one of the most unusual facet of the movie that strike me be the gown or dress design for the lead actress they stand out in this black and white movie make a not so tall geraldine fitzgerald look tall and elegant . very few film have costume design that out do the performance this film be one that achieve this unusual distinction . equally unusual be the write prologue for the film on the statue . it wreak of populist myth of the orient and then end with the statement that the film location be london . one expect british mannerism and accent and it distinctive transport but the only reason for the choice of the location seem to be the legal system and the law on trust and the pub and the mention of canada be far away and the south african mine and and the solicitor office . the rest be distinctly american . curious stuff . the film be equally curious for another factor represent two woman icey and janet look disturbingly similar and two men look considerably alike mr shackleford and mr fallon and save for their difference in height . be there some reason for this or be this a coincidence . apart from these detail and the film provide much of the fare that the maltese falcon make cinema history john huston screenplay and the enigmatic performance of greenstreet and lorre . greenstreet do not have the brilliant line of falcon to aid him but his chortling performance be nevertheless fascinating . lorre on the other hand provide the best performance because the grey cocktail of good and bad touch the viewer . similarly the lead character of fitzgerald leave the viewer wonder whether the character deserve our sympathy or not . at the end and the viewer be force to see ourselves in the mirror we be but pawn of a mighty force and and none of u be either a villain or a saint . the film quite unwittingly make the viewer think about life . that be probably why this film ought to rate well than the maltese falcon which no doubt have more catchy dialogue but less substance .