"The Maltese Pigeon" extensively spoofs the Dashiell Hammett novel "The Maltese Falcon," written in the 1920s and filmed at least 3 times. The character Maureen O'Reilly is an analog of the novel's Bridget O'Shaughnessy, while Jasper Stoutman represents Casper Gutman. Noel Sphinx is named for Joel Cairo, although his role in the plot is wholly different. (Gutman and Cairo were equally villainous gang bosses allied to each other, while Sphinx is a nice boy who wants to protect his people's culture.)