John Huston‘s The Maltese Falcon ranks as one of the greatest film noirs of time, noted for its exceptional story and array of stunning performances by an all-star cast. Originally made in 1931, the 1941 version stars Humphrey Bogart as Dashiell Hammett‘s infamous private eye, Sam Spade, who is hired by a mysterious woman (Mary Astor) to find her sister, who she believes has run off. As Spade begins his investigation, trouble ensues and the San Francisco gumshoe soon finds himself entangled with a group of seedy characters who are all in search of a priceless jewel-encrusted statue known as the Maltese Falcon.
Today, The Maltese Falcon continues to be a favorite among classic film fans and, while it reigns as a top-tier film noir, there’s no denying that it is the best detective film noir. Qualities such as Huston’s detailed portrait of Hammett’s finest contribution to the hardboiled detective novels, Bogie’s immense influence on the quintessential private eye, and Astor’s unsuspecting femme fatale, are just a few reasons why The Maltese Falcon is the best detective noir film of all time.
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The Original Story by Dashiell Hammett
Hammett is the notorious author of hard-boiled detective novels.
The Maltese Falcon is an adaptation of the 1930 novel of the same name written by American writer, Dashiell Hammett, who is credited as a pinnacle force behind establishing the standard of the hard-boiled detective novel and, later, a major influence on the film noir genre. Several of Hammett’s novels, including The Glass Key and The Thin Man, have been adapted for the silver screen, but The Maltese Falcon essentially laid the foundation for the definitive detective noir classic.
…The Maltese Falcon is considered to be his finest work of fiction, celebrated for its ingenious mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and memorable characters…
Out of all of Hammett’s novels, The Maltese Falcon is considered to be his finest work of fiction, celebrated for its ingenious mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and memorable characters, notably Sam Spade, who set the bar for the ideal hard-boiled private eye. With Hammett’s expertise and impact on both the literary and film genres and his story’s timeless legacy, it’s safe to say that Hammett’s original story is a vital reason why The Maltese Falcon is the best classic detective noir.
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The Cinematography
Monster movies meet film noir.
The film’s director of photography, Arthur Edeson, had previously worked on several of Universal Studios’ monster movies and his innovative use of low-lighting and striking angel shots surpassed the traditional techniques of noir cinematography. Edeson’s work on The Maltese Falcon is some of the best cinematography in any film noir. His vision varied from expectations by heavily focusing on shots that emphasized the character’s moods and motivations in a scene rather than the overall setting.
His vision varied from expectations by heavily focusing on shots that emphasized the character’s moods and motivations…
One scene in particular that demonstrates Edeson’s keen and detailed-oriented eye is when Sydney Greenstreet‘s character is telling Sam Spade about the origins of the Maltese Falcon. As the camera follows the actors for several uninterrupted minutes, the shot of Spade begins to blur, visually correlating with the drug that Greenstreet’s character had slipped into his drink, taking effect, ultimately inciting an immersive and rare experience for the audience.
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Mary Astor
The unassuming femme fatale.
When it comes to the basic blueprint of a femme fatale, people generally think of a blonde bombshell who has an undeniable dangerous allure, but Mary Astor’s performance as Ruth Wonderly/Brigid O’Shaughnessy goes against the traditional archetype, and instead conceals her character’s nefarious motivations with a veil of sophistication and naivety that makes her an unpredictable player in The Maltese Falcon.
Astor’s performance in The Maltese Falcon serves as proof that looks can be deceiving…
Behind her modest attire and oblivious demeanor lies a deadly dame who is more than willing to go to extreme lengths to get what she wants, even if that means committing cold-blooded murder. Astor’s performance in The Maltese Falcon serves as proof that looks can be deceiving and, while she may not be a smoke show with undeniable sex appeal, her character’s mastery of manipulation and skilled theatrics not only make her more of a threat than the traditional femme fatale, but also a vital reason why The Maltese Falcon is the ultimate detective film noir.
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Peter Lorre
A signature figure of film noir.
Known for his devious characters and distinct voice, Peter Lorre is an icon of classic cinema and a pivotal figure in the film noir genre. Prior to The Maltese Falcon, Lorre had made a name for himself in the world of noir, notably with his early and one of his most famous roles in Fritz Lang’s proto-noir, M, and starring as the lead in Stranger on the Third Floor, which many cite as the first official film noir.
Lorre’s performance as Cairo makes his character one that audiences love to hate.
