Monsieur Spade

This is so beautifully shot it's surprising to watch. Even the first scene, as Spade looks at a house uphill and the cameraman shoots him from below, so we're also looking up at Spade...is a surreal experience. The location does help, but oh, this is pretty to watch. Usually, period pieces from eras OTHER than the 60s or 70s are better done, but this one is as it should be; again, it probably helps that it's set in France. I don't even like France, and I've been there several times, but this makes me want to give it another go, but to a rural locale next time. In one episode, we are so drawn in to the character development and plot arcs that, by far, the only annoying issue here is the weekly episode release. Owen gives a good performance, but it's an ensemble piece and they are ALL phenomenal - this impresses me bc I knew none of them, came for him, stayed for them. Though there is a nude scene that I will be re-watching a FEW times. Thank you to the writers, producer, director, cameramen, crew: the pool scene is a gift to the world.

As to the noir mystery element, I've read this style of literature and watched these types of films for decades - and just wow. Please, money-people in the studios: more of THIS.

A show that had a lot of potential, even got off to a solid start, but the ending is hilariously bad.

At the beginning, we follow the elderly Sam Spade who has retired in France in a small rural town. Through a series of flashbacks, we find out how it happened.

The characters are generally not bad, but as the plot progressed, the writers couldn't resist without inserting modern clichés that are getting on everyone's nerves a little bit and starting to cause a complete counter effect.

One of the main villains, supposedly a monk who may or may not be, is hilarious. Ok, you don't like church, we get it, we see it in almost every new movie or series anyway, and it's already getting boring. When you see someone from the church on film, it is immediately clear that this person is almost certainly a villain. It's all become hilariously predictable.

The series had an excellent potential to give us a touch of good old entertainment and a good crime story with a bit of spy intrigue. Instead, we got another sermon, and this is especially evident in the last episode.

Speaking of the last episode, it's also the worst episode of the series, and it should be the exact opposite. The dialogues are terrible, and the sequence of events is catastrophically bad, and the direction is confusing, in some parts you can't see anything, and the action is hilarious. Yes, the action is completely unconvincing and laughable.

The addition of new characters at the last minute, who are there only to serve the scriptwriters to complete the plot and to satisfy the wishes of the producers, ruined the overall impression of the series even more. Not to mention how hilariously unrealistic it was. The resolution of everything in the end comes as a comedic effect because that's exactly what it is, a comedy.

The conversations between the characters at the end are so hilarious that they create the impression of a parody.

It's a pity, the show had potential, and it started solidly, the actors are not bad at all, but the script was worse from episode to episode, and the same with the direction. In the last episode, the main character, Samuel Spade, was reduced to a secondary character.

The last episode is so bad, that it completely destroyed the little that was good.

Unfortunately, this turned out to be a complete waste of time.

It's 1955 rural France. Sam Spade (Clive Owen) is searching for Philippe Saint Andre, the father of his charge, a girl named Teresa. He's been hired by Teresa's late mother who is his former lover and had stolen a large sum of money. He faces many obstacles with the disappeared Philippe. He places Teresa with the nuns at a local orphanage. It's 8 years later and Teresa is turning 18. She is set to receive the large sum from a trust and her thieving father is rumored to have returned. One night, Sam finds the girls locked in their room, Teresa missing, and the nuns brutally murdered.

The story is a bit of a mess. It starts great but ends muddled. I don't like the McGuffin boy. He is really just an object rather than a living breathing character. The girl is a much better subject. It is almost a comedy when they get to the final sit-down and calling out all the characters. I really like Clive Owen doing his Sam Spade. It's impossible to get away from Bogie but this is a fun interpretation. Stay for Clive.

"Monsieur Spade," with Clive Owen leading as the venerable Sam Spade, started on a promising note, captivating my attention through the first three episodes. The series initially presented a fresh take on the iconic detective, now residing in the picturesque South of France, a setting ripe with potential for intriguing mysteries. Owen's portrayal of Spade is commendable, adding depth and gravitas to a character steeped in literary history.

However, as the series progressed into its latter half, it faltered. The narrative, rather than building on its early promise, became increasingly convoluted. The complexity added to the plot did not translate into a deeper or more enriching viewing experience. Instead, it veered towards tedium, detracting from the series' initial allure. Despite Owen's strong performance, the storyline's unfolding felt like a missed opportunity to revitalize and deepen the Sam Spade legend for a new audience. Ultimately, "Monsieur Spade" leaves a mixed impression, shining in moments but dimmed by its narrative choices.

Monsieur Spade started off intriguing, with complex characters and an air of mystery befitting a Neo-noir detective drama. Clive Owen brought a gritty gravitas to the iconic role of Sam Spade, while the show explored his retirement in 1960s France with promising plot twists. However, it ultimately rushed the conclusion in a disappointing final episode full of tedious exposition dumping. The show failed to stick the landing after a strong setup, leaving an unsatisfying payoff for both the overarching mystery around a mysterious child as well as Spade's personal character arc. While the performances remained compelling throughout, the writing let down both the talented cast and the audience by the end.

Rating: 5.75 out of 10.