The Maltese Falcon (1941) User Reviews (484)

Bogart, the hero who was exactly right for his time

[Nazi_Fighter_David · 9/10 · 22 April 2005]

The Forties were the years when Hollywood decided that the mystery thriller deserved big-budget, big-star treatment, threw up a new kind of hero who was exactly right for his time: they were the fabulous years which established the private eye adventure as the irremovable all-time favorite in the whole field of suspense… The field was so rich, the choice so lavish in that decade, that it was difficult to know where memory should stop and call "Encore".

As the author of the screenplay, Huston made every effort to do justice, and remain faithful, to Dashiell Hammett's novel… But in remaining faithful, the newest version asked audiences to accept the complicated plot at its full strength and that is where the film's main flaw occurs… Names, murders, and intrigues turn up so quickly that it is extremely difficult to understand exactly what is happening in this tale of an assortment of characters in search of a fabulous jewel-encrusted statue…

Probably in no other film will a viewer find a gallery of such diverse human beings whose perfect1y constructed portrayals remain permanently locked in one's memory…

Mary Astor's Brigid O'Shaughnessy is a striking picture of feminine deceit and betrayal… Able to shed tears on command, she is a confirmed liar who can be as deadly as she is beautiful; she can make passionate love to Bogart, but wouldn't hesitate a moment to kill him if it suited her plan… Her performance is surely one of the screen's most brilliant portrayals of duplicity masked with fascination…

Sydney Greenstreet, in his movie debut, was equally memorable as the menacingly mountainous man behind the search for the elusive black bird, and almost stole the picture… Cunning, determined, appreciative of the fine arts, Greenstreet—who seemed to get more dangerous as he got more imperturbably polite—is a man who would devote his entire life to a single quest if need be…

Peter Lorre's Joel Cairo was a resolute picture of classic villainy… With curled hair and impeccably clean dress, he is an unpredictable accomplice of Greenstreet, difficult to deal with…

But it is Bogart's portrayal of Sam Spade that remains classic in its construction… Obviously cynical, he still maintains his own code of ethics which he adheres to faithfully… He is doubtful, but not foolhardy… He is courageous, but not without fear… Spade uses everyone he comes in contact with… He wins not because he's smarter than his enemies, but because he is the only character in a central position… Spade is every bit as ruthless as the crooks who try to use him… His tactics in dealing with them, however, are necessary for his survival...

His treatment of the two women in the film seems equally as harsh, but neither is a wide eyed innocent and both attempt to deceive him in one manner or another… His exchanges with Brigid O'Shaughnessy are electric... Their mutual attraction is undeniable... But Spade will play the fool for no woman… He is a loner, but he has contacts, and knows where to go for what he wants… Even with very little money, he is totally incorruptible… He has no apparent friends… He is laconic, but he can throw a wisecrack as fast as he can throw a punch...

"The Maltese Falcon" molded the image we remember of Bogart all through the early years of the Forties—an image elaborated upon and reinforced in "Casablanca," and the one which all Bogart fans remember with great affection and admiration

Greatest leading man ever?

[jmclane-57815 · 9/10 · 10 October 2022]

If not, it's pretty damn close. My husband and I are different than most because instead of just looking for movies we tend to find actors we love and then watch all of their movies. We're fans of the star first and then the movie second. Humphrey Bogart had it all. He was authentic, compelling, and could convey so many emotions with just a twinkle or a tinge of doubt, or suspicion, or fear, or lust, or greed, whatever it was he had to convey, he did it with full conviction. If there's a better movie star that ever lived, I can't name them. There may be actors with more range, but not better movie stars. I think actors can be great even if they don't transform as Day-Lewis does. Don't get me wrong, Day-Lewis is a genius, but an actor who is completely authentic and compelling (something going on underneath) is just as interesting to watch as an actor who transforms themselves.

First of the great films noir & John Huston movies

[dfloro · 8/10 · 6 December 2020]

Not only is "The Maltese Falcon" one of the first prototypical examples in what would be the subsequent 10 years of great film noir movies, it's also the first movie in the exemplary directing career of John Huston (from the screenplay he adapted from Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade novel). And, even though Bogart had been acting throughout the '30s in mostly supporting roles opposite great actors (like Edward G. Robinson, James Cagney, etc.) and actresses (Bette Davis, Ida Lupino, Ann Sheridan, etc.), this role was to make him a bankable star & lead.

Like many films in the noir genre, the unnecessarily complicated plot devices are secondary to lighting, mood, tone, and the imperfect cast of characters. It's not as absolutely inscrutable as "The Big Sleep," but more or less tied with "Out of the Past" on the hard to follow scale. Mary Astor was an old pro by this time, and she'd said that the motion picture newbie, Sydney Greenstreet, was scared to death during his scenes, though you'd certainly never know it from the result.

Huston managed to find a little cameo appearance for his father, Walter Huston as the mysterious Captain Jacoby. And the matte black statuette of the title is perhaps the ultimate example of what Hitchcock called the "MacGuffin," and as Bogart tells his cop friend at the end: "It's what dreams are made of." Indeed.

The Fat Man Cometh

[Lechuguilla · 4 November 2007]

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.

