Course Details

9501: The Maltese Falcon and the Growth of Film Noir

February 10-13
11:45 AM - 1:15 PM
In-Person

While the Maltese Falcon was not the first film noir, its impact and the tropes it introduced marked the beginning of the genre's success. The course will consist of four sessions including what film noir is, its literary and artistic influences, a complete showing of the Maltese Falcon (directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart), a discussion of the studio system, the Hays Code, the people behind the camera, and the actors. We will then examine selections of other memorable Noirs including Double Indemnity, Laura, The Big Sleep, and The Third Man. No need to read anything.

Class Type: Lecture and Discussion

Class Format: In-Person

Hours of Reading: No reading

Study Group Leader(s):

Steven Newborn

Steve Newborn recently retired from the international law firm Weil Gotshal & Manges where he served as Global Chair of the Antitrust Group. He has taught legal courses at University of Oxford, Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, and provided training to lawyers at the US Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, and the European Commission in Brussels. He has been interested in film for over 50 years and taught the earlier OLLI course, "Casablanca—The Most Beloved Movie Ever Made."