A quintessential film noir where shadows hide betrayals and a jewel-encrusted bird becomes a hollow idol of greed. It is a cynical masterpiece of moral ambiguity, defined by sharp dialogue and the chilling realization that some chases lead only to lead.
The Maltese Falcon
"A story as EXPLOSIVE as his BLAZING automatics!"
Director:
John Huston
Cast:
Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre, Barton MacLane
Crime
Thriller
Mystery
Budget:
$375,000
Box Office:
$1,772,000
The Maltese Falcon - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Walter Huston's Cameo
The director's father, legendary actor Walter Huston, makes an uncredited cameo as Captain Jacoby, the man who stumbles into Spade's office, drops the falcon, and dies. John Huston reportedly made his father do the take repeatedly as a prank.
The Shakespeare Reference
The final line 'The stuff that dreams are made of' is a direct reference to Prospero's speech in The Tempest ('We are such stuff as dreams are made on'), linking the film's events to a theatrical illusion.
Detailed Prop Cameos
A copy of a newspaper in the film features a headline about the 'Klimfield' fire—a reference to a plot point in the original novel that was cut from the movie (the Flitcraft parable).