A Potpourri of Vestiges Review: Humphrey Bogart makes his highly deserved tryst with super-stardom in John Huston's directorial debut

[murtaza_mma · 10/10 · 25 July 2011]

Seven decades have passed but the suspense and thrill of The Maltese Falcon still reign supreme. The movie, despite being in black & white, appears strikingly refreshing both to the eyes and the intellect. Primarily remembered as John Huston's directorial debut, the movie played a decisive role in giving Film-Noire its true identity as a genre. The Maltese Falcon also gave Humphrey Bogart his highly deserved super-stardom that had hitherto eluded him. Huston creates an environment of suspicion, doubt and uncertainty that is so convoluted that even Hitchcock would be proud of it. The movie has multiple layers of mystery and suspense that keeps the viewer engaged throughout.

Sam Spade is a private detective who runs an agency with his partner Miles Archer. An ostensibly naive lady, Miss Wanderly offers them a task to pursue a man, Floyd Thursby, who has allegedly run off with her younger sister. The over-simplicity of task arouses Spade's suspicion, but Wanderly's lucrative offer makes the duo overlook it initially. Miles is killed during the pursuit and the police inform Spade of the mishap. Spade only discreetly tells the police that Miles was after a man named Thursby without disclosing anything about Miss Wandely. The police soon find Thursby dead as well and suspect Spade for killing him in an act of revenge. Soon Miles Archer's widow shows up at Spade's office and insinuates of her romantic involvement with Spade, who shuns her away after she tries to incriminate him for the murder. The police come across an anonymous lead and begin suspecting Spade for killing his partner, Miles. The plot thickens with the entry a couple of obscure characters including Joel Cairo, who happens be an acquaintance of Miss Wanderly. He is in pursuit of a highly precious, antique, gold statuette of Maltese Falcon and offers Spade five grands to help him find it. A game of cat and mouse soon ensues, between the various stake holders, which becomes deadlier as the stakes are raised.

Humphrey Bogart perfectly fits into the shoes of Spade—a sleek and sharp sleuth—and makes it his own in a manner that only someone of his grit and caliber could. Bogart is in top form right from the inception to the finale, stealing the spotlight in almost every scene that is he is part of. Bogart could only demonstrate his prodigious talent and acting prowess in short bursts during his long "B movie" stint in which he was mostly type-casted as a gangster. The Maltese Falcon was Bogart's big break after years of anticipation and he didn't leave a single stone unturned to prove his mettle. Bogart shows his class and stamps his authority as a performer during the portrayal of Spade: he is ever so quick-witted thanks to his sublime articulacy and his prowess at repartee seems unparalleled; the inherent cynicism in Spade and the perspicacity with which he operates soon became Bogart's trademark and catapulted him to super-stardom. Many regard Bogart's performance in Casablanca as his absolute best, but I rate his portrayal of Spade second only to his supernal portrayal of Dobbs in The Treasure of Sierre Madre, where he took acting to hitherto unattainable and unforeseeable heights.

John Huston uses the Midas touch he had as a screenwriter to strike all the right cords in his directorial debut. Almost everyone in the supporting cast gives a memorable performance with special mention of Peter Lorre as the deceptive Joel Cairo, Sydney Greenstreet as the witty yet dangerous Kasper Gutman and Mary Astor as the scheming Brigid O' Shaughnessy. The taut plot of the movie, which is masterfully adapted from the novel of the same name by Huston himself, is well complemented by the impressively written dialogs that are delivered with an equal prowess. Amidst the everlasting suspense the movie has an obvious undertone of dark humor that adds great value to the movie. The cinematography undoubtedly features amongst the best works of the time.

The Maltese Falcon is not merely a Noire masterpiece but also a testament to the true spirit of cinema that has kept itself alive despite decades of relentless mutilation and sabotage in the name of commercial movie-making. Despite being devoid of modern-day gimmicks the movie is incredibly high on suspense and holds the viewer in a vice-like grip throughout its runtime. It's a real shame that movies like these are seldom made these days. The tone of the movie is such that it makes suspense thrillers of today appear like kids cartoon.

PS. The movie is an ode to Bogart, Huston and all those who made it a reality. It's suspense cinema at its absolute best with a completely different treatment to themes propagated by the likes of Hitchcock. It's a must for all the Bogart fans worldwide, and absolutely essential for all those who have a penchant for Film-Noire as a genre. 10/10

http://www.apotpourriofvestiges.com/

"I Won't Play The Sap For You."

[bkoganbing · 10/10 · 20 January 2006]

The Maltese Falcon has a totally atypical Hollywood history. After two previous filmings of Dashiell Hammett's novel, the third time a classic film was achieved. Usually the original is best and the remakes are the inferior product.

These characters that John Huston wrote and breathed life into with his direction are so vital and alive even 65 years after the premiere of The Maltese Falcon. You can watch this one fifty times and still be entertained by it.

I'm not sure how the code let this one slip through. Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade is partners with Jerome Cowan in a detective agency Spade and Archer. Client Mary Astor comes into their office requesting help in getting rid of a man who's intruding in on her life. Jerome Cowan as Miles Archer eagerly takes the assignment and gets himself bumped off for his troubles.

Cowan is quite the skirt chaser and he certainly isn't the first or the last man to think with his hormones. That's OK because Bogart's been fooling around with his wife, Gladys George. That gives the police, Barton MacLane and Ward Bond, motive enough to suspect Bogart might have had a hand in Cowan's death.

As fans of The Maltese Falcon are well aware, there's quite a bit more to the story than that. Bogart's investigation leads him to a crew of adventurous crooks, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and Elisha Cook, Jr. who are in pursuit of a statue of a Falcon that is said to be encrusted in gold and precious jewels.

