About

The prototypical film noir, The Maltese Falcon contains so much of what is seductive and iconic about the genre – an unscrupulous detective, a supporting ensemble of unsavoury crooks with questionable motives, high-paced droll quips, and an oozing sense of cool. In his first top-billed role, Humphrey Bogart immediately earned himself a place in the Hollywood pantheon with his classically cool performance as hardboiled P.I. Sam Spade. His search for the ultimate MacGuffin – a statuette of the titular Falcon – leads him down a shady path of increasing danger from his rivals who want it just as badly. Although this adaptation of a Dashiell Hammett novel was John Huston's directorial debut, he didn't waste time playing it safe: scenes are filled with striking camera angles, inventive lighting set-ups, and a permeating sense of tension. The Maltese Falcon is a classic of the genre and helped set the tone for noir cinema for decades to come.