Monsieur Spadehas gotten a recent boost in popularity, proving that the show’s risky premise turned out to be its secret weapon. Although the series was already a critical success upon its release on AMC, theNetflix release ofMonsieur Spadehas put the show in front of even more eyes, with it standing out among the many AMC shows that were added to Netflix. However, many fans don’t realize just how riskyMonsieur Spadewas.
StarringClive Owen as the titular Sam Spade,Monsieur Spadeis AMC’s continuation of one of the most iconic detective stories of all time,with it being a legacy sequel to the 1941 classicThe Maltese Falcon. In the series, Owen takes over for Humphrey Bogart as the detective, who now has to solve an all-new mystery that is connected to some of the characters from the original film.Monsieur Spadetakes place two decades beforeThe Maltese Falcon, but even this isn’t the riskiest part of the AMC series.
Monsieur Spade Took A Big Risk With Its Premise, But It Paid Off
The Change Of Setting Was A Major Gamble
In many other Sam Spade stories, Spade is a well-known detective, with many interesting characters visiting his office in San Francisco in order to enlist his services as a private eye. However,Monsieur Spadecompletely uproots Spade from his famous California home, with the events of the series being relocated to France. Spade moved to France sometimebetween the events ofThe Maltese FalconandMonsieur Spade, setting the stage for the events of the series.
Monsieur Spade Cast & Character Guide
The Clive Owen-led neo-noir detective series boasts an impressive cast as well as a thrilling story. Here’s who plays who in Monsieur Spade.
The Maltese Falconis one of the most famous stories in the noir genre, with its California setting being a staple of these types of stories. While some noir stories don’t take place in California, even these exceptions tend to take place in massive crime-ridden concrete jungles in other parts of the United States.The Bozouls region of Southern Francecontains almost none of the characteristics that would typically be associated with noir, but this change of setting is actually what makesMonsieur Spadegreat.
Monsieur Spade Puts A Refreshing Twist On An Old Genre
It Refreshes The Typical Noir Staples
Relocating Sam Spade to France could have hurt the series, but this change of setting actually puts a refreshing twist on the noir genre. Sinceso many noir movies take place in California cities, leaving this behind could allow a noir story to stand out.Monsieur Spadetakes things one step further by leaving the United States behind entirely, making for an even more unique story.
How Long After The Maltese Falcon Monsieur Spade Takes Place
AMC’s Monsieur Spade show dives into the later years of Sam Spade, a character famously played by Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon.
On top of that, having Spade be older and less famous allows for a more interesting character arc, with him being an entirely different person than he was inThe Maltese Falcon. Despite being a sequel to the legendary film,Monsieur Spadeisn’t afraid to make some changes, and that is why it is so good.
Monsieur Spade
Cast
Based on the works of Dashiell Hammet, Monsieur Spade is a mystery crime-drama series created for AMC by Scott Frank and Tom Fontana. The series follows Detective Sam Spade years into retirement, now living in France. His peaceful era is interrupted by a former foe who begins a string of murders, forcing Sam to return and uncover the truth about the town he now inhabits.
