Summary
- Clive Owen takes on the iconic role of Sam Spade in the new series Monsieur Spade, bringing a twist to the famous detective character.
- The series is set in 1963, with a retired Spade now living in the south of France, but a brutal murder brings him back into a world of underworld intrigue.
- Co-created and executive produced by Scott Frank, Monsieur Spade promises a blend of classic detective storytelling in an unfamiliar setting, making it a significant addition to the neo-noir genre.
Everyone knows the character of Sam Spade, right? Well, anyone who has a love of classic crime noir, and has spent a few hours in the company of Humphrey Bogart playing the role in The Maltese Falcon, which is considered arguably the greatest detective movie of all time. Well, in the quest for new content, the Dashiell Hammett-created character is being revisited for the new series, Monsieur Spade, starring Clive Owen.
Coming to AMC, AMC+ and Acorn TV, Owen will take on the iconic role of Spade in this six-part limited series that puts a twist on the famous sleuth. The events of The Maltese Falcon took place in the 1930s, but the series will flash-forward to 1963, where Spade is now a retired 60-year-old, living in the south of France. This transition from the gritty streets of San Francisco to the serene landscapes of Bozouls presents a stark contrast to Spade’s former life as a private eye, and one that will pose some interesting challenges and a change of pace to the 1941 movie based on Hammett’s novel.
As you would expect, the retirement of Spade doesn’t exactly end up being all pruning roses and drinking wine in the sun, as the brutal murder of a group of nuns brings the private investigator back into a world of underworld intrigue, one that he used to adeptly navigate around back in his days in ‘Cisco. You can check out the trailer below:
Award winner Clive Owen has more than proven his acting chops over the last few decades, bringing a sense of gravitas to movies such as Children of Men, Inside Man and Sin City, as well as many TV appearances including the upcoming FX thriller series A Murder at the End of the World. In addition to Owen, the series stars Cara Bossom (Radioactive) as Teresa, Denis Ménochet (Inglorious Basterds) as Chief of Police Patrice Michaud, Louise Bourgoin (The Romanoffs) as Marguerite Devereaux, Chiara Mastroianni (On a Magical Night) as Gabrielle, Stanley Weber (Outlander) as Jean-Pierre Devereaux, Matthew Beard (The Imitation Game) as George Fitzsimmons, Jonathan Zaccaï (Robin Hood) as Philippe Saint-Andre and Rebecca Root (The Queen’s Gambit) as Cynthia Fitzsimmons.
Monsieur Spade is co-created, written and executive produced by Scott Frank (The Queen’s Gambit, Logan, Minority Report), who also serves as director, and Tom Fontana (City on a Hill, Borgia, Oz), with the full support and collaboration with the Dashiell Hammett Estate. Monsieur Spade marks a significant addition to the neo-noir genre, promising a blend of classic detective storytelling in a setting that is out of its comfort zone. Monsieur Spade is not just a return to a beloved character, but a foray into a world that is unfamiliar to fans of the character and newcomers alike.
Monseiuer Spade will debut on January 14, 2024.
