Hammett (1982)

Fictional account of real-life mystery writer Dashiell Hammett, and his involvement in the investigation of a beautiful Chinese cabaret actress' mysterious disappearance in San Francisco.

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Joe Gores (book), Ross Thomas (screenplay)

Stars:

Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Frederic Forrest	...	Hammett
Peter Boyle	...	Jimmy Ryan
Marilu Henner	...	Kit Conger / Sue Alabama
Roy Kinnear	...	English Eddie Hagedorn
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Eli the Taxi Driver (as Elisha Cook)
Lydia Lei	...	Crystal Ling
R.G. Armstrong	...	Lt. O'Mara
Richard Bradford	...	Detective Bradford
Michael Chow	...	Fong Wei Tau
David Patrick Kelly	...	The Punk
Sylvia Sidney	...	Donaldina Cameron
Jack Nance	...	Gary Salt
Elmer Kline	...	Doc Fallon (as Elmer L. Kline)
Royal Dano	...	Pops
Samuel Fuller	...	Old Man in Pool Hall

Storyline

The novel writer Dashiell Hammett is involved in the investigation of the mysterious disappearance of a beautiful Chinese cabaret actress in San Francisco.

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Plot Keywords:

neo noir | metafiction | femme fatale | missing person | writer | 

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Taglines:

The mystery writer who lived his own stories ! [Video]

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is a homage to writer Dashiell Hammett, film noir, pulp fiction, detective films, 'roman noir', 'hard-boiled' gumshoe 1920s & 1930s fiction, and the Golden Age of Old Hollywood.

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Goofs

When Hammett hands Ryan a straight drink, there's a bit of foam around the edge. Real liquor doesn't do that, but the ubiquitous stand-in, cold tea, does.

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Quotes

Hammett: Would you be dippy enough Angel to spend a little shoe leather?
Kit Conger: Doing what?
Hammett: Looking for Gary Salt.
Kit Conger: Who the hell are you now? Hammett the writer? or Hammett the detective?
Hammett: I think you left out Hammett the fool.

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Connections

Featured in Reverse Angle: Ein Brief aus New York (1982)

User Reviews

Underrated, undervalued, almost designed to be a cult film from the onset

In the background/historical notes to his novel, "Hammett," author Joe Gores says of one character, ". . . and if you don't know who he's based on, you need to read more Hammett." The movie, more or less based upon the novel, takes Gore's dicta to heart with several key characters. The result can be a whole lot of fun if you know your Hammett; if you're a little weak in that category, the result is merely a lot of fun.

Set in 1927 San Francisco, the film catches Dashiell Hammett in transition: Trying to firmly put his Pinkerton days behind him while establishing himself as a writer, dealing with the twin scourges of his World War I - induced tuberculosis and the alcoholism that will plague him almost to the end of his days, he finds himself drawn back into his old life one last time by the irresistible call of friendship and to honor a debt. By the time he's done, he finds himself having paid a far higher price, learning that he had only thought himself to be totally disillusioned beforehand.

"Hammett" the movie is as much an homage as "Hammett" the novel. It is a rare thing for neither a movie nor a novel to suffer by comparison to each other -- especially when the two are so divergent -- but that is exactly what happens here. The screenplay is strong, the production values uniformly excellent (check out the 1920s Market Street Railway streetcar which passes by in the background briefly in one scene, for example; only one in a thousand viewers might recognize it, and only one in possibly two thousand might appreciate the verisimilitude it provides), the direction and pacing authoritative.

Frederic Forrest is virtually perfect as Hammett; by turns ravaged and buoyant, hardboiled and outraged, at every turn ultimately unstoppable. By the film's close, he makes it very clear that, for Hammett, there will be no turning back; those moodily tapping typewriter keys which formed such an eerie backdrop for much of the action will also provide his salvation, and that this is a good thing.

And anyone who disputes that, as Joe Gores would say, needs to read more Hammett.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Cantonese German

Release Date:

17 September 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hammett

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$42,914

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$42,914

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures, Warner Bros., Zoetrope Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1