The Maltese Falcon is a milestone film role for Humphrey Bogart. It is the first time that Bogey was ever first billed in an A picture while he was at Warner Brothers. In fact this is also John Huston's first film as a director. He had previously just been a screenwriter and in fact got an Oscar nomination for the screenplay he wrote here. There are some who will argue that this first film is Huston's best work and I'd be hard up to dispute that.

After a long career on stage The Maltese Falcon was the screen debut of Sydney Greenstreet. Greenstreet may be orally flatulent here, but there's no doubt to the menace he exudes while he's on screen. Greenstreet got an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to Donald Crisp for How Green Was My Valley. Greenstreet created quite a gallery of characters for the next ten years, mostly for Warner Brothers.

A favorite character of mine in The Maltese Falcon has always been Lee Patrick as Effie, the secretary at Spade&Archer. She's loyal, efficient and crushing out on Bogey big time. This and the part of Mrs. Topper in the television series Topper are Lee Patrick's career roles. I never watch The Maltese Falcon without hoping that Bogey will recognize how really "precious" Effie is.

The Maltese Falcon will be entertaining people hundreds of years from now. And please no more remakes of this one.

"The Greatest Movie Star of all time" and more

[JFHunt · 10/10 · 28 November 2006]

Bogart. The coolest guy to ever live?

Have you ever wondered what makes someone possess an essence that's defined as being "cool"? They seem to have that combination between imagery and soul that few people truly have. Is it in the style of clothes you wear or one's knowledge of independence? Is it the way you comb your hair or your unkempt humility for everything out there? It could be in your talk or how you walk, but maybe it's more about what you say and where you're going. In a sense it's an attitude that seeks to define character and break the mold of control. It's the fine line between knowing when to speak up and when saying less means more. So is Bogart the coolest guy to ever live? In a single word, absolutely.

The Maltese Falcon is basically a showcase for Bogart. A role that seems to be made for him, even with two previous attempts at the film. He is and always was born to play Sam Spade. The tough guy private investigator, who always has the right things to say. More likely to fire a witty comeback than a gun. Able to fall in love, even if only for the moment, and then send her to the gallows. All in the name of doing the right thing. It's not an emotional business.

The movie itself wrote the book of the crime and mystery drama story. Probably the best written plot in it's genre. No doubt that Bogart makes the character come alive, with that infectious voice and his uncompromising demeanor. But the movie itself is, to say the least, very good. The ending just does it for me. The last couple of lines are some of the best in film history.

Although it took me a while to finally see this film, I realize that it's one of Bogart's triumphs and has all the main reasons why I love the guy so much. Please, see this film and remember Bogart as he was.

"Heavy. What is it? The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of."

Attack of the Raptors...

[Xstal · 8/10 · 7 August 2023]

Sam Spade and Miles Archer are detectives, the private type who you can give directives, after meeting with a dame, there then begins a deadly game, with a group who seem to have, their own perspectives; although they all have as their goal a missing falcon, and soon there are some folks, who find their souls gone, as beneath the dark veneer, there are those quite insincere, as you'll find after a number of liaisons; as the story ratchets up the threads combine, and at the centre of the plot's a large waistline, that speaks with eloquence and intent, as deep within, passions ferment, in a film that is a classic of its time.

Great cast, great story, great film - but isn't Sydney Greenstreet outstanding!

The Maltese Falcon (1941) **1/2

[JoeKarlosi · 6/10 · 8 February 2005]

Another of those uncomfortable times where I have to step up to the plate as one of the few who finds a universally revered "classic" Overrated. THE MALTESE FALCON does have much going for it: It's got one of Humphrey Bogart's greatest performances as tough detective Sam Spade; some sensational dialogue; smart casting in Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and Elisha Cook, Jr. (Mary Astor - not as smart); dark and brooding noir photography; but the most important thing goes wrong -- the plot is so highly convoluted, full of holes, and so nearly impossible to follow that it makes for a real headache-inducing 100 minutes. I liked the characters and actors so much that I really "wanted" to get involved in the story. But everything was strewn all over the place and confused me enough that I was prevented from fully getting into the movie. There have been some films that seemed incomprehensible to me at times, but as long as most of their loose ends become tied up by the time the end credits begin to roll, I'm usually a happy moviegoer. FALCON did not afford me that privilege and was very hard to follow. I can't consider that the mark of a great motion picture. **1/2 out of ****

A classic with good reason

[Surecure · 10/10 · 21 March 2006]

While there are films that are considered classic for their technical achievements and classics that resound with audiences for a feel-good emotion, The Maltese Falcon stands in that group that is a classic for every aspect of its creative makeup. With a brilliant script, talented direction and some outstanding performances, The Maltese Falcon stands up today as well as it did upon release.

When Sam Spade -- played brilliantly by Humphrey Bogart -- and his partner Archer are hired to tail a rich eccentric by a woman who claims her sister is being unwittingly kept separated from her by the rich eccentric, it seems like just another case. But when Archer and the eccentric are gunned down and all fingers point to Sam Spade for conflicting yet damning reasons, Spade is thrown into a whirlwind of deceptions that all point in one direction: a Maltese statue of a falcon.

Bogart demonstrates clearly why he is one of the great classic actors of the 20th century, and indeed one of the most natural screen actors ever. His charisma, charm and intense masculine looks give him a presence that simply dominates the screen. With a host of other great talents to fill the screen, there is not a moment of wasted performance. The direction is tight and driving and the pacing never lets up. And the script demonstrates why there are less and less truly great films being released in present day: the writers and directors of the golden age of cinema knew that subtlety works ten times more effectively than the modern in-your-face all-the-time works.

