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The Maltese Falcon (1941)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
18 October 1941 (USA)
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Tagline:
It's thrilling . . . it's chilling . . . it's the most baffling mystery story in years ! more
Plot:
A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars.
Another 1 win
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NewsDesk:
(16 articles)
Robert Towne: The Hollywood Interview
(From The Hollywood Interview. 4 November 2009, 12:49 PM, PST)
AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes
(From Extra. 4 November 2009, 4:45 AM, PST)
(From The Hollywood Interview. 4 November 2009, 12:49 PM, PST)
AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes
(From Extra. 4 November 2009, 4:45 AM, PST)
User Comments:
The Fat Man Cometh
more (226 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Humphrey Bogart | ... | Sam Spade | |
| Mary Astor | ... | Brigid O'Shaughnessy | |
| Gladys George | ... | Iva Archer | |
| Peter Lorre | ... | Joel Cairo | |
| Barton MacLane | ... | Det. Lt. Dundy | |
| Lee Patrick | ... | Effie Perine | |
| Sydney Greenstreet | ... | Kasper Gutman | |
| Ward Bond | ... | Det. Tom Polhaus | |
| Jerome Cowan | ... | Miles Archer | |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | ... | Wilmer Cook | |
| James Burke | ... | Luke | |
| Murray Alper | ... | Frank Richman | |
| John Hamilton | ... | District Attorney Bryan |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Gent from Frisco (USA) (working title)
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
101 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Australia:G (TV rating) |
UK:A (original rating) |
Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) |
UK:PG (video rating) |
Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) |
Spain:T |
Iceland:L |
West Germany:16 (nf) |
New Zealand:PG |
South Korea:12 (2003) |
Brazil:12 |
Australia:PG |
Finland:K-16 |
Germany:12 |
Netherlands:AL |
Norway:16 (1945) |
Sweden:15 |
USA:Approved (certificate #7457)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Jerome Cowan, playing Spade's doomed partner Miles Archer, is only on-screen for two minutes total, although to many it seemed as if he had a much bigger part.
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Goofs:
Continuity: In the scene with Joel Cairo and O'Shaughnessy in the Spade's house, Cairo lights a match with his left hand. Between shots the match appears in his right hand.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Sam Spade: Yes, sweetheart?
Effie Perine: There's a girl wants to see you. Her name's Wonderly.
Sam Spade: A customer?
Effie Perine: I guess so. You'll want to see her anyway. She's a knockout.
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Sam Spade: Yes, sweetheart?
Effie Perine: There's a girl wants to see you. Her name's Wonderly.
Sam Spade: A customer?
Effie Perine: I guess so. You'll want to see her anyway. She's a knockout.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Flushed Away (2006)
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FAQ
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERSWhat is a "gunsel"?
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more (226 total)
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Considered by many film historians as the very first noir film, "The Maltese Falcon" is cinematically important also for making Humphrey Bogart into a Hollywood star, and for being the debut of John Huston as film Director.
The film's story is complex and convoluted, typical of detective films of that era, and involves a valuable statuette. The plot stalls and meanders throughout most of the film, as we encounter an assortment of strange characters and side issues. But this is not a plot-driven film. It is character-driven.
And the main character, of course, is PI Sam Spade (Bogart). He's not a particularly nice guy. He comes across as overconfident and egotistic. He smirks a lot. But he's tough as nails. And he knows how to nail the bad guys. A big part of the film is Spade's relationship to femme fatale Brigid (Mary Astor). They engage each other in a battle of wits. And there's more than a hint of romantic involvement between the two. But Brigid is the one who propels Spade into the deceiving and double-crossing world of bad guys who yearn with greed for the priceless Maltese Falcon.
Enter Kasper Gutman, that thoroughly rotund and intimidating (in a gentlemanly sort of way) king of greed, portrayed with verve and panache by the inimitable Sydney Greenstreet. Gutman, AKA the "Fat Man", is nothing if not erudite and self-assured. In one scene, Sam Spade makes a bold offer. Gutman responds articulately: "That's an attitude sir that calls for the most delicate judgment on both sides, because as you know sir, in the heat of action, men are likely to forget where their best interests lie ...".
And Peter Lorre is a hoot as Gutman's mischievous elf, Joel Cairo, who tries, without success, to threaten Sam Spade, but only succeeds at getting on Sam's nerves.
The film's high contrast B&W lighting renders an effective noir look and feel, one that would be copied in films for years to come. Acting varies from very good to overly melodramatic. The script is very talky. For the most part, the film is just a series of conversations that take place in interior sets.
Stylistic and cinematically innovative, "The Maltese Falcon" has endured as a film classic. I suspect the main reason for its continued popularity is the continued popularity of Bogart. But I personally prefer the performance of Sydney Greenstreet, the enticing fat man. Yet, together they would reappear in later films, one of which would follow, in 1942, as the classic of all classics.