The Maltese Falcon

He's a Killer When He Hates!

1941 • 100 min • Mystery · Crime · Thriller

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Synopsis

A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a beautiful liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.

Our family guide

Best from age 13

Movie Knight Score

1917 reviews

100 Reviewers · 4 · 60%
77 Audience · 1913 · 40%

This classic film noir follows a private detective investigating a murder, getting entangled with dangerous criminals and a mysterious woman, all vying for a priceless statuette. It features complex characters and a twisting plot, presented in a black-and-white, suspenseful style.

Violence & peril: 3/10
Language: 2/10
Drinking, drugs & smoking: 4/10
Romance & sensuality: 2/10
Scary moments: 4/10

Heads up

Characters frequently smoke and drink
Some instances of implied violence

What it models well

Problem-solving under pressure
Consequences of greed

Talk about it after

The impact of secrets and lies
Why some characters chose their path
The role of justice in a complex world

Written by the Movie Knight editorial team for The Maltese Falcon. Our own words, our own scoring — always double-check against your family's standards.

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Top billed cast

Director: John Huston • Crew: John Huston

Trailers & clips

Sam Spade is Caught in the Middle of Two Murders | The Maltese Falcon (1941) | TCM

Humphrey Bogart Sets the Record Straight | The Maltese Falcon | TCM

Full Movie Preview

4K Trailer

BFI Trailer

Danny Huston on THE MALTESE FALCON ('41)

80th Anniversary Spot

TCM Big Screen Classics Spot

Reviewer notes

Recommended
Recently re-released in glorious 4K (nope, I couldn't tell the difference, either) but, hey - any excuse to see this wonderful crime noir on a big screen again is OK with me.…
CinemaSerf, TMDB Community

Recommended
This is a pretty good movie that ages fairly well, but I do not feel compelled to pour superlatives down over as most reviews do, both critics and regular viewers. The actors look like they are having fun with it and this classic movie is worth watching just because of that. The dialogue, which I like to think is a specialty in my own otherwise unremarkable novels, is excellent.…
Peter McGinn, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter. Sam Spade is a tough private detective who gets involved in a murderous hunt for The Maltese Falcon, a legendary statuette thought to contain diamonds. What can I possibly say about this version of The Maltese Falcon that hasn't been said, written and studied by the greatest film critics and industry members before?…
John Chard, TMDB Community

RecommendedTrusted family reviewers
This is one of the rare and shining examples of film-making at its absolute finest. As close to perfect as you can get in movies, it's a masterpiece not only of its genre, but of all genres, for all time. The ensemble cast headed by the great Humphrey Bogart is spectacular, as is the flawless direction by John Huston.…
barrymost, TMDB Community