Light Reading

More Noir

In the film, the Blue Dahlia is a nightclub. It’s neon sign serves as the film’s opening title.

That’s the VHS box cover on the left, which you can buy online (assuming you still have a VHS player with which to view it). On the right is a foreign format dvd, so it won’t work with American dvd players.

I really liked this film, despite the fact that the mystery of the killer’s identity is revealed rather unbelievably. I won’t give anything more away. Watch it if you get an opportunity.

Typed on a 1936 Underwood Noiseless 77 (which miraculously didn’t skip once while typing this post).

GLASS KEYS

The first (1935) adaptation of Hammett’s story, featuring George Raft

The second (1942) version of the film, which is my personal favorite of the two.

Here we have Ladd discovering the source of the mysterious notes. Does anyone know what kind of typewriter this is? From the chrome tops of the feet, I almost want to say it’s an Olympia, but I’m just guessing.

You can see Ladd’s reflection in the mirror as he spies on Lake.

Caught in the act of typing another anonymous note.

The Everyman’s Library series by Random House has two volumes collecting Hammett’s
work. You can get the volume featuring “The Glass Key” HERE. 

The original Black Mask magazine in which Hammett’s story first appeared.

Some book editions of the story.

Hard-Boiled Typewriter

Typed on a 50’s Underwood De Luxe Quiet Tab

RONSON & THE BLACK BIRD

(For those who have not yet watched the Huston directed film, you can, if you’re a fan of the Chipmunks, watch The Maltese Falcon in exactly 7 minutes HERE.)

The Maltese Falcon is perhaps Hammett’s most famous novel. The Library of America has a couple of volumes collecting Hammett’s work, one with his short fiction, and one with the novels (which contains The Maltese Falcon).

For a century (that’s pulp-fiction jargon for $100) Haunted Studios will provide you with a replica of the famous black bird itself. You can even get it wrapped in newspaper and stuffed in a sack, just as it was when Captain Jacobi took it off the La Paloma and delivered it to Spade’s office.The above image of the Ronson building is found HERE.
Sam Spade’s lighter model below. You can view a touch-tip in action HERE.

I captured the frame still below from the film, “Mr. Wong In Chinatown”. You can see the standing character using a Streamline Ronson touch-tip to light Mr. Wong’s cigarette.

The Ronson touch-tip is just one more vintage item of which, if the means were present, I’d collect various examples. If you’re interested in seeing many more very cool Ronson designs (and where I borrowed the photo of the Streamline and the Watch touch-tip), here are a few links:

http://transporter.tripod.com/TT.html

http://www.vintageronsonlighters.com/Home_Page.php

A paperback edition, and the Black Mask magazine in which the story originally appeared.

Typed on c.1938 Underwood Champion