How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from The Maltese Falcon.
Quote #4
GUTMAN: I don't see how you can honestly grant anyone else a clear title to it except by right of possession.
Possession is 9/10 of the law, right? That's easy to say when you're the one holding the object. By this point, the Maltese Falcon has no clear owner, so it's a free-for-all as to whoever can get his hands on it first.
Quote #5
GUTMAN: There's no telling how high it could go, sir. That is the one and only truth about it.
Spade may not be a naturally greedy man, but everyone is tempted by large sums of cash. Gutman uses the promise of up to a quarter of a million dollars, a huge amount by even today's standards, to keep Spade on the case.
Quote #6
SPADE: Are you ready to make the first payment and take the Falcon off my hands? […] $10,000? We was talking about a lot more coin than this. […]
SPADE: Oh yes, later you'll give me millions, but how's about $15,000 now?
We think Spade's bargaining is more because he wants to inconvenience Gutman, not because he is greedy for more money. Spade wants to put the squeeze on the fat man and see if he's as honest as he says he is. (He's not!)