Wikipedia

The Maltese Falcon(1941 film)

The Maltese Falconis a 1941 Americanfilm noirwritten and directed byJohn Huston[3]in his directorial debut. Based on the 1930 novelThe Maltese FalconbyDashiell Hammett,this remakes the 1931film of the same name.[4][5][6]

The Maltese Falcon
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Huston
Screenplay byJohn Huston
Based onThe Maltese Falcon
byDashiell Hammett
Starring
CinematographyArthur Edeson[N 1]
Edited byThomas Richards
Music byAdolph Deutsch
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release dates
  • October 3, 1941(1941-10-03)(New York City)
  • October 18, 1941(1941-10-18)(United States)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$375,000[2][N 2]
Box office$1.8 million[2]

StarringHumphrey Bogartas private investigatorSam Spade,Mary Astoras hisfemme fataleclient, andPeter LorreandSydney Greenstreetas villains, the film follows a life-and-death quest for a jewel-encrusted falcon statuette inSan Francisco.

The film premiered in New York City on 3 October 1941, and was an immediate success, eventually becoming one of the first 25 films selected by theLibrary of Congressto be included in theNational Film Registryas "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[7][8]

Plot

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"In 1539 the Knight Templars [sic] of Malta, paid tribute to Charles V of Spain, by sending him a Golden Falcon encrusted from beak to claw with rarest jewels—but pirates seized the galley carrying this priceless token and the fate of the Maltese Falcon remains a mystery to this day. "

—Introductory text appearing after the film's opening credits[9]

In San Francisco,private investigatorsSam Spadeand Miles Archer meet prospective client Ruth Wonderly. She claims to be looking for her missing sister, who ran off from their home in New York and came to the city with a man named Floyd Thursby. Archer agrees to help get her sister back. However, later that night, the police inform Spade that Archer has been killed. Spade tries calling his client at her hotel to discover she has checked out. Back at his apartment, he is grilled by police detective Tom Polhaus and Lieutenant Dundy, who tell him that Thursby was murdered the same evening. Dundy suggests that Spade had the opportunity and motive to kill Thursby, who likely killed Archer.

Later that morning, Spade meets Wonderly. Now calling herself Brigid O'Shaughnessy, she confesses that her story was made up. She convinces Spade to investigate the murders and also reveals that Thursby was her partner; she suspects he took advantage of her and killed Archer, but claims to have no idea who killed Thursby. At his office, Spade meets Joel Cairo, who offers him $5,000 to find a "black figure of a bird". When Spade is skeptical, Cairo pulls a gun on him and searches the room for it. Spade knocks Cairo out and goes through his belongings. When Cairo comes round, he hires Spade.

Gutman and Cairo meet with Spade.
Spade confronts O'Shaughnessy.

On his way to visit O'Shaughnessy later that evening, Spade is followed by a young man but manages to evade him. When he tells O'Shaughnessy about Cairo, her nervousness indicates she knows him. He arranges a meeting between the two at his apartment, where Cairo becomes agitated when O'Shaughnessy reveals that the "Fat Man" is in San Francisco. When Spade goes to Cairo's hotel in the morning, he spots Wilmer Cook, the young man who trailed him earlier. Wilmer works for Kasper Gutman, the "Fat Man". In his hotel suite, Gutman relates thehistory of the Maltese Falcon,then offers Spade his pick of either $25,000 for the statuette and another $25,000 after its sale, or a quarter of the proceeds from its sale.

Spade passes out because his drink is spiked. Wilmer and Cairo come in from another room and leave with Gutman. On coming round, Spade searches the suite and finds a newspaper with the arrival time of the freighterLa Palomacircled. He goes to the dock, only to find the ship on fire. Later, the ship's captain Jacoby is shot several times and staggers into Spade's office before dying. The bundle he was clutching contains the Maltese Falcon. O'Shaughnessy calls the office, gives an address, then screams before the line goes dead.

