A gallery of high-living lowlifes will stop at nothing to get their sweaty hands on a jewel-encrusted falcon. Detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) wants to find out why - and who'll take the fall for his partner's murder. Sydney Greenstreet, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Elisha Cook Jr. join Bogart in this crackling mystery masterwork written for the screen (from Dashiell Hammett's novel) and directed by John Huston. Extras include 2 additional features - 1931 version of The Maltese Falcon and Satan Met a Lady.
Hard-drinking private eye Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) sleuths the backyard of San Francisco in search of an elusive black bird statuette while evading the setups of three disparate miscreants: the duplicitous Brigid, the perfumed Mr. Cairo, and the scheming Fat Man. John Huston's brilliant directorial debut is aided by first-rate performances, excellent camera work, as well as the director's acute attention to detail while shooting the film. Based on the crime novel by Dashiell Hammett. Academy Award Nominations: 3, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet), and Best Screenplay. Previous versions of the story were filmed in 1931 (a.k.a. DANGEROUS FEMALE) and in 1936 (as SATAN MET A LADY, starring Bette Davis), and poorly redone in 1975 (THE BLACK BIRD).
THE MALTESE FALCON was an original selection to the Library of Congress National Film Registry in 1989.
Dashiell Hammett's novel was first adapted for the screen in 1931. Known alternately as "The Maltese Falcon" and "Dangerous Female," this version was directed by Roy del Ruth and starred Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez, Dudley Digges, Robert Elliott, Thelma Todd, Una Merkel, and Dwight Frye.
In 1936, a second adaptation appeared. The William Dieterle film, "Satan Met a Lady," featured Bette Davis, Warren William, Alison Skipworth, and Arthur Treacher.
After years of screenwriting, John Huston made his directorial debut with "Falcon." His father, actor Walter Huston, has a cameo in the film.
Sydney Greenstreet made his sound-film debut with "Falcon." He was previously a member of the Lunt-Fontaine theater troupe.
Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart were cited by the National Board of Review for their acting achievement in "The Maltese Falcon."
A colorized version of the film is also available.
Maltese Falcon Quotes/Excerpts:
"When you're slapped, you'll take it and like it!" -- Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) to Cairo (Peter Lorre)
"Don't be too sure I'm as crooked as I'm supposed to be." -- Spade to Brigid O'Shaugnessy (Mary Astor)
Maltese Falcon Reviews:
"...The real spark in this suavest of mysteries is provided by its eccentric collection of villains..." -- 5 out of 5 stars
-- John Wrathall, Total Film
"...Bogart was always in control....The movie is refreshingly cynical..."
-- Mark Chalon Smith, Los Angeles Times
"...Huston's strategy is crafty....It's all style. It isn't violence or chases, but the way the actors look, move, speak and embody their characters..."
-- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"...FALCON is the archetypal American detective yarn..."
-- Premiere Staff, Premiere
"Boldly manipulative light and shadow, utilizing drastic camera angles, and introducing Bogart's Sam Spade, the first-time director's detective classic defines film noir." -- Grade: A-- Jeff Labrecque, Entertainment Weekly
4 stars out of 5 -- "[The film] remains enjoyable for its razor-sharp dialogue....A great example of vintage studio alchemy."-- Geoff Andrew, Uncut
"There is a spareness of style here that puts many of today's bloated thrillers to shame."-- Matthew Leyland, Sight and Sound
5 stars out of 5 -- "This is pure essence of film noir -- essentially starting the genre..."-- Jan Vincent-Rudzki, Ultimate DVD
Customer Maltese Falcon Reviews Customer Maltese Falcon DVD Reviews
Average Rating: (4.5 out of 5 stars)
A classic a great movie Submitted by donc2005 (Arkadelphia, AR usa) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 2 of 3 found this helpful.
One of the greatest An all star , perfectly cast movie. One of the greatest ever. I never get tired of it. Submitted by Pat (Michigan , USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 0 of 1 found this helpful.
Cheap Cover I thought I was purchasing as upgraded case or housing. What I received was very cheap - it won't even close! Submitted by allteam (Southern California) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 2 found this helpful. This review is for a different format.
top A classic. Submitted by a reviewer (Norway) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 2 found this helpful. This review is for a different format.
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Maltese Falcon DVD
Maltese Falcon DVD Features
3-Disc Set Digipak Special Edition Disc 1: THE MALTESE FALCON Full Frame - 1.33 Audio: Dolby Digital Mono - English Subtitles - English, French, Spanish - Optional Additional Release Material: Audio Commentary: Eric Lax - Bogart Biographer Shorts:
1. Oscar Nominated Technicolor Music Short - The Gay Parisian 2. Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt 3. Meet John Doughboy Trailers:
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