I'm so glad to read your take on the various versions of "The Maltese Falcon." I recently watched all three versions (there's a DVD set that includes them all), and I share your opinion totally. I was interested in "Satan Met a Lady" because William Dieterle was a pretty good director, and I was curious to see Bette Davis. But it pretty much sucked. The 1931 version by Roy Del Ruth had a lot of Pre-Code salaciousness, and I also liked the ending scene, but as you say, the early sound filmmaking was creaky. Glad I saw them, but Huston's will be the only one I see again (and again).
I'm so glad to read your take on the various versions of "The Maltese Falcon." I recently watched all three versions (there's a DVD set that includes them all), and I share your opinion totally. I was interested in "Satan Met a Lady" because William Dieterle was a pretty good director, and I was curious to see Bette Davis. But it pretty much sucked. The 1931 version by Roy Del Ruth had a lot of Pre-Code salaciousness, and I also liked the ending scene, but as you say, the early sound filmmaking was creaky. Glad I saw them, but Huston's will be the only one I see again (and again).