Foil

Character Role Analysis

Sam Spade and Casper Gutman

Gutman acts as a foil to Spade in that they both contrast each other to bring out particular aspects of the other person. Spade is described as tall and angular, whereas Gutman is fat and fleshy. The two are constantly playing mind games with each other to see who will come out on top. And in that sense, they share certain similarities in that they're both cunning, manipulative, and think quickly on their feet.

Gutman also appreciates the fact that Spade is honest about his motives, and Gutman himself is also upfront about the fact that his sole motivation is to own the falcon. A hero is only as good as his villain, and Gutman proves to be a very formidable adversary for Spade.