Who are the actors in the Maltese Falcon?
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir with screenplay by and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut, and based on Dashiell Hammett 's 1930 novel of the same name. The film stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client.
Who played Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon?
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir directed and scripted by John Huston in his directorial debut, based on Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client.
What is the movie The Maltese Falcon about?
1941 film by John Huston. The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 film noir with screenplay by and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut, and based on Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel of the same name. The film stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client.
Is the Maltese Falcon the greatest detective movie ever?
Some have called The Maltese Falcon the first major work of the noir style and the greatest detective movie ever made. (From left) Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor, and Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon (1941), directed by John Huston.
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Who Killed Captain Jacoby in The Maltese Falcon?
Sam wants to trade the falcon for money and a fall guy for the three murders. Gutman says Wilmer killed Thursby to scare Brigid into dealing with them because Thursby was loyal to Brigid. Wilmer torched the La Paloma and shot Jacobi who had been carrying the falcon for Brigid but Jacobi got to Sam before dying.
Who is Captain Jacobi and what happens to him?
Captain Jacobi Jacobi is the captain of the ship La Paloma, which arrived in San Francisco from Hong Kong. We learn from Brigid that she partnered up with Jacobi to bring falcon from Egypt to San Francisco. Jacobi is killed by Wilmer, but manages to bring the falcon to Spade.
Who turned down the role in Maltese Falcon?
George RaftPeter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet appeared in both "The Maltese Falcon" and "Three Strangers". 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.
Is there any truth to the story of The Maltese Falcon?
You see 'The Maltese Falcon' by Dashiell Hammett is what we call "a story". It's based on some sort of reality though, except apparently the tribute was in the form of a live bird, payable annually, basically in lieu of rent for the islands of Malta.
What does the ending of The Maltese Falcon mean?
Spade deduces that Brigid did it. One of Brigid's many lies was that her partner, Floyd Thursby, was going to betray her for the Falcon. But when Spade learns that Thursby was loyal to Brigid, he realizes it was she who wanted the Falcon for herself. So she killed Archer to pin the blame on Thursby.
Who is the villain in The Maltese Falcon?
Casper GutmanCasper Gutman There is a pretty sizeable cast of bad guys in The Maltese Falcon, from the slimy Joel Cairo to the thuggish Wilmer to the murdered Thursby. But the main antagonist is the fat man, Casper Gutman, whose sole mission in life is to own the falcon.
Did Bogart and Bergman get along?
Despite their extraordinary on-screen chemistry, Bogart and Bergman reportedly disliked each other on set. Warner Bros. Based on a stage play called Everybody Comes To Rick's by Murray Burnett and Joan Allison, the film was made in some unfavourable circumstances and was set to prove a costly failure for Warner Bros.
Who killed Thursby in The Maltese Falcon?
WilmerThe night that Thursby was killed, he was first approached by Wilmer and Gutman. The latter attempted to reason with him, but Thursby remained loyal to Brigid O'Shaughnessy and refused to cooperate. Later things escalated, then Wilmer shot Thursby.
What was hidden in the Maltese Falcon?
The plot of the 1941 Humphrey Bogart classic The Maltese Falcon revolves around a 12-inch falcon statue which the film's protagonist believes to be a priceless antique - but in the end is revealed to be a lead fake.
What does the Maltese Falcon symbolize?
Thus, while the falcon was originally meant as a symbol of loyalty, it transforms into a symbol of a corrupting, futile, and self-destructive greed that makes people betray their loyalties. In addition to representing greed, the falcon symbolizes Sam Spade's quest for the truth.
Who owns the actual Maltese Falcon?
Maltese Falcon (yacht)HistoryMaltaOwnerThomas Perkins (2006–2008) Pleon Ltd (2008–)OperatorPleon Ltd., Tortola, BVIBuilderPerini Navi, DEARSAN, Tuzla, İstanbul19 more rows
What does Maltese stand for?
The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the firefighter who wears this cross is willing to lay down his/her life for you, just as Crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so may years ago.
What kind of hero is private investigator Sam Spade in the Maltese Falcon?
Sam Spade is a fictional character and the protagonist of Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel, The Maltese Falcon. Spade also appeared in four lesser-known short stories by Hammett....Sam SpadeNationalityAmerican11 more rows
How many times did Humphrey Bogart play Sam Spade?
