Crime Fiction: The Maltese Falcon

This PowerPoint includes: a synopsis of film and information about the author of the novel: Dashiell Hammett. This ppt introduces the femme fatale and film noir and explores its defining features and how they influenced crime films. It also looks at societal influences on writers and filmmakers of the time. Within the lesson there are a few viewing activities including an excerpt from The Maltese Falcon and the trailer of Postman always rings twice (another well-known example). If I have time I usually show the trailer of Gone Baby Gone as a modern example. For homework, students consider how they could incorporate some of these elements into their own short story.