The Maltese Falcon is a timeless work that deserves its place in the list of greatest films ever made.

Birth of a Genre

[evanston_dad · 7/10 · 27 February 2006]

It probably didn't know it at the time, but when "The Maltese Falcon" debuted in 1941, it was inventing a new film genre, one of my personal favorites: the film noir.

Films noir got better later in the decade and throughout the 1950's; they got seedier, starker and more psychologically twisted. And if you can follow the plot of "Falcon," you're either smarter or paying more attention than I.

But I don't know that anyone watches movies like this for the plot, and while I didn't see the "Great Film" in this that others seem to see, I still appreciate its place in screen history for kick-starting two things: film noir and the career of Humphrey Bogart.

As long as Bogie's on screen, no one else really even matters, not even Mary Astor in a sizzling role. Though one can't overlook the presence of Peter Lorre, who makes any movie a bit creepier on the strength of his weird looks alone.

Grade: B+

Absorbing and worthy suspense film about blackmails , killings , corruption and strong intrigue

[ma-cortes · 8/10 · 14 March 2015]

This one of the all-time grand films , a classic Noir Film with gritty interpretation , atmospheric settings and powerhouse filmmaking , at John Huston's first effort directorial . This is a story as explosive as his blazing automatics . Womanizer Sam Sapade is a two-fisted and cynical private detective operating in the big city . When his secretary tells him the new customer (Mary Astor) waiting outside his office is a knockout, he wastes no time before seeing her. It turns out she's a knockout with money. And she wants to spend it on his services as a private detective . This lovely dame with dangerous lies employs the services of the notorious private detective . She has some story about wanting to protect her sister. Neither he nor his partner, Miles Archer, believes it. But with the money she's paying, who cares? The job proves to be more dangerous than either of them expected. It involves not just the lovely dame with the dangerous lies, but also the sweaty Casper Gutman (Sidney Greenstreet) , the fey Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) , and the thuggish young Wilmer Cook (Elisha Cook Jr) . Three crooks, and all of them are looking for the statuette of a black bird they call the Maltese Falcon . Spade is quickly caught up in the mystery and intrigue of a statuette known as the Maltese Falcon . As Sam fights to get hold of a black bird ¨the stuff that dreams are made¨ (a line suggested by Humphrey Bogart was voted as the #14 movie quote by the American Film Institute) .

This first-rate and entertaining picture draws its riveting tale and power from the interaction of finely drawn roles as well as drama , emotion and moody atmosphere . This classic mystery thriller follows Dashiell Hammett's book fairly closely otherwise , he also wrote ¨The thin man¨. Twisted film Noir about murders , troubled relationships , treason , dark secrets , including an unforgettable dialog ; being based on the novel ¨The Maltese Falcon¨¨and screen-written by the same Huston . Frustrated at seeing his script for Juárez (1939) rewritten by Paul Muni, the film's star, John Huston vowed that from then on he would direct his own screenplays and therefore not have to see them get meddled with. He was fortunate in that he had a staunch ally in the form of producer Henry Blanke who was happy to fulfill Huston's wish. Word-for-word and scene-for-scene virtually the same as the original novel. It packs a good realization , an original script , haunting atmosphere , intriguing events ; for that reason madness and murder prevail .The climactic confrontation scene lasts nearly 20 minutes, one-fifth of the entire running time of the film. It involves all five principal characters, and filming required over one full week . Here Bogart is extraordinary and as cool as ever ; he plays as the tough-talking P.I. Although George Raft was originally cast as Sam Spade , he allegedly turned it down because it was "not an important picture," taking advantage of a clause in his contract that said he did not have to work on remakes . For decades this film could not be legally shown on US television stations because of its underlying suggestions of "illicit" sexual activity among the characters (i.e., O'Shaughnessy's promiscuity, indications that Joel Cairo was a homosexual). Much of the movie is filmed over Humphrey Bogart's shoulder so that the audience can be in on his point of view. His scenes with Mary Astor are awesome and at their best compared to those he subsequently shared with Lauren Bacall in ¨Dark passage¨ , ¨Key Largo¨ , ¨The big sleep¨ and ¨To have and to have not¨ . The couple Bogart-Astor throws in enough sparks to ignite several lighters . This was the first pairing of cynical Humphrey Bogart and Femme Fatale Mary Astor . Mary Astor's off-screen notoriety was instrumental in her casting , she had been in several scandals concerning affairs she had been involved in during her marriage. And she was having an affair with John Huston during the making of the film. Magnificent support cast , here was the first pairing of Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre, who would go on to make nine more movies together. Exciting as well as complex film , possessing a mysterious and fascinating blend of gripping thriller , serenity , baroque suspense in which especially stands out the portentous performances , evocative cinematography in black and white by Arthur Edeson and magnificent musical score by the classic Adolph Deutsch . And also shown in horrible computer-colored version . The motion picture was masterfully directed by John Huston ; filming was completed in two months at a cost of less than $300,000.

A former version in 1931 by Roy Del Ruth , it was also pretty good starred by Bebe Daniels as Ruth Wonderly , Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade , Dudley Digges as Casper Gutman and Una Merkel as Effie Perine . In fact , Warner Bros. planned to change the name of the film to "The Gent from Frisco" because the novel's title had already been used for this The Maltese Falcon (1931) , the studio eventually agreed to keep the original title at John Huston's insistence.