Spade stashes the package at the bus terminal, then goes to the address, which turns out to be an empty lot. Spade returns home to discover O'Shaughnessy hiding in a doorway. He takes her inside and finds Gutman, Cairo, and Wilmer waiting for him, guns drawn. Gutman gives Spade $10,000 for the Falcon, but Spade tells them that part of his price is someone he can turn over to the police for the murders of Thursby and Captain Jacoby, suggesting Wilmer. After some intense negotiation, Gutman and Cairo agree and Wilmer is knocked out and disarmed.

Just after dawn, Spade calls his secretary, Effie Perine, to bring him the bundle. However, when Gutman inspects the statuette, he finds it is a fake. Cairo lashes out at Gutman, and Wilmer escapes during the tumult. Recovering his composure, Gutman invites Cairo to return with him toIstanbulto continue their quest. After they leave, Spade calls the police and tells them where to pick up the pair. Spade then angrily confronts O'Shaughnessy, telling her he knows she killed Archer to implicate Thursby, her unwanted accomplice. She confesses, but begs Spade not to turn her over to the police. Despite his feelings for her, Spade gives O'Shaughnessy up. He submits the statuette as evidence, describing it as "the stuff that dreams are made of".

Cast

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A promotional still showing O'Shaughnessy and Cairo clashing in front of the police

Production

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The film's trailer

Background

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Hammett had once worked as a private detective for thePinkerton Detective Agencyin San Francisco, and he used his birth name "Samuel" for the story's protagonist. He wrote of the book's main character in 1934:

Spade has no original. He is a dream man in the sense that he is what most of the private detectives I worked with would like to have been, and, in their cockier moments, thought they approached.

Other characters inThe Maltese Falconwere based on people whom he met or worked with during that time.[10]The character of sinister "Fat Man" Kasper Gutman was based onMaundy Gregory,an overweight British detective-entrepreneur who was involved in many sophisticated endeavors and capers, including a search for a long-lost treasure like the jeweled Falcon.[11]The character of Joel Cairo was based on a criminal whom Hammett arrested for forgery inPasco, Washington,in 1920.[10]

The novel was serialized in five parts inBlack Maskduring 1929 and 1930 before being published in book form in 1930 byAlfred A. Knopf.Warner Bros. quickly bought the film rights of the novel, andmade an adaptationthe following year starringRicardo CortezandBebe Daniels.The film closely followed the novel, including its references to homosexuality and a scene of Spade strip-searching Wonderly for a missing $1,000 bill. These topics made the film unscreenable a few years later under theMotion Picture Production Code,who refused to grant the studio a certificate when they tried to re-release it in 1935. The studio remade the story as the more Code-friendlySatan Met a LadystarringBette DavisandWarren William.The film changed much of the novel's elements and became a comedy.[12][13]However, it was panned by critics and audiences alike, including Davis, who referred to it as "junk."

Pre-production

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During his preparation forThe Maltese Falcon,his directorial debut, John Huston planned each second of the film to the last detail, tailoring the screenplay with instructions to himself for a shot-for-shot setup, with sketches for every scene, so filming could proceed fluently and professionally.[14]Huston was adamant the film be methodically planned, thus ensuring the production maintained a tight schedule within their budget. It was shot quickly and completed for less than $400,000.[15]

Such was the extent and efficacy of Huston's preparation of the script that almost no line of dialogue was eliminated in the final edit.[16]Except for some exterior night shots, Huston shot the entire film in sequence,[17]which greatly helped his actors. Much of the dialogue from the original novel was retained. The only major section of the novel missing in the film is the story of a man named "Flitcraft", which Spade tells to Brigid while waiting in his apartment for Cairo to arrive.[18]

Huston removed all references to sex that the Hays Office had deemed to be unacceptable. He was also warned not to show excessive drinking. The director fought the latter, on the grounds that Spade was a man who put away a half bottle of hard liquor a day and showing him completely abstaining from alcohol would mean seriously falsifying his character.[11]

Casting

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Wilmer,the "gunsel"

