk was perched on a rock and encrusted with red garnets, amethysts, emeralds, and blue sapphires.

This was John Huston’s first feature film as a director.

Personal Comment: This is one of my favorite films of all-time. There are an outstanding array of colorful characters casted and played perfectly in this film. I purchased this film as part of ‘The Humphrey Bogart Collection’ which also includes Casablanca, The Big Sleep, Key Largo. All are excellent!

The Maltese Falcon (Three-Disc Special Edition)

The Bogart Collection (Casablanca/The Maltese Falcon/To Have and Have Not/The Big Sleep/The Treasure of the Sierra Madre)

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