2 And it is the last of these films that is remembered best, in part due to Humphrey Bogart's iconic performance as the tough Sam Spade. The novel's adaptation to the screen twice in the 1930s, however, attests to the dominance and popularity of a different kind of detective-hero during the Depression.
What does the Maltese Falcon symbolize?
Thus, while the falcon was originally meant as a symbol of loyalty, it transforms into a symbol of a corrupting, futile, and self-destructive greed that makes people betray their loyalties. In addition to representing greed, the falcon symbolizes Sam Spade's quest for the truth.
How much did the Maltese Falcon sell for?
At Auction, Maltese Falcon Goes For $4 Million, Dreams Included : The Two-Way Sam Spade would say the falcon is much more than a bird: It's the "stuff that dreams are made of." One of the two statues used in the 1941 movie was sold at an auction in New York Monday.
What is the Maltese Falcon?
Country. United States. Language. English. The Maltese Falcon is a 1931 American pre-Code crime film , based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film stars Ricardo Cortez as private detective Sam Spade and Bebe Daniels as Ruth Wonderly. Maude Fulton, Brown Holmes, ...
Who killed Thursby and Jacoby?
After Spade calls Effie and asks her to pick up the suitcase with the falcon in the morning and bring it to them, Gutman explains to him how Wilmer killed Thursby and Jacoby. When the bag shows up, Wilmer escapes out the window while the conspirators are frantically opening it and examining the black bird.
What is missing from the 1941 movie?
The 1941 adaptation, which began with a revised version of the 1931 script, closely follows the book as well, although most references to homosexuality, stripping (the missing $1000) and other no longer permissible portions under the Motion Picture Production Code are missing.
Who plays Casper Gutman in The Black Bird?
Spade receives a note from Casper Gutman ( Dudley Digges ), inviting him to come and talk about the black bird. Over drinks and cigars, Spade learns the history and value of the statuette, which is encrusted with precious jewels covered over with enamel, and that Gutman is the mastermind behind the attempt to steal the bird. Spade lies to Gutman that "for the right price" he can deliver the figurine in a couple of days, and they make a deal which Gutman seals with a $1000 bill. Just then, Cairo arrives and tells Gutman privately that Spade does not have the falcon, that Captain Jacoby ( Agostino Borgato ), whose ship La Paloma arrives from Hong Kong that night, does. Gutman then slips Spade a mickey in a celebratory drink, and retrieves his $1000.
Who plays Effie in Archer?
At the office, Spade tells his secretary, Effie ( Una Merkel) to have Archer's name removed from the door, and he receives a visit from a Dr. Joel Cairo ( Peter Lorre ), who offers Spade $5,000 if he can retrieve an enamel figurine of a black bird that he is trying to recover for the "rightful owner". Not knowing anything about this statuette, Spade plays along, overpowering Cairo when he pulls a gun and attempts to frisk him and search the office. Nevertheless, he agrees to try to recover the statuette.
Was The Maltese Falcon a movie?
The Maltese Falcon was not the first Hammett story to be adapted into a motion picture. Both Red Harvest (filmed in 1930 as Roadhouse Nights) and City Streets (1931), based on a short story and starring Gary Cooper and Sylvia Sidney, preceded it.
Who was the director of Maltese Falcon?
During his preparation for The Maltese Falcon, his directorial debut, John Huston planned each second of the film to the last detail, tailoring the screenplay with instructions to himself for a shot-for-shot setup, with sketches for every scene, so filming could proceed fluently and professionally.
When was the Maltese Falcon first aired?
Perhaps the earliest radio adaptation of The Maltese Falcon was on the Silver Theater broadcast on the CBS radio network on February 1, 1942, with Bogart as star. Philip Morris Playhouse staged an adaptation August 14, 1942, with Edward Arnold starring.
How much did Gutman give Spade for the Falcon?
Gutman gives Spade $10,000 for the Falcon, but Spade tells them that part of his price is someone he can turn over to the police for the murders of Thursby and Captain Jacobi, suggesting Wilmer, who, Gutman confirms, actually did shoot both.
How much did the Maltese Falcon movie cost?
United States. Language. English. Budget. $375,000. Box office. $1.8 million. The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 American film noir written and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut, based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and indebted to the 1931 movie of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam ...
How much did Spade get for the Maltese Falcon?
Spade overpowers him, but meets Gutman anyway. Gutman relates the history of the Maltese Falcon, then offers Spade his pick of $25,000 for the bird and another $25,000 after its sale, or a quarter of the proceeds from its sale .