Bogart was not the first choice to play Sam Spade; the role was originally offered toGeorge Raft.Raft rejected the role because he did not want to work with an inexperienced director, and had a stipulation in his contract from making remakes.[1]Huston was grateful that Bogart had quickly accepted the role and the film helped consolidate their lifelong friendship and set the stage for collaboration on other films. Bogart's convincing interpretation became the archetype for a private detective in thefilm noirgenre, providing him acclaim and solidifying his onscreen persona.Ingrid BergmanwatchedMaltese Falconover and over again while preparing forCasablancain order to learn how to interact and act with Bogart.[11]

Bergman,Joan Bennett,Geraldine Fitzgerald,Paulette Goddard,Janet Gaynor,Olivia de HavillandandLoretta Youngwere all considered for the role of Brigid. Fitzgerald was offered the part, but she turned it down.[1]Eve Ardenwas considered for the role of Effie.Lee Patrickwas initially considered for the role of Iva, but she later received the part of Effie.[1]Having difficulty casting Kasper Gutman, Huston screen-tested stage actorSydney Greenstreeton the suggestion of producer Hal Wallis. Greenstreet, who was 61 and weighed between 280 and 350 pounds, had not appeared on film before. However, he managed to impress Huston with his sheer size, distinctive abrasive laugh, bulbous eyes, and manner of speaking.[11]

Filming

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Principal photography took place on the Warner Bros. backlot from June 9 to July 18, 1941, with some reshoots on August 8.[1]Following a preview screening on September 5, studio headJack L. Warnerordered reshoots to simplify the opening scene. These reshoots took place on September 10 withErnest Halleras cinematographer, since original cinematographerArthur Edesonwas unavailable.[1]

Cinematography

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Director of photography Arthur Edeson, who had a background that includedUniversal's monster films,used low-key lighting and arresting angles to emphasize the nature of the characters and their actions, such as the scene where Gutman explains the history of the Falcon to Spade, drawing out his story so that the knockout drops in Spade's drink will take effect.[11]Roger Ebertdescribes this scene as "an astonishing unbroken seven-minute take",[19]and script supervisor Meta Wilde remarked of this scene:

It was an incredible camera setup. We rehearsed two days. The camera followed Greenstreet and Bogart from one room into another, then down a long hallway and finally into a living room; there the camera moved up and down in what is referred to as a boom-up and boom-down shot, then panned from left to right and back to Bogart's drunken face; the next pan shot was to Greenstreet's massive stomach from Bogart's point of view.... One miss and we had to begin all over again.[20]

Props

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Fred Sexton(right) andThe Maltese FalcondirectorJohn Huston,c.1960

Fred Sexton,an American artist, sculpted the Maltese Falcon statuette prop for the film.[21]The "Maltese Falcon" itself was based on the "Kniphausen Hawk",[citation needed]a ceremonial pouring vessel made in 1697 for Georg Wilhelm von Kniphausen, Count of the Holy Roman Empire. It is modeled after a hawk perched on a rock and is encrusted with red garnets, amethysts, emeralds, and sapphires. It is currently owned by theCavendish family[22]and is part of the collection atChatsworth House.[23]

Several 11.5-inch (29 cm) tall falcon props were made for the film. One of the falcons was given to actorWilliam Conradby studio chiefJack L. Warner;it was auctioned in December 1994 for $398,500,[24]the highest price paid for a film prop at that time.[25]A 45-pound metal prop that appeared in the film was sold at auction on November 25, 2013, for over $4 million.[26]

Reception

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Critical

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A model of the Maltese Falcon

Following a preview in September 1941,Varietycalled it "one of the best examples of actionful and suspenseful melodramatic story telling in cinematic form":

Unfolding a most intriguing and entertaining murder mystery, picture displays outstanding excellence in writing, direction, acting and editing—combining in overall as a prize package of entertainment for widest audience appeal. Due for hefty grosses in all runs, it's textured with ingredients presaging numerous holdovers in the keys—and strong word-of-mouth will make the b.o. wickets spin.[27]

