Review: The Maltese Falcon (1941)


Detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is hired by Brigid O’Shaughnessy (Mary Astor), a woman who changes stories like a parent changes dirty nappies, to find a priceless medieval bird statue. The physically imposing Sidney Greenstreet is Kasper ‘The Fat Man’ Gutman and Peter Lorre is gardenia-scented slimeball Joel Cairo, who also want to get their hands on the bird. The statue, that is. Gladys George plays the wife of Bogart’s partner (Jerome Cowan, whose character was investigating a lead on the case and is subsequently murdered), whom Bogey’s been bonking. Lee Patrick is solid in her scenes as Bogey’s loyal secretary and a young Elisha Cook Jr. plays the wannabe tough Gunsel who is forever being scolded by ‘real man’ Spade.



1941 John Huston (“The Misfits”, “The Asphalt Jungle”, “The African Queen”) adaptation of the classic Dashiell Hammett detective novel is a benchmark in the genre, and also marked the sometimes great (and admittedly sometimes...not) director’s debut behind the camera. The mystery is genuinely interesting, Bogey is the right fit for cynical Sam Spade, and the supporting cast is superlative; especially fine are towering Greenstreet (His definitive screen role. It was the veteran stage actor’s screen debut), sleazy oddball Lorre, unreadable Astor, and as the short-fused wimp Wilmer, veteran character actor Cook is particularly amusing.



A must for lovers of the genre and hopefully worth a look for everyone else, too. Scripted by the director, the film earned Oscar nominations for Picture, Supporting Actor (Greenstreet) and writing (the dialogue is particularly memorable, as would often be the case in noir cinema of the 40s and 50s), winning none.



Rating: B+

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