HAMMET

US, 1982, 96 minutes, Colour.
Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, Marilu Henner, Roy Kinnear, Elisha Cook, Sylvia Sidney, Jack Nance, R.G.Armstrong.
Directed by Wim Wenders.

Hammet is a very enjoyable private eye film - based on episodes allegedly in the life of author Dashiell Hammet but which more particularly resemble his type of novel. In fact, the screenplay interweaves Hammmet's own actions with those of characters from his novels and does so quite ingeniously.

The film was a long time in production, had very many difficulties, changes in cast and characters being dropped before it was finally released commercially. It is one of the films made in the US by German director Wim Wenders. Wenders made many celebrated films in Germany including a version of The Scarlet Letter and The American Friend. He was also noted for road movies, including, King of the Road. After his move to America, he made several films there including the Cannes prize-winner, Paris Texas. Francis Ford Coppola sponsored the film but, according to reports, continually interfered with its production. This is echoed in Wenders' film, made in Portugal, The State of Things - with a finale and a frustrated filmmaker going to American gangster producers in California.

Nevertheless Hammet is an interesting and entertaining piece of Americana.

1. The quality of the film as a thriller, character study, mood piece, piece of Americana?

2. The work of Wim Wenders: a cinema explorer, a focus on journeys, environment and society? A German sensibility on the U.S.? His insights?

3. The atmosphere of the '20s, San Francisco, decor and, mood, locations? Reality and unreality? The tradition of film styles? The visual detail, the flavour of the film? Musical score, piano sequences?

4. The portrait of a writer in the detective style, the private eye thriller? Wenders' interest in sequences, attention to detail, an interest in contemplation' rather than narrative? The focus on Hammet himself - as detective, person, man of action?

5. The structure of the film: Hammet as a writer in 1928, his manuscripts, his being caught in the San Francisco environment, the details of his novel, the stream of narrative and the stream of his fantasies? Interwoven at the end?

6. The portrait of Hammet and Frederic Forrest's interpretation? Hammet as a writer, as the private eye type? The visual focus on his type writer? His later reputation? The encounter with Ryan, Ryan as a father figure in detection? Kit (and Sue Alabama)? The blend of reality and fantasy? The San Francisco hoods, chases, Chinatown, Hammet's ingenuity? The taking of the manuscript? Callahan's murder, the coroner? Crystal and the background of prostitution? His being beaten? Salt and the pornographic films? Winston and his violence, murder of Eddie Hagedorn and the law? His search, the businessmen and the pornography, the blackmail? Resolution? Crystal, Ryan's death? The action shaped by the San Francisco environment? The finale with Hammet typing out a new manuscript based on his experiences?

7. Ryan as a Pinkerton agent, his influence on Hammet, his linking himself with characters in Hammet's novels? Commissioning Hammet to look for Crystal? The atmosphere of Chinatown, Hammet losing Ryan? His phone call about the murder, his being trapped under the grille? Hammet's discovery of the set-up? Crystal, his being a partner with her, the betrayal and her killing him?

8. The seamy world of San Francisco: Salt and his reputation as a journalist, his involvement with pornography? With Crystal? His being killed by Winston? Winston and the San Francisco hoods? Hagedorn as a shady lawyer (and Roy Kinnear's comic style)? Fong and the Chinatown background, casinos? His possession of the manuscript?

9. The businessmen, prostitution, pornography? Blackmail? Murder?

10. Crystal and her world, victim, her shrewdness, Hammet's search for her? The mutilated corpse - and it being revealed that it was not Crystal? Partnership with Regan? The confrontation, her killing him?

11. Hammet's friendship with Kit, the librarian downstairs, her heroics in helping Hammet, her becoming Sue Alabama in the fantasies?

12. The world of the San Francisco police, investigations?

13. San Francisco society, the strata of society, affluence, Chinatown with the touch of the exotic Oriental?

14. Private eye thrillers and their place in American literature? The conventions of the thriller film, the film noir? The use of the conventions to make this an enjoyable exploration?