Upon its release,Bosley Crowtherdescribed it as "the best mystery thriller of the year", saying "young Mr. Huston gives promise of becoming one of the smartest directors in the field"; according to Crowther, "the trick which Mr. Huston has pulled is a combination of American ruggedness with the suavity of the English crime school—a blend of mind and muscle—plus a slight touch of pathos".[13]The widely readtrade paperThe Film Dailyagreed with Crowther's assessment of the film and focused special attention as well on Huston's directorial debut. In its 1941 review of the "beautifully made" production, the paper asserted: "John Huston's direction of his own screenplay is as brilliant as any of the jewels which are alleged to encrust the falcon whose possession is the crux of the story".[28]

As a measure of modern or more current reactions to the film, thereview-aggregationwebsiteRotten TomatoesreportsThe Maltese Falconholds an approval rating of 99% based on 106 reviews, with an average rating of 9.20/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Suspenseful, labyrinthine, and brilliantly cast,The Maltese Falconis one of the most influential noirs—as well as a showcase for Humphrey Bogart at his finest. "[29]OnMetacritic,the film has a weighted average score of 97 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[30]It is a part ofRoger Ebert's seriesThe Great Moviesand was cited byPanorama du Film Noir Américainas the first major film noir.[19][31]

Box office

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According to Warner Bros.' records the film earned $967,000 domestically and $805,000 foreign.[2]

Honors and nominations

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For the14th Academy Awards,it was nominated forBest Picture,Greenstreet was nominated forBest Supporting Actor,and Huston forBest Adapted Screenplay.

It was one of the first 25 films selected by theLibrary of Congressfor inclusion in theNational Film Registryas "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

TheAmerican Film Instituteincluded it and a quote in the following lists:

Proposed sequel and adaptations

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In the wake of the film's success, Warner Bros. immediately put a sequel tentatively titledThe Further Adventures of the Maltese Falconinto development. Huston was set to direct the sequel, with Jack Warner approachingDashiel Hammettto write a screenplay. However, Huston and Bogart's high demand and the studio's inability to agree on a salary with Hammett caused the plans to be dropped.[1][11]

The film was adapted for radio several times. The first was for theSilver Theaterbroadcast on theCBSradio network on February 1, 1942, with Bogart as star.[32]Philip Morris Playhousestaged an adaptation August 14, 1942, withEdward Arnoldstarring.[33]CBS later created a 30-minute adaptation forThe Screen Guild Theaterwith Bogart, Astor, Greenstreet and Lorre all reprising their roles. This radio segment was originally released on September 20, 1943, and was played again on July 3, 1946.[34]

Notes

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  1. ^Ernest Hallerdid reshoots for the opening scene.[1]
  2. ^TheAmerican Film Instituteclaims the budget was $381,000.[1]