According to John Huston’s autobiography, An Open Book, the director cast Lorre in The Maltese Falcon as Joel Cairo due to his combination of appearing to be both sophisticated and clueless at the same time. Lorre’s performance as Cairo makes his character one that audiences love to hate. While he is blatantly pompous and self-serving, he lacks commitment to his charade and eventually lets his emotions get the best of him, which generates some level of empathy from audiences.
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Sydney Greenstreet
A fitting noir villain.
Sydney Greenstreet was a prominent stage star who made his feature film debut in The Maltese Falcon as the epitome of a sly and tactful noir villain, Kasper Gutman. Most villains in film noir movies are physically obvious tough guys or the run-of-the-mill wiseguy, but Greenstreet delivers a one-of-a-kind villain whose worldliness and charisma make him a rather polished antagonist for a detective melodrama.
…Greenstreet delivers a one-of-a-kind villain whose worldliness and charisma make him a rather polished antagonist for a detective melodrama.
Greenstreet’s performance earned him his first Academy Award nomination as well as a contract with Warner Brothers. Like Astor’s character, Gutman doesn’t initially appear to be a menacing character and is far from the audience’s expectations of a film noir villain, but Greenstreet brilliantly hides his character’s true nature with a prestigious mask of false integrity and wealth that makes Gutman a more than worthy advisory. Greenstreet’s performance is without question a main highlight of The Maltese Falcon and clearly another reason why the film is the best of the best in the detective film noir genre.
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Humphrey Bogart
He set the standard for the private eye of noir.
Hollywood icon, Humphrey Bogart, is the definition of cinematic class and his performance in The Maltese Falcon ultimately established the style and demeanor of the classic private eye, cementing Bogie as a prolific star of the film noir genre. At the time, Bogie was in the process of proving his potential as a leading man to studio head, Jack Warner, and the massive success of The Maltese Falcon skyrocketed Bogie’s career to unprecedented heights and established him as a major box office draw.
Bogie portrays Spade as an observant force who plays his cards close to the chest, never saying more than what needs to be said.
Even though Bogart played several other private detectives, notably Raymond Chandler‘s Philip Marlowe, his performance as Spade has an intriguing blend of grit and smoothness that sets it apart from the others. Bogie portrays Spade as an observant force who plays his cards close to the chest, never saying more than what needs to be said. Bogie’s performance is considered by many to be one of the star’s greatest of all time and, although he’s no stranger to the film noir genre, his role as Spade is universally recognized as his most famous.
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John Huston
He was a monumental influence on classic film noir.
The Maltese Falcon marked the directorial debut of visionary filmmaker, John Huston, who had already established himself as a promising young screenwriter with Warner Bros. After convincing the studio to allow him to take on the director’s chair, Huston took full advantage of the opportunity, planning every second of the film down to the finest detail and including sketches of scenes as well as instructions in his screenplay for a shot-for-shot setup.
…The Maltese Falcon is regarded as one of Huston’s most famous and, considering the film’s timeless legacy and significant influence…
Huston’s hardwork and diligent planning paid off and the immense success of The Maltese Falcon not only marked a major milestone in Huston’s career but also earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Even though Huston went on to make an abundance of unforgettable films, The Maltese Falcon is regarded as one of Huston’s most famous and, considering the film’s timeless legacy and significant influence, the director himself is without a doubt one reason why The Maltese Falcon is the best detective film noir.
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The Iconic Final Line
“The stuff that dreams are made of…”
At the end of The Maltese Falcon, Spade is holding the fake Maltese Falcon in his hands when someone asks him what it is that he’s holding. His answer, “the stuff that dreams are made of…” has since become one of the most iconic movie lines in cinema history. The famous final line from The Maltese Falcon has been ranked in several notable lists, including the American Film Institute, which ranked the quote in their 2005 list of AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movie Quotes at number fourteen.
…The iconic line at the end of The Maltese Falcon is purely spellbinding and one that never fails to incite a sense of wonder and awe in the audience.
The Maltese Falcon is among the few film noirs that feature an iconic movie line and, while some are said throughout the film, the iconic line at the end of The Maltese Falcon is purely spellbinding and one that never fails to incite a sense of wonder and awe in the audience. Spade’s final words are cinematic poetry, brilliantly capturing the magic of the movie experience and escapism, ending on a note of wonder and intrigue that makes The Maltese Falcon the ultimate detective film noir.
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