Paramount at the Movies Presents: The Maltese Falcon [Not Rated]

The Maltese Falcon is a film noir based on Dashiell Hammett’s 1929 novel of the same name, written and directed by John Huston in his directorial debut. Starring Humphrey Bogart, this noir classic follows Detective Sam Spade as he dives into a case brought to him by the beautiful femme fatale Ruth Wonderly (Mary Astor), who claims to be looking for her missing sister. After his partner (Jerome Cowan) is killed under mysterious circumstances, Detective Spade finds himself tangled in a web of crime and must find his way out by locating a precious bejeweled Maltese falcon.

Recognized as the first major film noir by Panorama du Film Noir Américain and listed in Roger Ebert’s “Great Movies” series, The Maltese Falcon was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Picture. It was selected for inclusion in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1989.