The Maltese Falcon Resources
WEBSITES
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This is the address billed as both the home of Dashiell Hammett and Sam Spade, and the building is still standing today. Up for a visit?
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Did you know that you can visit the actual setting of The Maltese Falcon? In a small alleyway called Burritt Street, there's even a plaque that reads: "On approximately this spot, Miles Archer, partner of Sam Spade, was done in by Brigid O'Shaughnessy." So next time you're in San Francisco, book a tour
MOVIE OR TV PRODUCTIONS
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This early film adaptation of the novel stars Ricardo Cortez as Sam Spade, and contains certain "pre-code" aspects since it was released before the Hays Code was enforced in 1934. The Hays Code was a set of moral censorship guidelines that the film industry was required to follow, until the code was finally abandoned in 1968.
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This second film adaptation of the novel was released during the period of the Hays Code, so it has a much lighter, comedic tone. Sam Spade's name is changed to Ted Shane, who is played by Warren William. And a very young Bette Davis gets her feet wet as the dangerous femme-fatale Valerie Purvis.
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Yes, there were three adaptations of Hammett's novel made within the span of ten years, we told you it was a popular book. The 1941 version is by far the most well-known and most successful. Humphrey Bogart's portrayal of Sam Spade is spot-on, and the ground-breaking cinematography of Arthur Edeson makes the film a visual masterpiece. What are you waiting for? Put this one at the top of your Netflix queue STAT.
ARTICLES AND INTERVIEWS
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If you can manage to zoom-in close enough to read, the article, "House Burglary Poor Trade," features an interview with Dashiell Hammett, who talks about sleuthing and the impact it had on his writing.
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January Magazine celebrates the 75th anniversary of The Maltese Falcon in this article on Hammett's influence on the genre of hardboiled detective fiction.
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The San Francisco Chronicle reflects on Hammett's legacy in this in-depth look into not only his writing, but also his rough, wild, and edgy lifestyle.
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Here's some handy dandy background info about Hammett that also serves as the basis for a PBS episodes on Hammett in the "American Masters" series.
VIDEO
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"He makes crime a career—and ladies a hobby!" Need we say more?
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Check out this film clip from the 1931 version of The Maltese Falcon. The acting might seem a bit outdated, but the dialogue is straight out of the novel itself!
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In this adaptation of The Maltese Falcon, the spotlight is on the dangerous femme-fatale played by Bette Davis. Our favorite Bette Davis line: "Would you mind taking off your hat in the presence of a lady… with a gun."
AUDIO
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Want to know even more Dashiell Hammett and The Maltese Falcon? Well, look no further than this audio guide which features interviews with really cool people, like Joe Gores, a former San Francisco private investigator, and Julie Rivett, the granddaughter of Hammett himself.
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Tune in to Old Radio World's series of shows based on Sam Spade.
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Listen in as NPR discusses the impact that The Maltese Falcon still has 75 years after its publication.
IMAGES
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Check out this rather risqué (at last for back then) poster of the 1931 adaptation feature a scantily-clad Brigid in bed pointing a gun right at Sam Spade.
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We can't tell who has the upper hand in this 1931 poster… Brigid or Sam?
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Check out the cool contrasting colors in these two movie posters of Satan Met A Lady. Here's the first one.
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And here's the second.
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Okay, last one, we promise. For this 1941 movie poster, Brigid is wearing a sexy red dress that would make every head in the room turn.