Meh.

[TheOneThatYouWanted · 6/10 · 4 May 2017]

Finally, finally, finally got a chance to watch this after it being on my watch-list for like forever. It is one of those classic films that most people know of but never get to watch. But yeah, AMC had it on and gave me a chance to watch it. It was okay. Classic noir film. It isn't the best noir I have ever seen but it is okay. The acting is frankly lacking, from pretty much everyone except Humphrey Bogart. So yeah, the film with such an iconic title and etc is a bit disappointing. It may just be a little too dated which shouldn't make much of a difference if the film was a better experience with a cleaner flowing story, better acting, set design and etc, etc. Ultimately the movie is a letdown. 6.5 out of 10.

Knowing I'm in the minority I found it just....ok

[Mccadoo · 5/10 · 14 May 2023]

My wife and I love old film noir movies, absolutely love them. But somehow we'd never seen this one, even though it launched the genre and is esteemed as a classic must-see film.

So last night we watched it and I have to say that I was disappointed. It wasn't terrible but I just don't see it living up to the reputation it's developed over the years. It's frenetic in pace, full of plot holes, a plot that's almost impossible to follow and makes little sense in the end.

The performances, especially Bogart's almost save it and are why I didn't give it a lower score, with the exception of Ms. Astor who I thought was terribly miscast in her role. But overall I can think of numerous later film noir entries that are far superior, "Double Indemnity" being one that immediately comes to mind, "The Postman Always Rings Twice" being another, "Gaslight," and "Laura". And of course "Casablanca" as the all time Bogart classic film.

I know I'm in the minority and I've gone back over my experience watching this movie trying to see what I've missed. I know it's groundbreaking for establishing the genre, and making Bogart a star, and the film debut of Sidney Greenstreet and John Huston but I just cant reconcile it's reputation with the film I just watched. I was really disappointed after waiting so long to see it. Everyone's entitled to their opinion....this is just mine.

Noir at its best

[relias · 30 April 2003]

Humphrey Bogart died nearly fifty years ago, but polls still put him at the top of all-time Hollywood stars. What turns a man into a legend? The man himself wasn't much: a slight build, not too tall, no Stallone muscles to swell his suit. What he had in classic films like `The Maltese Falcon' was a voice that cut through a script like a knife. `The Maltese Falcon,' directed by John Huston in 1941, reprised Dashiell Hammett's thriller. (It had been filmed before.) Hammett practically invented the tough guy so deep in cynicism nobody could hope to put anything past him. The novel, thick with plot, wasn't easy for director John Huston to untangle. Few people who cherish this film can summarize its story in a sentence or two. I'll try. San Francisco private eye Sam Spade (Bogart) is pulled into the search for a fabulously valuable statue by a woman who seeks his help. First, his partner is killed, then Spade pushes through her lies to uncover connections to an effete foreigner (Peter Lorre) and a mysterious kingpin (Sydney Greenstreet). The story unfolds like a crumpled paper. But the whodunit becomes less important than how we respond to the strong screen presence of Bogart and his co-stars. That's what makes `The Maltese Falcon' a classic. We see more and appreciate more each time we watch it. The art of Huston and Bogart doesn't come across until a second or third viewing. Huston invented what the French called film noir, in honor of Hollywood films (often `B' movies, cheap to make, second movies in double features) that took no-name stars into city streets to pit tough guys, often with a vulnerable streak, against dangerous dames. Audiences knew that when the tough guy said, `I'm wise to you, babe,' he'd be dead within a reel or two. Bogart was luckier than most noir heroes, but it cost. Struggling to maintain his own independence – against the claims of love or his own penchant towards dishonesty – the Bogart hero can do little better than surrender, with a rueful shrug, to the irony his survival depends on. The climax of `The Maltese Falcon' ranks with the last scene of `Casablanca,' another Bogart vehicle, in showing how the tough guy has to put himself back together after his emotions almost get the better of him. That assertion of strength, bowed but not broken, defines the enduring quality of Bogart on screen. For Huston, telling this story posed a different problem. Telling it straight wasn't possible – too many twists. Huston chose to focus on characters. One way to appreciate Huston's choices is to LISTEN to the movie. Hear the voices. Notice how in long sequences narrating back story, Huston relies on the exotic accents of his characters to keep us interested. Could we endure the scene in which Greenstreet explains the history of the Maltese falcon unless his clipped, somewhat prissy English accent held our attention? Also, we watch Bogart slip into drug-induced sleep while Greenstreet drones on. Has any director thought of a better way to keep us interested during a long narrative interlude? And is there a bit of wit in our watching Bogart nod off during a scene which, if told straight, would make US doze? All of this leads to the ending, minutes of screen time in which more goes on, gesture by gesture, than a million words could summarize. He loves her, maybe, but he won't be a sucker. The cops come in, and the emotional color shifts to gray, the color of film noir heroes like Bogart. Bars on the elevator door as Brigid descends in police custody foreshadow her fate in the last image of Huston's film. But after the film, we're left with Spade, whom we like and loathe, a man whose sense of justice squares, just this once, with our own, maybe. Black and white morality prevails in a black and white movie, but Sam Spade remains gray – and so does our response to this film classic.

