Is this meant to be funny?


I couldn't stop laughing at the scenes with the cops and the dude following Spade around looking like a seedy stiff thug, he looks like a cartoon character lol, Love it.

I also love Cairo he's a big joke of an actor, I liked him in "M" but still a good funny movie.

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There were lots of funny lines and scenes. My favorite one is when the sleazy, skinny thug, Wilmer (or is it Wilbur?), who has been tormenting Spade and threatening him, finally gets roughed up by him, with Bogie's great line, "You'll get smacked and like it!" - Could not stop laughing!

She deserves her revenge, and we deserve to die.

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lol - it was funny...

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The humor in this movie is one of its many charms. A lot of that comes from the enjoyment that the cast seems to have playing with and against each other:

Watch the fun little beat and the smile that Spade gives Gutman when he's told that Gutman (paraphrasing here) absolutely, definitely, on his honor as a gentleman, does not have more than $10,000. "But you didn't say 'positively',", Spade replies. To which, with a charming, almost imperceptible smile, Gutman responds: "Positively." You can tell they're having a good time.

I also love how, in the middle of his diatribe to the DA (?), Spade turns to the stenographer and asks: "Are you getting all this or am I going too fast for you?" "No, sir, I'm getting it," is the very calm response from the very calm stenographer. To which Spade takes the time to say something like "Good for you!"

There are lots of tiny little moments like this for the audience to enjoy, and to be in on the joke with Spade. It means all the more when things get serious and grim at the end.

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My favourite comedic moment is when Cairo says to Spade "You always seem to have a smooth explanation...", to which Spade responds "What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?"


Formerly tdnh_2000

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That's a good one! The first line from this movie that I remembered and loved was Peter Lorre's "Look what you did to my shirt...!"

I also like Spade asking Brigid: "You're not going to go wandering around the room straightening things again, are you?"

And the wonderful way that Gutman pulls himself together when the Bird turns out to be phony: "Yes, it's the Russian's hand all right."

(Greenstreet gets some of the very best and some of the most iconic lines, and he certainly relishes them! And I enjoy relishing his relish.)

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And this movie was Greenstreet's debut, at the ripe old age of 60!




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I enjoy a man who enjoys relishing Greenstreet's relish.

He was simply awesome in this, wasn't he? The plot gets so convoluted that it starts tripping over itself, but the performances of the leads is so delicious that I keep on coming back to this movie, time and time again.





I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

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One of my favorite lines is in the hotel when Spade leads the cop over to where Wilmer is pretending to read the newspaper and says (I'm doing this from memory)
"Why do you let these cheap gunman hang around the lobby with their heaters bulging in their pockets?"

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I love "The cheaper the crook the gaudier the patter" ?

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Love how after Cairo woke from Spade disarming him when they first met, Cairo gets his gun back and repeats what he was trying to do the first time. Spade just breaks into laughter at the ridiculousness of it and says "Sure, go ahead, I'm not gonna stop ya."

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The line that always gets me is when Effie Perine walked into the office and handed Spade the calling card, identifying the scent as gardenia. "Quick, in with him Darling!" 

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