Supernatural had a few twists in this ep and altogether was enjoyable. Making a change from the normal chasing demons/monsters. This one involved chasing a skull and finding the blood of a most holy man, which was right under their noses and I managed to figure that out. As the priest, Lucca Camilleri (Massi Furlan) was shot, this confirmed my thoughts of how they could take his blood. After all being a saint doesn't mean that's the only 'person' who would have holy blood. But I enjoyed this ep it was film noir all the way with added elements of Supernatural to it. Some classic references to detective films which was obvious. As I kept calling it The Maltese Skull after The Maltese Falcon (1941) of course which in many ways could be said this episode was based on. At least an allusion to it with the characters.
As Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean's (Jensen Ackles) quest leads them to a woman who's selling the blood and other artefacts online. Sending them to San Francisco and of course she, Margaret Astor (Leanne Lapp) would immediately catch Dean's eye as she's young and not old at al. The femme fatal in noir terms but obviously that doesn't mean this broad was clean cut. However she only has eyes for Sam and his puppy dog eyes. She tells him where he can get it from, Richard Greenstreet (Dominic Burgess). A direct reference to actor Sydney Greenstreet who was Kaspar Gutman aka 'The Fat Man' in The Maltese Falcon and also Richard could be an allusion to Richard/Rick Blaine from Casablanca played by Humphrey Bogart, who was also in The Maltese Falcon. But in name only not in appearance. The plot of this movie was Sam Spade being hired to search for a missing statuette, the Maltese Falcon with several other players getting in on the act too, particularly three other criminals.
Greenstreet tells them he will sell them the blood in exchange for the skull which leads them to Seattle. Whereupon my mind jumped to Dark Angel and Jensen playing Alec in this in season 2 and they showed the Space Needle too. Well I wasn't far off the mark as Fulvio Cecere was in this too and he was in the show as well as Sandoval. Also they must've had an on-set reunion here.
But I have to say this actor had nothing on Sydney Greenstreet, no one could match his abilities at portraying the consummate bad men but in lovable roguish way! By the way Mark Greenstreet who is a British actor, and played in Bratt Farrar, as well as other roles and was also considered for the role of James Bond in The Living Daylights before Timothy Dalton, is the great nephew of Sydney. Obvious he was related with the name. Mark would have made a great Bond, much more so than the current Bond!
Anyway in a roundabout way they meet up with Lucca who happens to be a father sent by the nuns from Malta to retrieve the skull of St Peter and Sam finally says they should help him and double cross the other mobster, Santino Scarpatti (Al Sapienza) since it's time for the good guys to win. With Dean and his not a perfect world speech and how he's not perfect either, but they save the world and it doesn't mean they have to be perfect too. Which is echoed by Lucca when he says they also live in an imperfect world. But funny how Dean told him about how God wasn't going to help. Cos yeah been there, met him!! Ironically or not.
As the double crosses take place and Dean's mention of "whacked" being repeated by Scarpatti cos it's their speak. Let's not forget Dean has also journeyed back to the 1950's so would be familiar with it anyway. They finally get their hands on the skull and return it. Had to ask how Lucca got that money into the country though. Also they find out that he was blessed by the Pope thus he has the blood of a holy man in him.
Margaret Astor alludes to Mary Astor, actress, who was in The Maltese Falcon as Brigid O'Shaughnessy. Funny scene where Sam asks what Dean would do if someone took Baby and he said he'd murder them, slow torture first and them murder, yes Dean that torturous trait inherited from purgatory. But still this is Baby! And nobody drives Baby! Except that mob man just did. Sam waving his hand in front of Dean's face and he doesn't bat an eye, nah still thinking of his beloved Impala! Dean saying he has faith they will get Mom back and that's all he needs. Seeing as he also got Cas back reaffirming his faith in what they do. He doesn't need to answer Sam's question of whether they have to keep killing monsters even if it leads them from one apocalypse to another over and over.
The Maltese Falcon based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett. Humphrey Bogart playing Sam Spade with Scarpatti also referring to Richard as "the Fat Man" as he was in the film itself. Ask me anything on film noir and classic actors love 'em!! Have to add that scene with Dean in the cafe with the girl reading the book on demons and Dean wanting to flirt some more, took me back to The Big Sleep (1946) again with Humphrey Bogart, as he flirts with the woman in the bookshop, surrounded by books and she wears glasses!
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