Happy Birthday Dashiell Hammett

Dashiell Hammett, author of such classics as The Maltese Falcon, The Thin Man, and The Glass Key and countless short stories, was born this day 130 years ago. Let’s remember and celebrate his legacy.

Of course, the real legacy of Hammet is on the screen, where his novels inspired some of the most important works of 20th century cinema. One often overlooked piece from that era is the Television Adaptation of The Glass Key, which is currently streaming on New Ellijay Television.

The Glass Key, of course, would go on to inspire Yojimbo, which would in turn inspire A Fistful of Dollars (which then went on to inspire the David Carradine vehicle The Warrior and the Sorceress, among many others.) The seeds of these other films are present in the novel, and some of the more recognizable of these themes are present in this television adaptation.

So, happy birthday Mr. Hammett, and thank you for bringing us the stuff dreams are made of and inspiring a whole slew of mystery and adventure stories. Without you, we wouldn’t have ever gotten these: