The Maltese Falcon is not just a film—it’s a timeless monument to cinema, a dazzling jewel that reigns supreme as the greatest movie ever made. Directed by John Huston in 1941, this noir masterpiece crackles with brilliance from its opening shot to its iconic close. Humphrey Bogart delivers an indelible performance as Sam Spade, a private eye whose sharp wit and cool detachment redefine screen charisma. His every line drips with grit and charm, anchoring a tale so perfectly crafted it feels like destiny unfolding. The cast is a constellation of legends—Mary Astor’s enigmatic femme fatale, Peter Lorre’s slippery schemer, and Sydney Greenstreet’s towering presence elevate every scene to electrifying heights. Huston’s direction is flawless, weaving a labyrinth of intrigue with taut pacing and shadowy visuals that practically invented the noir aesthetic. The dialogue snaps, the tension simmers, and the atmosphere wraps around you like a fog-drenched San Francisco night. What makes The Maltese Falcon unparalleled is its alchemy of style and substance—a thrilling mystery that’s as much about human nature as it is about the chase. It’s smart, seductive, and endlessly rewatchable, a film that doesn’t just entertain but etches itself into your soul. This isn’t merely a classic; it’s the gold standard of storytelling, a falcon forged in cinematic immortality. If perfection has a name, it’s this.

I'm with some others. I'm watching a lot of classic 40's movies and I find them almost unwatchable. This one was a bore. If it were a slow burn, really building tension, fine. But it doesn't do that. Endless talking. Moves like molasses. And where's the beef? Take a great modern thriller like No country for Old Men. There is nothing like Javier Berdem's force of nature character or the tense unfolding that can mean life or death. Plus modern realism allows for much greater space for the chilling nature of the narrative. I guess Bogey was great back in the day but like The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not, I couldn't get through them. I understand one must understand context but it only gets you so far.

I just finished watching this movie to see what all the fuss is about. For me i know what it is, OVERRATED! The best part of the movie for me is when they discovered the Falcon is fake. Peter Lorres tyrade towards Greenstreet for botching the whole scheme, and calling him a bloated idiot, then bursting into tears, i thought was hilarious, 😆 the best part of the movie. The rest of the movie, i thought, was just to unbelievable to be believable .Bogart trying to act tough, ridiculous!

Humphrey Bogart was great in this film. There were 3 actors from Casablanca in this movie. This is a noir movie so it deals with crime and detectives. It sounded like they were talking about the millennium Falcon haha.

A classic noir film with great characters with a great cast that to me feels a bit dated that you can watch with a speed up.

Great casting. Awesome mistery movie. Outstanding storyline.

I recently saw this movie for the first time this Fall (2024), and I can easily say it is one of the best films I have seen in many years. All the plot twists and turns still ring true 8 decades later, and they were executed perfectly by an excellent cast from an excellent script. I recommend this movie to anyone of any age.

Considered by many to be one of the top two best film noirs ever made ("Double Indemnity" being the other one), this film is the stuff that dreams are made of. A man's partner is murdered and all the suspects involved seem to be chasing after a priceless statue.

a perfect noir film a classic great detective film a must see

An OK film to watch to see Humphrey Bogart playing the gritty guy again.

The constant reversals and reveals continue to be compelling even after multiple viewings. And yeah Bogart is absolutely perfect.

I love the cast, perfect. Bogart rolling his own cigarette. NRJ.

Defined many crime thrillers for decades to come. Bogart is fantastic. Lorre is at the top of his game.

Has to be in top 10 movies of all time.

