
The Maltese Falcon
1941, Crime/Drama, 1h 40m
108 Reviews 50,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
Suspenseful, labyrinthine, and brilliantly cast, The Maltese Falcon is one of the most influential noirs -- as well as a showcase for Humphrey Bogart at his finest. Read critic reviews
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Cast & Crew
Sam Spade
Brigid O'Shaughnessy
Joel Cairo
Iva Archer
Det. Lt. Dundy
Kasper Gutman
Critic Reviews for The Maltese Falcon
Audience Reviews for The Maltese Falcon
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Jul 19, 2020John Huston is on that short list of directors whose first effort resulted in an iconic film. If you're a movie lover this is one you must watch because it's the stuff that dreams a made of.Aldo G Super Reviewer
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Apr 06, 2016Tough and gritty, the film noir classic The Maltese Falcon from 1941 has a fantastic cast, led by Humphrey Bogart in the role of hardboiled detective Sam Spade. A dame played by, whoops, a woman played by Mary Astor shows up in his office looking for a guy, but for reasons she's not being truthful about. A couple of murders later, Bogart comes to understand she and others are searching for a priceless antique, a statue of a falcon (from Malta, naturally). Bogart must navigate the waters between the police, who suspect him, the various tough guys, one of whom is the fantastic Peter Lorrie, and Mary Astor's character, who he's attracted to, but knows he cannot trust. Along the way, he'll blow smoke in a guy's face, take and give punches, and deliver several good lines, my favorites of which were "When I slap you, you'll take it and like it", and of course, the last one, in response to being asked what the falcon statue was, saying it's "the stuff dreams are made of". It's regarded as a classic, but for me it's good-not-great. I think one of the issues is the connection to Astor, I didn't see any real chemistry between the two of them, rendering a couple of the scenes false. It's certainly worth watching though.
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Nov 13, 2014Great film. Good performance by Bogart -- actually, good performances all around -- along with great direction and lighting, as well as the music. Bogart really fits the detective role here, with an ending that really is hard-hitting. Might grow on me if I see it again -- between a 4 and a 4.5 for me.Kyle M Super Reviewer
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Jul 13, 2014It is uneven, and dips in energy mid-way through, however the mystery and well-delivered one-liners make The Maltese Falcon a mostly enjoyable watch.Matthew Samuel M Super Reviewer
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