References

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  1. ^abcdefgh"The Maltese Falcon (1941)".American Film Institute.RetrievedFebruary 22,2022.
  2. ^abcWarner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1,Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television,(1995) 15:sup 1, 1–31 p. 22doi:10.1080/01439689508604551
  3. ^"The Maltese Falcon".Turner Classic Movies.RetrievedSeptember 24,2024.
  4. ^Hammett, Dashiell(1992).The Maltese Falcon.New York City: Vintage Crime/Black Lizard.ISBN978-0679722649.
  5. ^"The Maltese Falcon".Variety.September 30, 1941. p. 9.RetrievedJanuary 6,2020.
  6. ^Harrison's Reportsfilm review; October 4, 1941, p. 159.
  7. ^"Entertainment: Film Registry Picks First 25 Movies".Los Angeles Times.Washington, D.C.September 19, 1989.RetrievedApril 22,2020.
  8. ^"Complete National Film Registry".Library of Congress.
  9. ^Luhr, William (1995).The Maltese Falcon.Dir. John Huston. Rutgers Films in Print. New Brunswick: Rutgers UP. p. 27.ISBN978-0813522371.RetrievedAugust 5,2010.
  10. ^abIntroduction toThe Maltese Falcon(1934 edition)
  11. ^abcdefMills, Michael (1998)."The Maltese Falcon".Palace Classic Films.moderntimes. Archived fromthe originalon January 26, 2007.RetrievedFebruary 17,2008.
  12. ^Huston, John (1980).An Open Book.New York: Alfred A. Knopf. p.78.ISBN978-0394404653.
  13. ^abCrowther, Bosley(October 4, 1941)."'The Maltese Falcon', a Fast Mystery-Thriller With Quality and Charm, at the Strand ".The New York Times.RetrievedNovember 15,2011.
  14. ^Behlmer, Rudy(1990).Behind the Scenes: The Making of...Hollywood: Samuel French. p. 144.ISBN978-0573606007.
  15. ^Thompson, David (2017).Warner Bros: The Making of an American Movie Studio.New Haven; London: Yale University Press.
  16. ^Huston decided that the final scene of the novel (and the script), wherein Spade disgustedly returns to Iva Archer, would not be filmed. Huston believed the film should end the way it was, thus making Spade's character more honorable as the story progressed.Lax, Eric.Audio commentaryfor Disc One of the 2006 three-disc DVD special edition ofThe Maltese Falcon.
  17. ^Behlmer, p. 145.
  18. ^"Hammett: The Flitcraft Story".Ed Fitzgerald's Unfutz.November 29, 2006.
  19. ^abEbert, Roger(May 13, 2001)."The Maltese Falcon (1941)".Chicago Sun-Times.RetrievedDecember 8,2020– via rogerebert.
  20. ^Grobel, Lawrence (2014).The Hustons.New York: Shyhorse.ISBN978-1629142890.RetrievedJanuary 6,2020.
  21. ^"Interview with Michele Fortier, Daughter of Maltese Falcon Prop Artist Fred Sexton".YouTube. September 4, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on November 17, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 19,2013.
  22. ^"Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art to exhibit one of England's most famous private collections".Bellagio.January 18, 2004. Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2012.RetrievedOctober 30,2011– viaPR Newswire.
  23. ^Nikkhah, Roya (February 27, 2010)."Treasures of Chatsworth House Unveiled Derbyshire's grand dame of a stately home shines forth after a glamorous £15million top-to-toe overhaul".The Daily Telegraph.Archivedfrom the original on January 12, 2022.RetrievedJanuary 6,2020.
  24. ^"Maltese Falcon Prop Sells For $398,500 At Auction".Orlando Sentinel.December 7, 1994.
  25. ^Burrough, Bryan."The Mystery of the Maltese Falcon, One of the Most Valuable Movie Props in History".Vanity Fair.RetrievedFebruary 1,2018.
  26. ^"'Maltese Falcon' Bird Statuette Sold for More Than $4 Million ".PBS.PBS NewsHour.November 25, 2013.RetrievedJanuary 6,2020.
  27. ^"The Maltese Falcon".Variety.September 30, 1941.RetrievedSeptember 24,2024.
  28. ^"The Maltese Falcon".The Film Daily.New York City. September 30, 1941. p.8.RetrievedJanuary 13,2019.
  29. ^"The Maltese Falcon".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedNovember 16,2022.
  30. ^"The Maltese Falcon Reviews".Metacritic.RetrievedAugust 16,2020.
  31. ^Sklar, Robert(1993).Film: An International History of the Medium.New York: Prentice Hall. p. 305.ISBN978-0130340498.RetrievedJanuary 6,2020.
  32. ^"On KFAB".The Lincoln Star.February 1, 1942. p. 32.RetrievedMarch 31,2015– viaNewspapers.
  33. ^"Arnold Is Playhouse Guest Star".Harrisburg Telegraph.August 8, 1942. p. 25.RetrievedAugust 18,2015– via Newspapers.
  34. ^Terrace, Vincent (September 2, 2015).Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of Over 1800 Shows.Jefferson, NC: McFarland.ISBN978-1476605289.
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