Overview
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Release Date:
18 October 1941 (USA)
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Tagline:
It's thrilling . . . it's chilling . . . it's the most baffling mystery story in years !
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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.
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Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars.
Another 1 win
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User Comments:
A classic with good reason
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Crew verified as complete
Additional Details
Also Known As:
The Gent from Frisco (USA) (working title)
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Runtime:
101 min
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Sound System)
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Filming was completed in two months at a cost of less than $300,000.
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Goofs:
Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Spade refers to the gun as an automatic, yet he is shown a revolver. The gun shown is a Webley-Fosbery automatic. This was a revolver that used the recoil of the shot to turn the cylinder and re-cock the weapon. It was very well made, but susceptible to dirt and fouling and so, as Spade said, "They don't make 'em anymore". However, it was made in two versions, a six-shot .455 and an eight-shot .38, so it can't actually be an eight-shot .45 as Spade says it is.
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FAQ
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
What is a "gunsel"?
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While there are films that are considered classic for their technical achievements and classics that resound with audiences for a feel-good emotion, The Maltese Falcon stands in that group that is a classic for every aspect of its creative makeup. With a brilliant script, talented direction and some outstanding performances, The Maltese Falcon stands up today as well as it did upon release.
When Sam Spade -- played brilliantly by Humphrey Bogart -- and his partner Archer are hired to tail a rich eccentric by a woman who claims her sister is being unwittingly kept separated from her by the rich eccentric, it seems like just another case. But when Archer and the eccentric are gunned down and all fingers point to Sam Spade for conflicting yet damning reasons, Spade is thrown into a whirlwind of deceptions that all point in one direction: a Maltese statue of a falcon.
Bogart demonstrates clearly why he is one of the great classic actors of the 20th century, and indeed one of the most natural screen actors ever. His charisma, charm and intense masculine looks give him a presence that simply dominates the screen. With a host of other great talents to fill the screen, there is not a moment of wasted performance. The direction is tight and driving and the pacing never lets up. And the script demonstrates why there are less and less truly great films being released in present day: the writers and directors of the golden age of cinema knew that subtlety works ten times more effectively than the modern in-your-face all-the-time works.
The Maltese Falcon is a timeless work that deserves its place in the list of greatest films ever made.