What is the Maltese Falcon based on?
(1941 film) The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 American film noir written and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut, based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and indebted to the 1931 movie of the same name.
What is the director of photography for the Falcon?
Cinematography. Director of Photography Arthur Edeson used low-key lighting and arresting angles to emphasize the nature of the characters and their actions, such as the scene where Gutman explains the history of the Falcon to Spade, drawing out his story so that the knockout drops in Spade's drink will take effect.
Who is Captain Jacobi?
Captain Jacobi. Loyal to Brigid O’Shaughnessy, he is the captain of the La Paloma and brought the Maltese falcon from Hong Kong to San Francisco on his boat. He successfully brings the falcon to Sam Spade despite being shot, and dies on Sam’s office floor.
Who stole the falcon from Kemidov?
Casper Gutman’s employee, Cairo uses intimidation and deceit in his pursuit of the Maltese falcon. He, Floyd Thursby, and Brigid O’Shaughnessy worked together to steal the falcon from the Russian general Kemidov. Wearing… read analysis of Joel “Joe” Cairo.
Who is Samuel Spade's partner?
Samuel Spade’s partner who ends up dead after following Floyd Thursby. Archer is a forty-year-old subpar detective who is easily seduced by women.
Who is the shadows character in the movie?
Wilmer Cook. Another of Casper Gutman’s employees, Wilmer is the unnamed figure in the shadows who follows Sam Spade around San Francisco. Hot-tempered and quick to violence, Wilmer attempts to compensate for his young age and physical slightness with insults, big talk, and two large pistol.
Who played Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon?
The story told in The Maltese Falcon is an intricate one. Sam Spade (played by Humphrey Bogart) is a private detective in San Francisco. He and his partner, Miles Archer (Jerome Cowan), are hired for a large sum of money by a mysterious Miss Wonderly ( Mary Astor) for a seemingly minor case: to help her trail a man, Floyd Thursby, ...
Who filmed the Maltese Falcon?
The Maltese Falcon had already been filmed by Warner Brothers in 1931 and 1936, but Huston’s proto-film noir had the advantage of Huston as the screenwriter, Humphrey Bogart as the amoral private eye Sam Spade, Mary Astor as the immoral Brigid O’Shaughnessey, and Sydney Greenstreet…
What is the Maltese Falcon?
Full Article. The Maltese Falcon, American film noir, released in 1941, that was an adaptation by John Huston of Dashiell Hammett ’s famed 1930 hard-boiled -detective novel of the same name. The film, notable for its cast, crisp dialogue, and dramatic cinematography, was Huston’s directorial debut. Some have called The Maltese Falcon ...
When was the Maltese Falcon broadcast?
A radio version of The Maltese Falcon, starring Humphrey Bogart, Sidney Greenstreet, and Mary Astor, broadcast live on the Academy Award Theater radio show, July 3, 1946.
Who killed Archer in the movie?
Spade sends Archer to tail Thursby but later receives a call that Archer is dead, supposedly murdered by Thursby. Spade later learns that Thursby has also been killed. (Although accused of the crime, he has an alibi.)
Who is the man who was wounded in the ship?
Spade returns to his office, where a mortally wounded man—Jacoby, the ship’s captain—presents him with a package. Spade calls O’Shaughnessy, Cairo, and Gutman together to negotiate terms for the statue. He demands money and suggests that Wilmer take the fall for the murders of Archer, Thursby, and Jacoby .
Who plays Joel Cairo in Star Trek?
From Sidney Poitier to Star Trek, pack your bags and journey to Hollywood in this study of movie stars. Spade subsequently meets Joel Cairo ( Peter Lorre ), who asks for Spade’s help in locating a statue of a bird and then threatens him when he claims not to know anything about it.
Summary
Detective Sam Spade gets in over his head when becomes involved with three untrustworthy adventurers, all of whom competing against one another to be the first to obtain a fabled jewel-encrusted statuette in the shape of a falcon.
Plot
"In 1539 the Knight Templars of Malta, paid tribute to Charles V of Spain, by sending him a Golden Falcon encrusted from beak to claw with rarest jewels----- but pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese remains a mystery to this day---"
Summary
Detective Sam Spade gets in over his head when becomes involved with three untrustworthy adventurers, all of whom competing against one another to be the first to obtain a fabled jewel-encrusted statuette in the shape of a falcon.
