Noir
it's been screening in my head. the Fat Man takes the knife to the black lacquer coating of the bird but underneath it's only lead. Joel Cairo blames him, saying, "no! it's you that's bungled it!" and they scurry off on another leg of their search for lost treasure. but not Sam. Sam doesn't go. he's not interested in treasure. he calls the cops before bracing Brigid. he gets the truth from her finally and tells her she's going to take the fall for Archer's death.
"Blood streaked Spade's eyeballs now and his long-held smile had become a frightful grimace. He cleared his throat huskily and said: "Making speeches is no damned good now." He put a hand on her shoulder. The hand shook and jerked. "I don't care who loves who. I'm not going to play the sap for you. I won't walk in Thursby's and Christ knows who else's footsteps. You killed Miles and you're going over for it."...
He lists the reasons why he should give her up, trying to explain it, and ends saying:
"Now on the other side we've got what? All we've got is the fact that maybe you love me and maybe I love you."
"You know," she whispered, "whether you do or not."
"...I don't know what that amounts to. Does anybody ever?... Listen." He took her by the shoulders and bent her back, leaning over her. "If that doesn't mean anything to you forget it and we'll make it this: I won't (protect you) because all of me wants to--wants to say to hell with the consequences and do it--and because--God damn you--you've counted on that with me the same as you counted on that with the others."
..She whispered: "If you loved me you'd need nothing more..."
Spade set his teeth together and said through them: "I won't play the sap for you."
and i'm not Sam Spade. and i've never met Brigid O'Shaughnessy. but sometimes life is noir and a man has to set his teeth together. and when that's the way it is, i recommend reading Dasheill Hammett and Raymond Chandler.
He cleared his throat. "If they hang you I'll always remember you."
it's not in the book, but in the film Lt. Dundy sees the Maltese Falcon, resting unwanted on the table and asks, "What's this?" and Spade replies, "The stuff dreams are made of."
The stuff dreams are made of.
