The Concepts of Morality and Humanity in the Maltese Falcon and Blade Runner - Thesis Example

Morality and Humanity in The Maltese Falcon and Blade Runner Produced in 1982, Blade Runner is a futuristic noir film, often considered to be of thegenera ‘future noir’, ‘cyber noir’ or alternatively ‘film noir’. The movie is set in Los Angeles, 2019, not so far into our own future. It follows Deckard, a character who initially appears to have no morals or sympathy. The plot centers on human clones or replicants, created with a limited lifespan in order to serve humans in offworld colonies. The replicants have no rights, and are seen by the humans as commodities, items to be had and used, but with no value and worth of their own. The Maltese Falcon in contrast, is a novel originally published in 1929. It follows the investigation of private defective Sam Spade into the death of his partner, whose wife he is having an affair with. Both pieces can be considered of the noir genre, although the way that they develop this and the individual aspects of them are substantially different from one another. Nevertheless, despite the differences between the two pieces, there are also some startling similarities. One primary difference that is important in both Blade Runner and The Maltese Falcon is the theme of morality and humanity, which is approached in very different manners with different conclusions in each of the works. The central theme of Blade Runner is humanity. Replicants are differentiated from normal humans by the use of an empathy test, thus empathy is considered to be the character which makes one human. Yet, many of the replicants show high levels of compassion, passion and concern for other people, while many of the humans, including the protagonist Deckard, care little about others, are impersonal and methodical. The character of Deckard is one that develops through the movie. He is insensitive and callous initially, seeing no moral dilemma in his role to kill the replicants. There are numerous suggestions throughout the film that he may be a replicant himself due to his lack of empathy or sensitivity. This characterization plays an important role in leading the viewer to question the importance of humanity. As Deckard’s character develops, and he begins to learn, and care, more about what is going on around him, so too does the audience examine the question of humanity. The line that separates the replicates from humans is thin, with both the protagonist and villain possessing characteristics that fall on both sides of the line. Tied closely with humanity in Blade Runner is morality. The viewer is asked to consider whether the way that the society is structured in the movie is right and just. Do we have the right to say one group of individuals is not human, and consequently does not have any rights? Morality is addressed in a very different manner in The Maltese Falcon. The protagonist is Sam Spade a private detective. Like Deckard, Spade appears detached and indifferent to the emotions of those around him. In addition, Spade has an exceptional ability to spot detail, and is determined to see justice no matter what effort is required on his part. However, unlike Deckard, Spade’s detachment does not represent a lack of compassion or concern; rather it is his method of investigation. However, unlike Blade Runner the detached manner in which the protagonist operates is not used as a way of spurring thought and interest in the reader. Indeed, his mode of operation was considered something to be admired, with many readers considering him an icon, and detectives in future novels by other authors using him as a base. Throughout the book it is difficult to determine where Spade’s motives and morality lies. In one sense he feels that it is his obligation and duty to solve the case of his partner’s murder, and he pursues this goal rigorously. However, even when he ultimately does bring the killer to justice, no indication is given as what his overall motives were for doing so. In addition, throughout the novel Spade is having an affair with the wife of his partner, a position which is immoral even before the man’s death, and certainly compromises Spade’s position afterwards. These moral inconsistencies and the morality of Spade in general are never addressed in the novel. The reader never knows why Spade finds justice for his partner, whether it is a sense of loyalty, of guilt or connected to the affair that Spade is having. Because of this, the novel does not draw the reader into the same level of questioning and consideration that Blade Runner does. A substantial portion of the differences between the two pieces can be explained by the period in which they were written. Both works fit within the noir genre, and contain many similar aspects such as the use of a detective-like character as the protagonist and the apparent indifference of the main character to the world around them. Blade Runner was produced in 1982, a time technology was rapidly developing and there were many theories about what the future would hold. It was a time of change and development and many people were unsure about what the future would bring. This time period can be seen in the prominent themes within the movie. The prevalence of technology, and the idea that it could take over our sense of morality or humanity was a prominent fear at the time. No one knew what the future would bring, and theories ranged from colonization of other planets, creation of sentient robots, the government or corporations constantly watching individuals as well as very efficient life styles. Many of these themes can be seen in Blade Runner through the plot, characterization and location. This has a significant impact on the way that humanity and morality is discussed and considered throughout the film. Fear for the future is shown through the prevalence of paranoia in the movie. For example, corporations hold substantial power and everywhere there is constant observation, much like the concept of big brother, ever watching, ever oppressive. The theme of paranoia is central to the movie and to how it presents itself. Blimps are always present above the city, under the guise of advertising, yet their search lights continuously probes the buildings and streets. Technology too plays an important role. At the time that the movie was being produce, technology was developing at a pace that was scary for many people, and meant that predicting the world even 15 or 20 years in the future was difficult if not impossible. In contrast, The Maltese Falcon was written in 1929 towards the end of a time of prosperity and the start of the Great Depression. It was in this year that the Wall Street Crash occurred, which was the largest crash of the stock market in history and had widespread effects. Although there was concern about the economy, for the most part the future was something that appeared relatively stable, and people were not uncertain of the way in which society would progress. This environment did not lead to the same degree of introspection and examination that the development of technology did in 1982. Instead, The Maltease Falcon is a story that is not designed to promote deep thought or consideration of wider ideas, rather it is a piece that is told primarily for its entertainment value. The Maltease Falcon and Blade Runner are two pieces of work that fall under the category of noir which appear initially to have similar themes. The protagonists are initially similar, although they develop in different ways through the course of the stories. The environment in which Blade Runner was written was one of fear and apprehension, and this is shown in the way in which the film examines the concepts of morality and humanity. In contrast The Maltease Falcon belong to a safer, more predictable time, and is a story written primarily to entertain. Works Cited Hammet, D. The Maltese Falcon. New York: Vintage Books, 1992. Print. Scott, R. Blade Runner. 1982.  Read More