Maltese Falcon

Great 4K of classic film.

One of the first American film noirs and certainly THE archetype for all detective movies for the next several decades, "The Maltese Falcon" both established Bogart as a true leading man movie star as well as introduce a brilliant new director in John Houston. These two would go on and do several more classic films together over the next decade or so. The main character, hard bitten and cynical private detective Sam Spade, gets drawn into a black hole of lies, double crosses and abject greed with a group of treasure hunters and we go along for the very bumpy ride. The film is based on the earlier classic novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett and was unsuccessfully brought to the screen twice before in the previous decade. The iconic dialog, various character tropes and leading-edge filming techniques used to heighten shadow contrasts and odd disturbing camera angles all goes to creating the classic detective noir world we grow to know in so many future movies and TV shows over the next 80 plus years. Warner Bros. does a great job with this 4K Blu-ray presentation. The image is so clean and stable but still filmic with fine film grain, deep blacks, well delineated grayscales and nary a spot of damage. Increased detail in faces, clothing, etc. is very well noticed. The HDR really pops the contrasty specular highlights off of desk lamps, match lights, glistening sweat beads and other small details that go to add an almost 3D feel to the image. The DTS HD-MA 2.0 sound is full and undistorted. Dialog is clear and the music score has good fidelity. Standard earlier special features are ported over on the included Blu-ray disc. This is a must own for anyone building a physical media collection of great, classic cinema and is required viewing of any fan of noir.

If you're looking for a definitive way to experience the iconic noir of The Maltese Falcon, look no further than the 4K release. Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade has never looked sharper; the black and white cinematography truly shines with incredible depth and detail, making every shadowy corner and cynical glance pop. You'll practically feel the San Francisco fog creeping into your living room. It's a gorgeous restoration that breathes new life into a classic, proving that some treasures are indeed the stuff that dreams are made of. Highly recommended for fans of classic cinema and anyone who appreciates a perfectly rendered fedora.

If one wished to be brutally objective, "Blood Simple" and "The Usual Suspects" are "better" films than "The Maltese Falcon". But "better" is a relative term, and frankly, they just don't make them like this any more. "The Maltese Falcon" is gritty and unpleasant in a nasty, unsanitary way -- just the antidote for Sonja Henie and Shirley Temple. The Blu-ray transfer is excellent, without apparent grain reduction or edge sharpening. My only complaint is that skin highlights are sometimes burned out, but this is minor. There was no dirt or scratches, but there are occasional density fluctuations. It's hard to imagine a better transfer. The pleasure of seeing classic B&W films in HD on a large screen -- probably better than they ever looked in a theater -- is that one can better appreciate the performances. I never thought much of the younger Bogart as an actor, but I'm starting to develop respect. No one seems to have pointed out the story's misogyny and "male-bonding" -- possibly because the presence of three homosexual characters blinds us to it. Though Sam Spade could have protected Brigid and had her (for a while, anyway), sex is far less important than loyalty to his partner, and the need to avenge his death. By the way, a "gunsel" is not someone who "carries heat" for a criminal -- not in the "firearms" sense, anyway. (This went right past the Production Board.) "Gunsel" comes from a Yiddish word meaning "little goose". When Gutman says he cares for Wilmer as much as if he were his own son -- well, you figure it out. The supplemental material follows the "Warners Night at the Movies" format. It includes one of the first Bugs Bunny cartoons, "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt". Absolutely recommended, a necessity in any film collection -- unless you think movies have to be in widescreen and color. PS: There is a valid criticism that /might/ be made of this film. It is not "about" a valuable object disreputable people are searching for, but a story about people lying to each other -- which necessarily results a scene after scene of "talking heads". Showing us what /actually/ happened would make the film more superficially "entertaining" -- but largely destroy the point. "The Maltese Falcon" is a drama about delusion and disillusion -- not a melodrama about crime.

Very well acted secret villains mystery with a surprise ending.

this is a classic, a much watch.

It’s a great film in every way. Sam Spade is one of Bogart’s finest performances, & he’s matched by Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Elisha Cook Jr. & more. With brilliant screenwriting & direction by John Huston, The Maltese Falcon will always be a masterpiece.

Excelente

I bought this as a used blu ray. Delivery was speedy & the product ok. The film is as brilliant as always. If you don’t know it, seek it out... Transfer is good and clear. While not to the absolute heights of ‘Criterion Collection’ releases its fine.