Drama

Thriller

Hammett

American Zoetrope

United States of America

广州话 / 廣州話

English

Frederic Forrest

Peter Boyle

Marilu Henner

Roy Kinnear

Lydia Lei

Elisha Cook Jr.

David Patrick Kelly

R.G. Armstrong

Richard Bradford

Jack Nance

Michael Chow

Sylvia Sidney

Elmer Kline

Royal Dano

Samuel Fuller

Lloyd Kino

Fox Harris

Rose Wong

Liz Roberson

Jean-François Ferreol

Alison Hong

Patricia Kong

Lisa Lu

Andrew Winner

Kenji Shibuya

James Quinn

Mark Anger

James Devney

Hank Worden

Christopher Day

Ciceley Rush

Chris Alcaide

Ben Breslauer

James Brodhead

John Hamilton

John T. Spiotta

Ross Thomas

Wim Wenders

April Ferry

Francis Ford Coppola

Dennis O'Flaherty

Ronald Colby

Don Guest

Fred Roos

Joseph F. Biroc

Janice Hampton

Marc Laub

Robert Q. Lovett

Randy Roberts

Dean Tavoularis

Leon Ericksen

Angelo P. Graham

George R. Nelson

Steven Potter

Ruth Morley

Jeff Angell

Thomas Tuttle

Kathryn Blondell

Mary Keats

John Duffy

Richard Bryce Goodman

Bob Johnston

Randy Kelley

Andrew London

Donald O. Mitchell

Wylie Stateman

James E. Webb

Joe Gores

John Barry

Robert Huddleston

Arne Schmidt

David Valdes

Dan Attias

Philip H. Lathrop

Gary Fettis

James J. Murakami

Robert C. Goldstein

Alex Tavoularis

Dennis Gassner

Chris McLaughlin

Darcy Vebber

Vince Melandri

Jill Demby Guest

Jack Harris

Morgan Renard

Bill Johnson

Frederic J. Smith

Carl Manoogian

Pete G. Papanickolas

Robert Woodside

Larry Gilhooly

Joanie Blum

Lloyd Nelson

Janet Hirshenson

Jane Jenkins

Barbara Johnson

Tom Shaw Jr.

Douglas E. Madison

Teri Fettis-D'Ovidio

Howard Jensen

Joe Lombardi

Terry Leonard

Mona Skager

Barry Malkin

Thomas Pope

She's a disaster. 

Hammett is a fictional story about the great writer Dashiell Hammett (played by Frederic Forrest). The story finds the writer retired from the Pinkerton Detectice Agency and nursing bad lungs and a taste for the liquor. When old colleague Jimmy Ryan (Peter Boyle) comes a calling, Hammett finds himself down in Frisco's Chinatown district in it up to his neck in muck and grime. 

The back story to the production of Hammett is long and disappointing, all of which makes for fascinating reading and available at the click of a mouse. The film we have to view now may not be the one originally envisaged by director Wim Wenders, but on repeat viewings it shows itself to be a very loving homage to the halcyon days of film noir, a film of great technical craft and guile. Though not without issues either... 

Production value is high, the set design that brings late 1920s Frisco to life is a joy, as is Joseph Biroc's luscious colour photography. John Barry provides a musical score that smoothly floats around the Gin Joints and Alleyways, while costuming is on the money. Cast are led superbly by the under valued Forrest, with Marilu Henner (Biroc lights her so well), Boyle and Lydia Lei striking the requisite film noir chords, while a host of cameos and short order roles will have the keen of eye putting names to the faces from similar films of yesteryear. 

The story is complex, which is purposely complimented by narration, canted angles, slatted shadows, billowing smoke, and of course a number of venues that all anti-heroic detectives must traverse to unravel the mystery bubbling away under the seamy surface. The problems are evident of course, it's a very uneven picture, the re-writes etc leaving a disappointing mark. It's also like watching a performance at the theatre, akin to watching a play, the predominantly stage bound shoot - and the almost forced delivery of lines - makes it synthetic. 

But ultimately there's a lot of noir love here, enough to ensure that repeat viewings for those of that persuasion should find themselves rewarded for their time. 7/10

"Hammett" (1982) Trailer

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Hammett

Cast & Crew

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Cast

Frederic Forrest

Peter Boyle

Marilu Henner

Roy Kinnear

Lydia Lei

Elisha Cook Jr.

David Patrick Kelly

R.G. Armstrong

Richard Bradford

Jack Nance

Box office

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