DramaThriller

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.

Release Date : 1982-06-09

Language :CantoneseEnglish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : American Zoetrope

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : Hammett

Original Name : Frederic Forrest

Gender : Male

Character Name : Jimmy Ryan

Original Name : Peter Boyle

Gender : Male

Character Name : Kit Conger / Sue Alabama

Original Name : Marilu Henner

Gender : Female

Character Name : English Eddie Hagedorn

Original Name : Roy Kinnear

Gender : Male

Character Name : Crystal Ling

Original Name : Lydia Lei

Gender : Female

Character Name : Eli the Taxi Driver

Original Name : Elisha Cook Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : The Punk

Original Name : David Patrick Kelly

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lt. O'Mara

Original Name : R.G. Armstrong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective Bradford

Original Name : Richard Bradford

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gary Salt

Original Name : Jack Nance

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fong Wei Tau

Original Name : Michael Chow

Gender : Male

Character Name : Donaldina Cameron

Original Name : Sylvia Sidney

Gender : Female

Character Name : Doc Fallon

Original Name : Elmer Kline

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pops

Original Name : Royal Dano

Gender : Male

Character Name : Old Man in Pool Hall

Original Name : Samuel Fuller

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barber

Original Name : Lloyd Kino

Gender : Male

Character Name : Frank the News Vendor

Original Name : Fox Harris

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chinese Laundress

Original Name : Rose Wong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lady in the Library

Original Name : Liz Roberson

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Sailor

Original Name : Jean-François Ferreol

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Chinese Girl

Original Name : Alison Hong

Gender : Female

Character Name : Chinese Girl in Fong's

Original Name : Patricia Kong

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miss Cameron's Assistant

Original Name : Lisa Lu

Gender : Female

Character Name : Bank Guard

Original Name : Andrew Winner

Gender : Male

Character Name : Chinese Bouncer

Original Name : Kenji Shibuya

Gender : Male

Character Name : Fong's Guard

Original Name : James Quinn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Bartender in Cookies' Bar

Original Name : Mark Anger

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Projectionist

Original Name : James Devney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pool Room Attendant

Original Name : Hank Worden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Neighborhood Kid #1

Original Name : Christopher Day

Gender : Male

Character Name : Neighborhood Kid #2

Original Name : Ciceley Rush

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #1

Original Name : Chris Alcaide

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #2

Original Name : Ben Breslauer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #3

Original Name : James Brodhead

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #4

Original Name : John Hamilton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #5

Original Name : John T. Spiotta

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Boardroom #6

Original Name : Ross Thomas

Gender : Male

Reviews

John Chard

@John Chard

2024-05-16

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