The Maltese Falcon (1941 film)

The Maltese Falcon (original title: The Maltese Falcon) is an American film noir released in 1941 directed by John Huston, based on Dashiell Hammett's novel of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, and Gladys George. It is the third version of Hammett's novel, which had already been made into a film in 1931 and 1936, and John Huston's first film as director. It is usually considered as the work that marks the beginning of film noir.

Finds AFI's 10 Top 10 in the "Mystery Movies" category.

In 1989, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Plot

Humphrey Bogart playing Sam Spade.

Private detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is sitting in his office, looking out the window at the city of San Francisco, when a mysterious lady, Miss Ruth Wonderly, barges in. The elegant woman wants to investigate the whereabouts of her sister, who supposedly had run away from home with a British-born playboy. Sam's partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan) offers to look for the man and discreetly follows the woman, but is killed. Sam confronts the client, and Miss Ruth Wonderly confesses that she is really Brigid O'Shaugnessy (Mary Astor) and it turns out that the matter of her sister's disappearance was a lie: the man she was looking for was her partner and may have in her to be able to a valuable statue of a falcon, encrusted with precious stones of immense value, which is supposed to be the tribute that the Knights of Malta paid for the island to King Carlos I of Spain. She is not the only one after the Maltese Falcon, since a group of international criminals is also trying to get the statue, willing to deceive, steal or kill, to appropriate the treasure. A man named Kasper Gutman (Sydney Greenstreet), the deceitful Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre), Wilmer (Elisha Cook Jr.) and the seductive Mrs. O'Shaughnessy want to harness Sam Spade's genius and wit for their own interests, but at the same time detective is more concerned with getting out of dangerous situations unscathed and making the most of himself.

Cast

• Humphrey Bogart - Sam Spade
• Mary Astor - Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy
• Jerome Cowan - Miles Archer
• Gladys George - Iva Archer
• Peter Lorre - Joel Cairo
• Barton MacLane - Lieutenant Dundy
• Lee Patrick - Effie Perine
• Sydney Greenstreet - Kasper Gutman

Peter Lorre and Humphrey Bogart in a moment of the movie.

Dubbing from 1970 in Spain

The film was not released in theaters in Spain. The dubbing was done by Sincronía-Sevilla Films (Madrid) for its broadcast on television (TVE), on 05/19/1970, within a cycle dedicated to Humphrey Bogart.

• Humphrey Bogart - Sam Spade - Francisco Arenzana
• Mary Astor - Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy - Mari Pe Castro
• Jerome Cowan - Miles Archer - Joaquin Escola
• Gladys George - Iva Archer - Maria del Puy
• Peter Lorre - Joel Cairo - Luis Carrillo
• Barton MacLane - Lieutenant Dundy - Vicente Bañó
• Lee Patrick - Effie Perine - Celia Honrubia
• Sydney Greenstreet - Kasper Gutman - Estanis González

Comments

George Raft was originally offered the role of Sam Spade, but he didn't want to work with a first-time director, so Humphrey Bogart was offered as second choice.

Walter Huston, father of John Huston, plays a small role as the sailor who brings the falcon to Sam Spade's office.

The film was nominated for the 1942 Oscars in the following categories:

• the best cast actor: Sydney Greenstreet;
• to the best film;
• the best script adapted: John Huston.