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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Dashiell Hammett (novel)
John Huston (screenplay)
Release Date:
18 October 1941 (USA) more
Tagline:
It's thrilling . . . it's chilling . . . it's the most baffling mystery story in years ! more
Plot:
A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 1 win more
NewsDesk:
(16 articles)
AFI's 100 Years ...100 Movie Quotes
(From Extra. 4 November 2009, 4:45 AM, PST)
Weekly DVD & Blu-Ray Chopping List 10/27/2009
(From Fangoria. 24 October 2009, 10:01 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
One of the Most Entertaining Films of Its Kind more (226 total)
Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Humphrey Bogart | ... | Sam Spade | |
| Mary Astor | ... | Brigid O'Shaughnessy | |
| Gladys George | ... | Iva Archer | |
| Peter Lorre | ... | Joel Cairo | |
| Barton MacLane | ... | Det. Lt. Dundy | |
| Lee Patrick | ... | Effie Perine | |
| Sydney Greenstreet | ... | Kasper Gutman | |
| Ward Bond | ... | Det. Tom Polhaus | |
| Jerome Cowan | ... | Miles Archer | |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | ... | Wilmer Cook | |
| James Burke | ... | Luke | |
| Murray Alper | ... | Frank Richman | |
| John Hamilton | ... | District Attorney Bryan |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Gent from Frisco (USA) (working title)
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
101 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Certification:
Australia:G (TV rating) | UK:A (original rating) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | UK:PG (video rating) | Spain:T | Iceland:L | West Germany:16 (nf) | New Zealand:PG | South Korea:12 (2003) | Brazil:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:16 (1945) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate #7457)
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Sydney Greenstreet's first on-screen appearance. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Spade gets the drop on Joel Cairo, grabbing Cairo's gun hand. As the gun drops to the floor it falls to Cairo's left side. On the close-up the gun lands near Cairo's right shoe. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Sam Spade:
Yes, sweetheart?
Effie Perine:
There's a girl wants to see you. Her name's Wonderly.
Sam Spade:
A customer?
Effie Perine:
I guess so. You'll want to see her anyway. She's a knockout.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Game Plan (2007) more
FAQ
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERSWhat is a "gunsel"?
more
more (226 total)
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With a fine combination of cast, characters, story, and atmosphere, this classic is one of the most entertaining films of its kind, enjoyable even after several viewings. It gets you right into the action and introduces you to a list of interesting personalities, who mesh together nicely and who are also matched well with the cast members. Beyond that, it's also effective as a character study involving greed, trust and distrust, and conflicting ethics.
Sam Spade is an ideal role for Bogart, giving him plenty to work with and some very good dialogue as well. Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet are very entertaining, providing suitable foils for Bogart, and they really take the film up a notch. The rest of the cast also works well (worth mentioning is Elisha Cook, Jr., whose character doesn't do a lot, but who provides Bogart with some very amusing moments at his expense). The story is nicely adapted from the novel, and each scene is constructed well, with everything moving along nicely from start to finish.
If you are a fan of either film noir or mysteries, make this a must-see. There are very few films that work as well as "The Maltese Falcon".