One of the great crime films

[russjones-80887 · 10/10 · 17 June 2020]

Following the murder of his partner, a San Francisco private detective investigates and gets involved with a mysterious woman and three unscrupulous adventurers, all of whom are competing to obtain a valuable fabled falcon statuette.

Academy Award nominated film that defined Humphrey Bogart, who plays the private detective Sam Spade. The supporting cast led by Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook Jr. are in fine form and play well off each other. With John Huston in his directorial debut and the crisp dialogue, this is one of the greats. Do not miss it.

A Classic Movie that Deserves the Position

[The-Sarkologist · 9/10 · 15 September 2013]

This is one of the most famous movies ever made. Based on a book the movie was first made in 1931 and later remade in 1941 with Humphrey Bogart playing the detective Sam Spade. Most critics, including Bill Collins, directs us to focus on the characters in the movie because it is the characterization that makes this such a great movie. I agree to a point, but I think the whole issue of the Maltese Falcon makes this such a dark movie.

The book upon which this movie is based is considered to be a change in direction with the way detective stories are made. Edgar Allen Poe was the creator of the detective story and it was developed by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but their detectives were intelligent, honourable men. Sam Spade could be seen as one of the first "Down and Out detectives." The author of The Maltese Falcons describes private detectives as police officers who do not like to work with people but rather go it alone. These characters are more crooked and ruthless than police officers. It is no wonder that the police in The Maltese Falcon are somewhat cold towards Sam Spade. Spade works with fellow Detective Miles Archer and the movie opens with a young lady, O'Shannahey, hiring Spade and Archer to trail some guy who has stolen her sister from her. Suddenly Archer is shot and the movie starts into motion.

The Maltese Falcon was a statuette that was stolen by pirates as it was being delivered to the King of Spain and it has supposedly surfaced in San-Fransisco. The movie is not a search for the falcon but rather people all wanting a piece of it. The fat man, who is the villain of the movie, wants the falcon and pays Spade a lot of money to get it. He doesn't want to part with his money and has his gunsel Wilma to dispose of Captain Jacobi and get the falcon.

The harsh parts of the characters are revealed with the Fat Man willing to sell out Wilma, whom he claims to consider a son, to get the Falcon off of Sam Spade. And then there is O'Shannahey, a beautiful young lady who grabs Spade's heart, yet we know that Spade does not truly love this woman as we learn that he is having an affair with Archer's wife. O'Shannahey is not what we expect. At first she comes as an innocent woman who is looking for her sister but we find a web of lies and deceit surrounding her and the more we get entangled in the lies the more sinister O'Shannahey becomes.

Spade is not a hero either, rather he is an anti-hero. He his selfish and cold, ready to betray his partner for a woman, and ready to betray his lover for his reputation. He slaps around Wilma and Cairo, treating them like little children. Spade is an arrogant, self-centered person and would rather look after himself than others.

I think the ending of the Maltese Falcon is brilliant. I am one who looks more at the ending of a movie than the content because it is the ending that we are left with when we leave. The ending of the Maltese Falcon is not happy, nor is it sad. Rather we are just left knowing that life will go on.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

[Uriah43 · 10/10 · 5 September 2019]

This film begins with a private detective named "Sam Spade" (Humphrey Bogart) interviewing a new client by the name of "Ruth Wonderly" (Mary Astor) who asks him to track down her missing sister who has somehow become involved with a dangerous and unseen man known only as Floyd Thursby . As it so happens, Sam's partner "Miles Archer" (Jerome Cowan) arrives at that moment and decides to take over the case personally. That night Miles is shot and killed--and since Sam is having an affair with his partner's wife--he becomes the leading suspect. And then when Thursby is shot and killed hours later he also become the primary suspect in that murder as well. It then becomes apparent that Ms. Wonderly-who has since disclosed that her real name "Brigid O'Shaughnessy"-hasn't hasn't quite told Sam the entire truth and he soon finds himself involved in a complicated scheme concerning an extremely valuable statuette known as the Maltese Falcon--and the people looking for it will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. Now, for those who might not be aware of it, this film is practically identical to the 1931 version starring Ricard Cortez in the role of Sam Spade and Bebe Daniels as Ruth Wonderly. And even though the earlier version was quite good, this one is even better with Peter Lorre (as "Joel Cairo"), Sydney Greenstreet ("Kasper Gutman"), Lee Patrick ("Effie Perine") along with the aforementioned Humphrey Bogart and Mary Astor excelling in their individual roles. Again, while I liked the Maltese Falcon of 1931, this particular movie is a pure delight in every way and for that reason I highly recommend this film to all viewers and have rated it accordingly. A true classic in every sense of the word.

Crime-drama classic

[grantss · 9/10 · 6 January 2020]

A crime-drama classic. Great, intriguing, unpredictable plot. Stylish direction by the now-legendary John Huston (making his directorial debut).

Humphrey Bogart pretty much plays the stereotypical Bogie role - cool, aloof, sharp-witted, calculating, wise-cracking - and does it superbly. Good support from Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Lee Patrick.

Classic film-Noir, mysterious and interesting, but fails to deliver a solid climax.

[ks4 · 6/10 · 23 May 2004]

The Maltese Falcon

Sam Space is a private detective, one day a mysterious woman comes to see her, she wants a man shadowed. Sam's partner does the job and gets killed, by who, is unknown. While investigating the murder he finds himself getting involved with dangerous men, seeking the myth of a Maltese Falcon statue, so valueable, they're willing to do anything it takes to get it.

