Sam Spade, The Hardboiled Detective

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Recommended: Christopher Marlowe and his writing styles

The hardboiled detective, the tough guy with street smarts solving mysteries for the police. Sam Spade, from The Maltese Falcon, can be described as just that, the hardboiled detective. Sporting the trademark attire, the trench coat, a rumpled suit and a fedora to top it off. This tough guy Spade like to smoke as much as he liked his scotch, he even kept a bottle at his night table. Thanks to the help of Sam Spade, Brigid O’ Shaunessy was arrested for his partner’s murder. To contrast there is Philip Marlowe from Chandler’s short story, Trouble is my business, also a hardboiled detective. Marlowe also had scotch or some kind of replacement at hand. He was always drinking, he even drove intoxicated. Similar to Spade he also liked to smoke, …show more content…

From the beginning Philip Marlowe caught the attention of Anna Halsey’s assistant, "I think she blushed," Anna said when the door closed. "I guess you still have It." In-text: (Mansfield-Kelley & Marchino, 2005). Then when he carries on his business and meets Harriet Huntress, he also catches her attention. She calls him brown eyes, the two of them end up going out a few times after the mystery was solved. Sam Spade was also an attractive man, his assistant Effie, would do anything for him. Effie even put up Brigid O’ Shaunessy in her home when she was in danger. Brigid O’ Shaunessy, who was quite a woman herself was even lusting after Sam. Then there was his late partner’s wife, Iva Archer. Sam had to get Effie to keep Iva away from …show more content…

Philip is a big, tough guy a fighter, he gets into a couple altercations, but always comes out strong. The first, takes place in his apartment with Frisky and Waxnose they come to give him a message about young Jeeter. Frisky, however, want to to more than just talk, he’s eager to fire his gun. Frisky goes at Philip acting wildly wanting to hit him, Philip put a quick end to it though. “I was a world-beater. I took them in sets, guns and all. I took the little man around the throats and jerked him hard against my stomach, out a hand over his little gun hand and knocked the gun to the floor.” (Mansfield-Kelley & Marchino, 2005). Of course this caught the attention of Waxnose who, praised him for it, “You got a nice arm action there, pal. I will say that for you.” (Mansfield-Kelley & Marchino, 2005). The second altercation, also took place at his apartment with Waxnose stirred up over the death of Frisky. Philip is again able to gain control and ties up Waxnose, taking his gun with him and he leaves. Sam Spade, has a one relatively minor altercation with Joel Cairo who, sticks up a gun requesting to search the office. Spade is able to knock him out, takeaway his gun and find out Cairo’s true identity. Other than the that altercation Sam Spade is more of a talker, talking his way through a

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