A story as EXPLOSIVE as his BLAZING automatics!|Oct. 18, 1941|United States|100 Min.|n/A
Genre: Crime;Mystery;Thriller
Description: In 1941 San Francisco, private detectives Sam Spade and Miles Archer encounter Ruth Wonderly, a potential client. She seeks help in locating her missing sister, who is allegedly involved with a man named Floyd Thursby. Archer agrees to assist her in retrieving her sister. Later, Spade is notified by the police that Archer has been found dead. At the crime scene, Spade learns about Thursby’s murder the same night. Suspicious of Spade, the police suggest he had both the motive and opportunity to kill Thursby, who might have been responsible for Archer’s death. Archer’s widow, Iva, visits Spade, convinced he killed Archer to be with her.
Spade reconnects with his client, now using the name Brigid O’Shaughnessy. She claims Thursby was her partner and likely killed Archer but denies knowledge of Thursby’s murderer. Despite his distrust, Spade agrees to investigate the case. At his office, Spade meets Joel Cairo, who offers $5,000 to find a “black bird” but later threatens Spade with a gun to search the room. After disarming Cairo, Spade is hired by him. That evening, Spade informs O’Shaughnessy about Cairo, revealing their mutual connection. Cairo becomes uneasy when O’Shaughnessy mentions the presence of the “Fat Man” in San Francisco.
The next day, Spade visits Cairo’s hotel, where he encounters Wilmer, a young man who had been following him. Spade sends a message through Wilmer to his boss, Kasper Gutman, known as the “Fat Man.” When Spade meets Gutman, the latter is evasive about the Black Falcon, prompting Spade to stage an outburst and leave. Later, Wilmer forces Spade at gunpoint to meet Gutman again.
Cast director: John Huston
Cast actor: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Lee Patrick, Gladys George, Elisha Cook Jr., Barton MacLane, Ward Bond, Jerome Cowan
Original name: The Maltese Falcon