Plot
In 1941 San Francisco, private eye Sam Spade and his partner Miles Archer are hired by a client named Ruth Wonderly who claims to be looking for her missing sister who is involved with a man named Floyd Thursby. Archer agrees to follow her that night and to help get her sister back.
The Maltese Falcon Movie Summary
Nominated for three Academy Awards, including "Best Picture," The Maltese Falcon is the film noir gem featuring Humphrey Bogart as San Francisco detective Sam Spade.
The Maltese Falcon Movie Plot
At the Spade and Archer investigator office in San Francisco, Samuel Spade is met by the lovely Miss Wonderly, who wishes to recruit him to locate her runaway sister.
Overview
Plot
In San Francisco, private investigator Sam Spade and his partner Miles Archer are approached by Ruth Wonderly to follow a man, Floyd Thursby, who allegedly ran off with her younger sister. The two accept the assignment because the money is good, even though they disbelieve her story.
Later that night, police detective Tom Polhaus informs Spade that Archer has been shot and killed while tailing Thursby, but Spade turns down the opportunity to examine the body at the scene. A…
Cast
• Bebe Daniels as Ruth Wonderly
• Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade
• Dudley Digges as Casper Gutman
• Una Merkel as Effie Perine
Production
The Maltese Falcon was not the first Hammett story to be adapted into a motion picture. Earlier stories by Hammett, Red Harvest (filmed in 1930 as Roadhouse Nights) and City Streets (1931), preceded it. Working titles for the film were All Women, A Woman of the World and Dangerous Female.
Principal photography took place from late January to early February 1931. Some scenes in the f…
Remakes
In 1935, Warner Bros. attempted to re-release the film, but were denied approval by the Production Code Office owing to the film's "lewd" content. This prompted Warner Bros. to produce a new version of the film, Satan Met a Lady, starring Bette Davis and Warren William directed by William Dieterle in 1936. Many elements of the story were changed, and the film was given a comedic tone. Ultimately, the film was widely panned; Davis herself referred to the film as "junk".
Reviews
• Photoplay, June 1931, p. 57.
External links
• The Maltese Falcon at the American Film Institute Catalog
• The Maltese Falcon at IMDb
• The Maltese Falcon at the TCM Movie Database
• The Maltese Falcon at AllMovie
Overview
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 American film noir written and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut, based on the 1930 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and indebted to the 1931 movie of the same name. It stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Sam Spade and Mary Astor as his femme fatale client. Gladys George, Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet co-star, with the …
Plot
In San Francisco in 1941, private investigators Sam Spade and Miles Archer meet prospective client Ruth Wonderly. She claims to be looking for her missing sister, who ran off from their home in New York and came to the city with a man named Floyd Thursby. Archer agrees to follow her that night and help get her sister back. However, later that night, Spade is awakened by a phone call from …
Cast
• Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade
• Mary Astor as Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O'Shaughnessy
• Gladys George as Iva Archer
• Peter Lorre as Joel Cairo
Production
Hammett had once worked as a private detective for the Pinkerton Detective Agency in San Francisco, and he used his birth name "Samuel" for the story's protagonist. He wrote of the book's main character in 1934:
Spade has no original. He is a dream man in the sense that he is what most of the private detectives I worked with would like to have been, and, in their cocki…
Reception
Following a preview in September 1941, Variety called it "one of the best examples of actionful and suspenseful melodramatic story telling in cinematic form":
Unfolding a most intriguing and entertaining murder mystery, picture displays outstanding excellence in writing, direction, acting and editing—combining in overall as a prize package of entertainment for widest audience appeal. Due for hefty grosses in all runs, it's textured with ingr…
Awards
The film received three nominations at the 14th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Sydney Greenstreet for Best Supporting Actor, and John Huston for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Proposed sequel and adaptations
In the wake of the film's success, Warner Bros. immediately put a sequel tentatively titled The Further Adventures of the Maltese Falcon into development. Huston was set to direct the sequel, with Jack Warner approaching Dashiel Hammett to write a screenplay. However, Huston and Bogart's high demand and the studio's inability to agree on a salary with Hammett caused the plans to be dropped.
Legacy
The Maltese Falcon has been cited among some to be the first true film noir, though this is heavily debated. Nonetheless, it did have an impacting influence on the industry. Its success launched the careers of Huston, Bogart, and Greenstreet, as well as help revitalize the career of Astor. Bogart would largely portray characters like Spade for the studio in several notable films, including Casablanca (1942) and The Big Sleep (1946).