InMonsieur Spade, Clive Owen plays Sam Spade — the private detective at the heart of 1941’sThe Maltese Falcon— but the AMC series isn’t the actor’s only contemporary noir series that’s worth watching. A few months beforeMonsieur Spade’s premiere,Owen appeared in Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij’sA Murder at the End of the World, a psychological thriller that sees the actor in a much different, though equally compelling, role. Seemingly,Monsieur Spade, the stealthMaltese Falconsequel, might have made a bigger splash for the actor, especially since he’s tasked with channeling Hollywood icon Humphrey Bogart.
Like any good continuation,Monsieur Spadereveals what happened afterMaltese Falcon, with Owen’s version of the private detective relocating to an estate in rural France. Although Spade is eager to enjoy his retirement,the brutal murder of six nuns at a local convent pulls Sam back into the murder-mystery game. The smooth-talking, gruff-around-the-edges detective winds up getting a little too involved in a conspiracy that involves several international agencies and a mysterious boy, but from the beginning toMonsieur Spade’s ending, Owen proves he’s at home in the unsettling-yet-gripping world of noir.
Clive Owen Played A Great Suspect In A Murder At The End Of The World
The Actor Plays The Complete Opposite Character Type In Monsieur Spade
InA Murder at the End of the World, Emma Corrin (Deadpool & Wolverine) plays Darby Hart, an amateur detective and computer whiz who’s summoned to an exclusive retreat in Iceland by reclusive tech mogul and billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen). The retreat is populated by the world’s greatest minds and “disruptors,” all of whom were either hand-picked by Andy or his wife, former hacker extraordinaire Lee Andersen (Brit Marling). At the welcome dinner,Darby unexpectedly sees her long-lost lover and fellow sleuth Bill Farrah(Harris Dickinson). However, the duo’s reunion is cut short when Bill is murdered.
A Murder at the End of the World
A Murder at the End of the World is an FX psychological thriller created and directed by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij. The show centers on Darby Hart, an amateur detective who is invited to a billionaire’s remote location only to be forced to solve a murder. A Murder at the End of the World stars Emma Corrin, Brit Marling, and Clive Owen.
When a storm delays the authorities' arrival, Andy suggests all his and Lee’s guests hunker down in his Icelandic compound. To make matters even more complicated,the compound is lorded over by Andy’s highly advanced AI assistant, Ray(Edoardo Ballerini), and Andy and Lee’s young child, Zoomer (Kellan Tetlow), is also in attendance.A Murder at the End of the World’s castof suspects is rounded out by greats like Joan Chen (Twin Peaks) and Alice Braga (Dark Matter). Given how much control he exerts over the compound and, by extension, his guests, Clive Owen’s Andy is a prime suspect.
Monsieur Spade & A Murder At The End Of The World Are Both Modern Noir Stories
Both Murder Mysteries Infuse The Genre With Present-Day Sensibilities
Aside from Clive Owen,Monsieur SpadeandA Murder at the End of the Worldhave other commonalities, namely because both series are modern-day spins on the film noir genre. Set in the 1960s,Monsieur Spadeoccurs not long afterThe Maltese Falcon, whileA Murder at the End of the Worldis an incredibly contemporary dive into technology — its limits, possibilities, and moral quandaries. Still,the shows both lean into haunting atmospheres, eerie music, and shadowy cinematography to create a sense of menacethat feels so particular to the film noir genre.
A Murder At The End Of The World’s Ending Had A Disappointing Killer Reveal - But That Was The Point
For many viewers, A Murder at the End of the World’s ending had a disappointing killer reveal in its finale — but that was part of the show’s point.
Not only doesA Murder at the End of the World’s endingstand out as more thought-provoking than that ofMonsieur Spade’s, but the FX-on-Hulu series also has a higher score from critics and viewers alike. Even genre purists, who are more keen to glimpseClive Owen channel Humphrey BogartinMonsieur Spade, should watchAMATEOTW. It’s fun to see Owen playingA Murder at the End of the World’s prime suspect, which still requires him to conjure all the simmering anger and smooth-talking charm that also make his Sam Spade so great inMonsieur Spade.
Monsieur Spade
Based on the works of Dashiell Hammet, Monsieur Spade is a mystery crime-drama series created for AMC by Scott Frank and Tom Fontana. The series follows Detective Sam Spade years into retirement, now living in France. His peaceful era is interrupted by a former foe who begins a string of murders, forcing Sam to return and uncover the truth about the town he now inhabits.
