Barnes, Peter. “The Director on Horseback.” The Quarterly of Film Radio and Television 1956.  From JSTOR [database online].  [Cited 4 Apr. 2006].

This article attempts to plot the career of John Huston, director of The Maltese Falcon.  At its outset, the article sadly notes that after The Maltese Falcon and The Treasure of Sierra Madre, Huston’s films decline steadily in importance.  The author begins with a discussion of The Maltese Falcon and The Treasure of Sierra Madre, and explains how Huston manipulates his distinct style to make these two movies significant.  The author then details the other films Huston has made and discusses the shortcomings of each film.  He speaks of each film as one that could have possibly redeemed Huston, but then discusses the many flaws the film has.  With each film after The Treasure of Sierra Madre, the author states his disappointment with Huston, harshly chastising his work from multiple angles.

At this point the article takes an interesting turn, as the author tries to pinpoint when Huston is able to put forth his best work.  The argument that this article proposes is that Huston is only able to make impressive films when working for the Hollywood system.  The author states that although this system can be crippling for certain directors, it is actually beneficial for Huston.  This is true, argues Barnes, because when working within a Hollywood framework, Huston does not need to focus on as many details, and can therefore better focus his creative talent.  It is his movies made outside of this style, according to the author, that are mediocre at best.

This essay gives insight into Huston’s work, and explains his overarching styles, as well as how he is best able to direct films.  This is clearly important for someone researching The Maltese Falcon, as it allows the viewer to understand the film in context of Huston’s other films.