This movie is most of the way a real original film-noir, where our head character and supposed good guy finds himself getting involved in something larger and more dangerous than he should be able to handle. Although whether Humprey Bogart is playing that good a guy in his character, Sam Spade, can be discussed, Sam Spade is portrayed as a sort of egocentric partly greedy man, who is obviously supposed to be our hero, but on his journey we see greedy and often cynic and egocentric sides of him.

The strength of this movie is the constant curiousity we have for how the story will unfold, there is always a mysterious look for the story, and it feels interesting because it is this detective story where we are participating in slowly unfolding the mystery. However, the movie has quite a few plot holes, and the many fast paced match cuts doesn't give us much time to think deeper into what's happening, everything is really going too fast, something that also means the atmosphere in the movie feels pretty non existant and my interest were never gathered 100%.

The acting in the movie is actually quite great, especially for this old a movie. In older movies I often think that the acting seems to many of the actors to be awkvard, but not in this movie, in this movie it's quite convincing, despite a few flaws, flaws though that is a part of giving this movie the charming oldies feel.

To sum it all up a bit. The movie, despite having quite a number of flaws, is overall an interesting experience, that will leave you guessing and hold your interest for most of the time, even though it has its drop downs, it's still a pretty well done mystery story, following the classic film-noir model much of the way. However despite having a good story, that unfolds good, but too fast, the movie never really managed to impress me with the climax, actually i felt the climax never reached the heights it should have. Something that leaves an overall less convincing opinion upon the movie, especially a murdery story like this, which is highly dependant on a good climax.

6/10

There's only one Maltese Falcon

[jsschic22 · 10/10 · 21 July 2020]

The Maltese Falcon is a MUST watch!! This movie kept my attention the entire time. I was so afraid that if I looked away for even a moment I'd miss something crucial. Bogart is exceptional & the story is extremely well written. So many twists and turns, I'd watch it again right now.

"I couldn't be fonder of you if you were my own son. But, well, if you lose a son, it's possible to get another. There's only one Maltese Falcon."

Didn't click with me

[Kubris · 7/10 · 23 June 2011]

IMDb Top 250: 103

The Maltese Falcon is one of the most famous film noirs, the film that made Humphrey Bogart a star, and an American classic.

I have no idea why.

Collectively, the Maltese Falcon is not an interesting movie and I frequently found myself trying to stop from nodding off. The story is not interesting: we don't like Miles, so we don't care that he's killed. That short scene with him dying was particularly bad. Miles stands, smiling with a goofy expression at the camera when a gun in first person shoots him, and he doesn't react until he's shot. It's cheesy, and the scene is poor overall. So we never care to learn who killed him.

The whole plot is just silly, actually. Sam Spade tries to find a statue with a woman and a couple of bad Bond villains. There's little tension, action, or suspense in the entire movie. It seems the story simply progresses towards a finale that just... happens. Several things are poorly explained, so poorly that I don't know who is responsible for 2 of the murders, why a boat burns, or how Sam acquires a certain package.

Speaking of Sam, his acting is one of the few highlights. Not his character though. Humphrey Bogart delivers as the snide main character, but I didn't like him, except for his action at the very end. He's just not a good guy.

Another problem is Mary Astor. I learnt, post-viewing, of her wild private life. I wouldn't have known it by seeing the film. She's not a very good liar character, I feel she was horribly miscast. She doesn't have any edge, and she and Bogart have no chemistry.

The three villains are similar. None of them are intimidating, except the boy, but he's too stupid or hot-tempered to be dangerous. The other two are just silly.

The Maltese Falcon didn't live up to the hype I had for it. It wasn't interesting and had little payoff. In my opinion, it is undeserving of the praises it has received. 7.2/10

A Statuette To Die For

[seymourblack-1 · 8/10 · 1 August 2009]

"The Maltese Falcon" is the unforgettable, groundbreaking crime drama which is regarded by many as the first film noir of the classic period. Its significance in Hollywood history is enormous as it provided John Huston with his directorial debut and Humphrey Bogart with the role which made him into a major star. Huston's screenplay famously remained very faithful to the style of dialogue used in Dashiell Hammett's book and in so doing provided some wonderfully economic and incisive lines, particularly for Bogart's character.

Bogart's role also had a broader significance because as Sam Spade, he brought to the screen a new type of hard boiled detective who was destined to become the template for a whole succession of others who would appear in numerous films noirs particularly in the 1940s and 1950s. These men would be morally ambiguous , fast talking tough guys who had a cynical attitude to the world and who lived by their own set of principles.

Sam Spade is no one's idea of nice guy. He keeps his emotions armour plated and when his business partner is suddenly murdered shows no concern of any sort. He had also been having an affair with his partner's wife but in his dealings with her, he also seems rather cold and offhand. Despite these characteristics and his obviously jaundiced attitude to life and people, his character is redeemed to some extent by a subtle quality which Bogart's innate charisma brings to the part.

In "The Maltese Falcon" Spade is hired by a Miss Wonderley (Mary Astor) to find her sister. This job leads to the death of his partner Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) and shortly after, to the murder of the alleged seducer of Miss Wonderley's sister. Miss Wonderley then contacts Spade and tells him that her real name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy and that the story about her sister had been as false as the name she'd given him and she then pays him to find out who was responsible for the two murders.

