The son of famous detective Sam Spade carries on the family tradition of getting involved with the Maltese Falcon - and with the people who will stop at nothing, including murder, to get it.
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Title: The Black Bird (1975)
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Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| George Segal | ... | Sam Spade Jr. | |
| Stéphane Audran | ... | Anna Kemidov | |
| Lionel Stander | ... | Gordon Immerman | |
| Lee Patrick | ... | Effie | |
| Elisha Cook Jr. | ... | Wilmer Cook | |
| Felix Silla | ... | Litvak | |
| Signe Hasso | ... | Dr. Crippen | |
| John Abbott | ... | DuQuai | |
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Connie Kreski | ... | Decoy Girl |
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Titus Napoleon | ... | Hawaiian Thug |
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Harry Kenoi | ... | Hawaiian Thug |
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Howard Jeffrey | ... | Kerkorian |
| Ken Swofford | ... | Brad McCormack | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| John Alderman | ... | Patron in Ballroom | |
| Eumenio Blanco | ... | Hernadez | |
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Storyline
After the death of private detective Sam Spade, his son, Sam Spade Jr. (who only knew his father very briefly) is forced to inherit his San Francisco detective agency, much to his chagrin. He also must keep his father's sarcastic secretary, Effie Perrine ("Godzilla"), and must continue his father's tradition of "serving minorities". One day, an obese man named Caspar Gutman is killed just outside Spade's building, his last words being "It's black and as long as your arm". Later on, Spade is given an offer by a member of the Order of St. John's Hospital to purchase his father's useless copy of the Maltese Falcon. A right-wing thug named Gordon Immerman (Spade calls him "Andrew Jackson" after he gave Spade his "calling card", a bill), has been hired to make sure Spade delivers the bird, but he quickly warms to the detective, although the feeling is not mutual. Later on, he gets an offer from a Wilmer Cook, but before they can negotiate, he is killed. Shortly thereafter, he encounters a ... Written by Joel Cairo
Plot Keywords:
private investigator | year 1975 | search for lost object | open ending | neo noir |Taglines:
Why is everyone after George Segal's bird? See more »Parents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
15 April 1976 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Czarny ptak See more »Company Credits
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1.85 : 1Frequently Asked Questions
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I love this movie. It's filled with little gems that can only be appreciated with repeated viewings.
"I'll see the first person with a 10 dollar bill in his hand--and that's cash, we're not taking' food stamps anymore."
"What is this?" "What do you mean 'What is this?'--this is the Maltese Falcon!" "I'll give you $14.95 for it." "Why is it always $14.95? Why can't it be $15, at least a round figure?" "Would you like a round figure?" "Yes, I would." "Fourteen dollars." "Come on, its gotta be worth more than that." "It is. It's worth $14.95."
"It's open and shut: the girl wandered into the building by accident and he threw her down the shaft. Now, it could have happened that way!"
"Dsemboweled?" "They take a large knife and--" "I know what that is!"
"There's no use spilling milk on a dead horse."
"It is mine because I deserve it. Mine because I have killed for it and will kill again for it. Mine because I have spent thirty years in pursuit of it. It is mine because I have the means, the determination, and most of all the power to have it. It is mine because I want it!" "Look, if it's yours what do you need with me?"
"Litvak will kill her (Effie)!" "It's bad luck to talk about these things before they happen."
"Litvak, you get a lot of bad press, but I gotta tell you you're aces with me. This is the best day I've had in a year!"
"Nonsense, no one is always wrong." "I am."
"Gordon Immerman, but you can still call me Andrew Jackson if you want to."