Brew Views: The Maltese Falcon

It's bad business.

By AARON MESH

Let's all take a moment to thank George Raft for The Maltese Falcon. Sure, he's not actually in it—that's why we're grateful. The blank chorus boy with the tough-guy mug made a second career out of turning down plum Warner Bros. roles (along with Falcon, he rejected High Sierra and Casablanca), and each time the work fell to Humphrey Bogart. Sam Spade made Bogie: It set the template for how his predatory grin would be belied by eyes sadder than a basset hound walking through a puddle. Nobody did tragedy so casually as Bogart onscreen—except maybe Raft in real life.

  1. Showing at: Laurelhurst.
  2. Best paired with: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
  3. Also showing: Cinco de Lebowski (Bagdad, 10 pm Friday, May 4).
 

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