The Maltese Falcon to Body of Lies
Spies, Noirs, and Trust
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Book Presentation:
Film noir is by definition dark, but not, this book argues, desperate. Examining twenty-eight great noir films from the earliest examples of the genre, including The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, and Out of the Past, to such twenty-first-century spy films as The Good Shepherd, Syriana, and The Bourne Ultimatum, this study explores the representations of trust and commitment that noir and spy films propose. Through thorough examination, von Hallberg provides insights into the cultural history of film and our cinematic experience with the concept of trust.
About the Author:
Robert von Hallberg is a professor of literature at Claremont McKenna College. He is the author and editor of several books, including The Maltese Falcon to Body of Lies: Spies, Noirs, and Trust (UNM Press).
Press Reviews:
"A compelling and marvelously personal essay on the psychology and morals of trust in the beleaguered world of noirs and spies, a world riddled by suspicion, shame, and guilt, yet not, it appears, without hope."--Maria DiBattista, author of Fast-Talking Dames
See the publisher website: University of New Mexico (UNM) Press
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From The Maltese Falcon to Gone Girl
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