50 years ago: The Maltese Falcon, which Roger Ebert said spawned film noir, was released

The Maltese Falcon Released: October 3, 1941 Studio: Warner Bros. Genre: film noir/mystery Box Office (numbers in millions): Domestic: 0.97 Worldwide: 1.77 Adjusted for Inflation: Domestic: 187.1 Worldwide: 272.1

Directing: John Huston Screenwriting: John Huston Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook, Gladys George Review: Many critics hails this as “one of the greatest detective films ever made.” VD It “improves with each viewing.” LM “Critic Roger Ebert said “this is the movie that spawned film noir.” MSN He said it laid the groundwork for the genre that celebrated “mean streets, knife-edged heroes, dark shadows and tough dames.” MSN John Huston was 29 years old when he helmed The Maltese Falcon, his directorial debut. He also scripted the movie, based on Dashiel Hammett crime novel about “hard-boiled private detective” FS Sam Space (Bogart). The story “moves at lightning pace, with cameo by his father Walter Huston as Captain Jacobi.” LM Spade is hired by Brigid O’Shaugnessy (Astor), the “mysterious femme fatale” A98 to scour the streets of “a claustrophobic San Francisco” FS in search of the titular priceless bird statue. He must evade “greedy and duplicitous characters” FS such as “the gardenia-perfumed Mr. Cairo (Lorre), the scheming, jovially-sinister Fat Man (Greenstreet), and an effete gunsel Wilmer (Cook).” FS Sources: A98 American Film Institute (1998). “AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Movies” A07 American Film Institute (2007). “AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies – 10th Anniversary Edition” FS Filmsite.org “100 Greatest Films” LM Leonard Maltin “100 Must-See Films of the 20th Century” MSN MSN Entertainment (7/19/2018). “100 Best Movies” by Shahnaz Mahmud VD Video Detective (1997). “Top 100 Films of All Time”

Awards/Honors/Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Lists: Dave’s Movie Database Genre Lists: Awards: Oscars: Wins: 0 Nominations: 3 – Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Greenstreet), and Best Screenplay Other Lists/Honors: Critics’ Picks: Roger Ebert Leonard Maltin First posted 6/2/2023.