Maltese Falcon

I get the idea that Bogart in this movie is what men dream of being: resourceful, able to handle any situation, tough, tells policemen and district attorneys where to get off, and handles women however he pleases.

I liked it very much. Captivating. Unpredictable. Highly recommended. Not the tipical Bogart, though

A ground-breaking movie in it's time. The detective film like sci-fi and horror were not considered proper subjects for "A" films. This movie with a small budget manages to assemble a fine cast and story and extracts the best from all. Bogey and Greenstreet play off one another perfectly. The rest of the cast supports the main players very well.

I always knew this was one of the greats but didn't see it until later in life. What surprised me was that it was so funny and witty in a cheeky kind of way. I forget what it was called but there is a name for that overwrought style of acting they used back then. This movie seemed to break that rule a bit. I wonder if it was considered controversial or groundbreaking in it's time.

Released in 1941, John Huston made his directorial debut with The Maltese Falcon. The film essentially set the benchmark for film noir and is still studied in film schools. For the uninitiated, the mysterious, femme fatale Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Mary Astor) shows up at the Spade & Archer detective agency. Archer gets killed while on the case, and Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) is out to find out what happened. Eventually, Spade uncovers a plot to acquire the Maltese Falcon, a lost historical relic. Bogart is supported by a cast a great character actors including Sydney Greenstreet as the primary nemesis Kasper Gutman the Fat Man and Peter Lorre as the exotic Joel Cairo. In film noir, ethics and morality is relative, and this is clear from Bogart's portrayal of Spade, as money, women, and loyalty to his dead partner are his primary motivations; however, Spade is a saint compared to his clients and others with whom he must deal. The bottom line is that The Maltese Falcon is a must see... Read more

A truly great masterpiece. A great cast, crackerjack script, sharp, witty and edgy dialogue. It is Bogart's second best performance after Rick Blaine. Amazing debut of Sydney Greenstreet who isn't 2nd to Bogart in performance, he's equal to him, and at times maybe even better. A brilliant film noir classic.

One of Bogart's finest performances, in a superb cast, with a great script. Bogart's portrayal of Spade is precise, humourous and violent.

Overrated. Not nearly as enjoyable as other Bogart films.

John Huston truly was great. This is his FIRST film, and it is one of the all-time classic masterpieces of the screen. Humphrey Bogart in the role that made him a star (yes, there was once a time where he wasn't the most famous face that was ever on a movie screen). A great cast of supporting characters. Scratch that, an UNFORGETTABLE cast of supporting characters. A weasly, sleazy criminal (Peter Lorre), a talkative fat man (Sydney Greenstreet), his rodent-like henchman (Elisha Cook Jr.), and a mysterious woman (Mary Astor) who turns out to be more dangerous than she actually is. A must-see for all movie fans. A movie that straddles the great divide between "movie" and "cultural moment".

A tremendous "film noir" thriller,another must-see Bogey classic(here he's private detective Sam Spade enmeshed in a tale of intrigue and deception involving a precious statuette),and surely director John Huston's finest moment.A cast and dark atmosphere to relish and a memorable sting in the tail:"The stuff that dreams are made of"?Not far off.For me,Casablanca and The Big Sleep are better still.

Sadly overrated, I think. While it does benefit from a stellar cast, and it is somewhat entertaining THE MALTESE FALCON is none too impressive, if you ask me. Sorry folks, but it ain't the stuff dreams are made of!

This is so sharp and clever! Sam Spade is a hardboiled hero, and the villians are wonderful "types" as well as convincing in their meanness, stupidity, and conniving. And what a final series of twists!

Classic movie with Humphrey Bogart. The suspense, the plot make this an old black and white film classic. I love the movie. It keeps you guessing and when you thought the main character was doomed he found a way to prevail.

This movie is a great example of classical movie, mystery, full of intrigue and last second guessing. A classic movie must.