I am a big fan of noir type films. Maybe it’s because I was born in 1946 and these films remind me of my parents dressing up to go out to the nightclubs that were popular back then, like the Latin Casino, and Palumbo’s. Whatever the reason, I happened upon a fabulous series on AMC+, and happily renewed by love of Detective Sam Spade.
Monsieur Spade
Everyone my age knows who Detective Spade is, from books, radio, and films. He was the creation of Dashiell Hammett’s 1930 novel, The Maltese Falcon. There have been many actors who played Sam Spade, including Ricardo Cortez, Edward G. Robinson, Howard Duff, Steve Dunne, Mike O’Malley, Tom Wilkinson, Michael Madsen, and my all-time favorite, Humphrey Bogart. Spade was often portrayed as a heavy drinker and smoker. Spade was always cunning, and mistrustful of everyone he met, but equally determined to bring about justice.
Now that I have set the scene for you youngsters who have no idea what noir is, let’s jump on to why you should watch Monsieur Spade, which was created by Scott Frank and Tom Fontana and is directed by Scott Frank. Season one of Monsieur Spade, which is only six episodes stars Clive Owen, Cara Bossom, Denis Menochet, Stanley Weber, Louise Bourgoin, and Jonathan Zaccai.
The action begins in 1955 with the legendary Spade (Clive Owen), who is enjoying his retirement in the South of France, given the task of delivering a young child (Ella Feraud) to her father after the death of the mother, Brigid O’Shaughnessy. The father, Philippe Saint-Andre (Jonathan Zaccai) is a criminal and missing, and the grandmother wants nothing to do with the child. Even Patrice (Denis Menochet), the chief of police, refuses to help Spade find the father. After a terrible thunderstorm that prevents Spade from leaving Bozouls, he is rescued by Gabrielle (Chiara Mastroianni), who gives him and the child a lift.
Eight years have passed and we learn that Spade not only married Gabrielle, whose former husband was a Nazi sympathizer, but that Spade left the child, Teresa, at a convent run by kindly nuns. Spade does not abandon Teresa (Cara Bossom), who is now a teenager, but visits often and has become loved by the nuns and the young girls under their care. When he learns information from the Mother Superior (Martine Schambacher) that Philippe is back in town and, after the girl, the action goes full metal. People that Spade cares about are being slaughtered.
Conclusion
I am hooked on this series, and I know you will be, too. There are a lot of criminals in that quiet town of Bozouls, and they all have an issue with the American detective. Spade can’t trust friend or foe.
Humphrey Bogart was always my favorite Sam Spade, but Clive Owen has taken on the mighty task of portraying this captivating character and, in my opinion, has done a fabulous job. You can watch Monsieur Spade series on AMC or AMC+.
I made it halfway through the second episode when my stomach turned so hard I couldn’t continue. And I watch almost anything. In Clive Owen’s telling Sam Spade is ambiguous about the Nazis, saying in Episode 1 that he was a conscientious objector during WWII because who couldn’t figure out who the good guys were, or something to that extent. In the second episode when he finds out the Mother Superior aided the resistance he says, “See, everybody sinned.” It is seductive and insidious in it’s both sides ism. Both Humphrey Bogart and Dashiell Hammett are turning over in their graves. Don’t watch this piece of Nazi propoganda if you value your intellect.