Spade's subsequent investigations bring him into contact with Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre), the "Fat Man" Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet) and his henchman Wilmer (Elisha Cook Jnr.) and it becomes apparent that they are all on a ruthless quest to locate the priceless statuette called "The Maltese Falcon". Furthermore, he discovers that O'Shaughnessy's earlier subterfuge had been linked to the fact that she also had been trying to find the "Falcon". Spade eventually identifies the murderer and informs the police who go on to arrest the culprit.

Brigid O'Shaughnessy had acted naive, timid and vulnerable when she had first encountered Spade but his natural scepticism prevented him from being taken in by her. Joel Cairo was a small, nervy, effeminate man and Wlmer was generally a silent presence during Spade's conversations with the "Fat Man". Gutman was sophisticated, good humoured and friendly on the surface but was also extremely dangerous and untrustworthy. He also delivers some amusing and eccentric lines such as when speaking to Spade he says "Now Sir, we'll talk if you like and I'll tell you right out that I'm a man who likes talking to a man that likes to talk".

Bogart and Huston worked well together and went on to collaborate on other major successes such as "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" (1948), "Key Largo" (1948) and "The African Queen" (1951). "The Maltese Falcon" was also a great box office success, was well received by the critics and was also nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston).

Bogart makes it watchable

[FredPsonic · 6/10 · 22 May 2023]

By now everyone should know the plot. At its' core is the search for a jewel encrusted statuette by a disparate group of sketchy people, each having their own motivations. In the end nobody gets what they want, the falcon becomes a macguffin, the Hollywood happy ending is nowhere to be found. What was considered revolutionary storytelling in 1941 is still in use today. However film has evolved from the staginess of TMF--being the first noir doesn't necessarily make it the best. The movie is essentially a series of rapid fire script readings in precious few locations: Sam Spade's office, then his apartment, Gutman's apartment and a scant few other locales linked with occasional outdoor sets. Bogart is magnificent, his antihero bad boy being the main reason to see this picture but he is unfortunaely surrounded by so much blandness.

Not nearly as good is the mannered acting of Mary Astor as the femme fatale. Astor over-emotes which served her in the silent era but conspicuously now sticking out like a sore thumb against Bogart's more modern acting and cooler-than-cool bad detective. I never found them believable as a couple, Astor looking much older and tired-looking when compared to the charismatic Bogart, this is a major failing. I could only imagine what other actresses of the day could have done. Considered for the role were Paulette Goddard, Geraldine Fitzgerald and Joan Bennett each of whom would have played much better against Bogart. Think how Bette Davis or Barbara Stanwyck would have played Brigid O'Shaughnessy and you'll realize what a poor casting choice Mary Astor would become. Much was made about Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre but they played it so straight as the bad guys they came off as caricatures.

The story itself is unnecessarily complex and at times hard to follow the sheer number of offscreen characters, especially when the actors read their lines at breakneck speed. Characters appear then disappear and are disposed of without resolution, chief among them being Archer's wife. Sam Spade seems to disarm villains so easily, evaporating any tension with the baddies at every turn. Even the musical interludes have a treacly soap opera vibe, violins playing heartbreakingly every time Mary Astor has an emotional snit. Beyond Bogart the only other saving grace is the beautiful German Expressionist style of cinematographer Arthur Edeson, every shot postcard perfect. John Huston's framing keeps the film interesting, approaching the precision of Citizen Kane, the far superior film released only months earlier. In the end The Maltese Falcon is one of those "must see" films for completists of classic cinema, unfortunately it just doesn't hold up as well as its' lofty reputation.

The 1931 original is a better movie and got the shaft

[proverb124 · 3/10 · 7 October 2009]

As "classic" as this '41 version is, Roy Del Ruth's underrated original '31 version beats it out in a number of ways.

Spade's relationship to women is much better defined in the original. Bogart kissing Archer's wife at the start of the '41 version feels like a throwaway. It's easy to forget they even had an affair half way through the movie.

In the original it's a defining moment for Spade - painting him as a true womanizer. The film shows that Archer knows what's going on and isn't happy about it.

Spade's happy/sleazy persona in the original makes much better sense than Bogart's tough, smirky one. While it's lovable, it doesn't service the drama as well.

In the original, when Spade is alone with Ruth Wonderly at his place you wonder who is exploiting who and there's a lion's share of real sexual tension. It feels dirtier and truer despite being shot ten years earlier. It's great to watch.

In Huston's remake, Bogart's too smart to be gotten and there's so little actual attraction it's all cat-and-mouse with no real chance of romance.

When Ruth finally comes over to Bogart's apartment, Houston puts Cairo in the scene before the cops arrive. This kills all the sexual tension, turning it into more increasingly convoluted cat-and-mouse writing rather than something relatable.

There are elements Huston added to the '41 version that further convolute the story. The entire scene in which Bogart messes with the Wilmer character in the hotel while speaking to Joel Cairo about his night at the police station is unnecessary and confusing.

It's a scene that is smartly not in the '31 version.

Lastly, the ending is so much more profound in the original that the '41 version doesn't hold a candle to it. "The stuff that dreams are made of" is a famous Bogart line, but is a sad compensation for the power of the original conclusion in which Ruth actually does fall for Sam, but he realizes it after it's far too late.

The final scene takes place between them when he comes to visit her in prison, after getting a promotion. It's astonishingly heartbreaking and extraordinarily well done.

History be damned.

Incidentally Houston was nominated for a screen writing Oscar for this script. If you look at how much of the structure and screenplay remain the same in his remake, it's an outrageous nomination. The things Houston added actually detract from and confuse the narrative rather than making it better in any way.

See the original!