1941 saw the making of a movie that might not have seemed too promising before its release. Warner Brothers were cautious about making it. They enjoyed the screenplay offered up by John Huston, and even agreed to let him direct the movie. However Warner Bros were taking no chances on this first-time director. He was told that he would need to find another job if the production ran over budget. For good measure, Huston's unknown status deprived him of a big-name star. George Raft was unwilling to work with a novice director, and refused to appear in the film. The choice went to Humphrey Bogart, an actor who had starred in a number of films (many of them roles rejected by Raft), but who had never broken through as a popular star. The supporting cast were not well-known either – Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet and Elisha Cook Jr. Peter Lorre was there, an actor of greater renown, especially for his role as a child killer in M, but Lorre was often relegated to supporting roles after he moved to America. With hindsight, we can see that the circumstances surrounding the film were actually quite felicitous for producing the best movie. Could there be a better combination of five actors at the front of a film noir than this one? And who better than John Huston to direct them, a man who had a great understanding of the art of making entertaining and intelligent cinema? It is even possible that the pressures that Huston faced to complete the film on time only helped to hone his skills as a director. His films are noticeably taut, and lacking in waste. The action in The Maltese Falcon was shot in sequence, and most of the scenes that Huston shot ended up in the final cut. Every scene was planned in detail, complete with sketches. The script was detailed, relieving Huston of the need to offer too many instructions to the cast. However there was room for spontaneity, and for actors to suggest ideas. Such methods moved the production along with business-like efficiency, whilst ensuring it was executed with loving artistic care. There was also room for using comparatively new cinematic techniques. The Maltese Falcon is often cited as the first film noir (the same claim is made about other films, including Double Indemnity and Stranger on the Third Floor). The Maltese Falcon had the characteristic look of the noir – low lighting, and low camera angles that allowed us to see that the sets had ceilings, in contrast to many films shot in the 1930s. Sometimes these angles are used to make characters seem more imposing. Sydney Greenstreet is often filmed from a low angle to make his girth seem more prominent. The other characteristic angle is to place the camera just behind Humphrey Bogart so that the audience sees the world from his viewpoint. Huston also had the good sense to stick closely to Hammett's superlative novel. He made no attempt to soften the contents of the book, other than toning down some allusions to sex and drinking, which would not have been permitted in a 1940s movie. The homosexuality of several characters is also unstated, though it is fairly clear to the audience. This is a film that improves on a re-watch when the twists in the plot have been laid bare, and the characters can be reappraised in the light of what is now known about them. It is only after the first viewing of the film that the audience knows who to trust and how far they can be trusted. As with Hitchcock's thriller Vertigo, it was fun to guess the first time, but it is also a pleasure to watch again with that added knowledge. Sam Spade is no hero. He is a hard man who acts in a cynical and brutal manner. He takes pleasure in striking people. He is indifferent about his partner's death. He is not above a sexual liaison with a married woman. He will put his own self-interest above romantic and sentimental thoughts. In some ways he is the flipside of Gutman. Both men are single-minded in pursuit of their goals. Both are motivated by something more than money, but that motivation is not necessarily a decent or honest one. Both are prepared to sacrifice someone they love in order to achieve that goal. Yet ultimately Spade does stand for justice. He is harsh because he needs to be harsh. He is no idealist, but in the final judgement he will do the right thing, even though it frequently appears as if he might not. He is no white knight, but he is a detective, and he is on our side. I wrote a longer appreciation of The Maltese Falcon on my blog page if you would like to read more: https://themoviescreenscene.wordpress.com/2019/04/06/the-maltese-falcon-1941/

This movie is so perfect. Everything about it is absolutely amazing. Absolutely a must see

Not what I expected. Not sure what I expected, but it wasn't this. Surprised by how stagey the movie was--play like with few locations. Good performances. Some old school tropes on display that seem weird now. Female hysterical-ness and reaction to death. Getting roughed up by the cops for almost no reason at all. Was the whole reason this movie garners so much acclaim the somewhat twist at the end?? I'm just not sure.

What an acting from Humphrey Bogart. Wow!

A Classic Noir. Bogart is phenomenal with everyone else being really good as well overall. The music is good along with excellent editing. The cinematography is very well done with great tracking, zoom in, and close ups all in moody black and white. This also does a great job of breaking the heavy expose with action in between at the right times. The only real problem I had was this is very heavy on exposition and it's delivered incredibly well by Bogart who is a key reason why this works so well. However, I felt it could've been a bit more visual at times, the dialogue can be a bit on the dry side , and the romance can feel a bit hammed in. This is a involved storyline as well so it would've been nice too see more of it as it can be hard to keep track at times who suspects who and double crosses who visually. The ending was a bit anticlimactic but still good overall. Anyone who is a fan of the director, Bogart, vintage films, or Noirs will like this a lot.

They don't make movies like this anymore. What a tragedy that is.