Monsieur Spade is an American neo-noir television miniseries created by Scott Frank and Tom Fontana, and starring Clive Owen as Dashiell Hammett‘s fictional private detective Sam Spade.
This six-episode series is mostly set in 1963 with Sam Spade retired in France. The little village of Bozouls panics when six nuns are murdered at a nearby church. Spade gets out of his luscious swimming pool, dons the trench coat, and goes looking for trouble.
In addition to Clive Owen’s solid performance, I liked Teresa (Cara Bossom), the 15-year-old Sam Spade pledged to protect. Teresa discovers her own capacity for investigation at a key moment. Patrice Michaud (Denis Ménochet) plays the cynical chief of police who acts as a kind of Lestrade figure to Spade’s Sherlock. Then there’s the pair of eccentric and highly suspicious Brits (Matthew Beard and Rebecca Root) who move in next door and reek of danger! Add a war veteran (Stanley Weber) suffering from PTSD and the mixture of crime, deception, and violence is complete. A Second Season of Monsieur Spade is being considered. Are you a Dashiell Hammett fan? GRADE: B
Duh. Yes, big, big fan.
For the most part, I liked this when we saw it on AMC. Owen is pretty good casting as Spade, and I liked the cynical cop. I’d watch a second series.
Jeff, I’d watch a Second Season, too. I suspect the ratings will determine that decision.
We may give this one a try. I do like Hammett (not as much as Chandler, but still a fan). And setting the series in the French countryside in the early 1960s means there’s sure to be lots of beautiful scenery.
Deb, you’re right: the scenery in MONSIEUR SPADE is gorgeous! I thought the pace of the first couple episodes was a bit slow, but things pick up in Episode 3.
The ending did not work for me. Other than that, lots to like. It was beautiful scenery and felt authentic to the time and place.
Yes, I agree. It didn’t feel like the usual lazy “just put in authentic looking cars and clothes” but felt like the period.
Jeff, the production values on MONSIEUR SPADE are top-notch!
Patti, I agree with you on the ending of MONSIEUR SPADE. I would have gone in a different direction if I was writing the script.
As someone who is a big Hammett fan (like his work better than Chandler’s), I did like M. SPADE…purists were often less enthusiastic. The strikes (hello, Labor Day) probably delayed all decisions, but I’d watch another season, as well.
Todd, I would watch another season of MONSIEUR SPADE, too.