The Maltese Falcon Trivia

1. 'The Maltese Falcon' was based on a book by which author?

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Dashiell Hammett

'The Maltese Falcon', published in 1930, was Hammett's third novel in two years and established him as America's leading detective fiction writer. Hammett, who had spent several years working as a detective for the Pinkerton Agency, died in 1961.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: San Francisco

The Golden Gate bridge is shown in the opening sequence.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Warner Brothers

'The Maltese Falcon' was billed as 'A Warner Brothers First National Picture'. Warner Brothers Studios were established in 1923 by four brothers, Jack, Sam, Harry and Albert Warner, who reputedly didn't always get along, but were nonetheless considered by many to have produced some of the greatest movies in the history of Hollywood.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Margaret Dineen

Wonderly is the name she first uses. Ms LeBlanc she uses during a phonecall to Sam Spade. Her true name is Brigid O'Shaughnessy.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: John Huston

'The Maltese Falcon' was top Warner screenwriter, John Huston's, directorial debut, which was one of the reasons top star George Raft cited for declining the role. It subsequently came to be regarded as one of the finest detective movies ever made. Huston reputedly encouraged the actors to develop their roles in rehearsals. Although he observed them, he gave no explicit directions. All he asked them to do was follow his script. Very little of the dialogue from his original screenplay was cut, and, apart for some night scenes, he shot the entire movie in sequence, a rare treat for the actors.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Dashiell Hammett

Sam Spade was his most autobiographical character. His real name is Samuel, he changed it when he became a writer. Note-There were 7 plaster statues made for the movie, one of which was stolen, conveniently at the time of the release of the 1974 spoof 'The Black Bird'.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: The Bay Bridge

With Spade seated at his desk, making a cigarette, one of the towers and a section of the span of the Bay Bridge can be seen through the window behind him. It's behind some tall buildings upon which there are three large neon signs, reading KLVW, MADISON and UNION.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Floyd Thursby

He is an intregal part of the film, but is never actually seen. Note- The story was first filmed in 1931 and remade in 1936 as 'Satan Met A Lady' starring Bette Davis. A 1942 sequel called 'The Further Adventures Of The Maltese Falcon' was planned, but never filmed.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Spade and Archer

'Spade and Archer Confidential Investigators' can be seen on the door of the office reception area later in the film.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: La Paloma

Wilmer, played by recluse Elisha Cook, Jr., sets it on fire. 'Evidently, careless with matches.' He was later in William Castle's 'House On Haunted Hill' starring Vincent Price.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Effie

Effie Perine, the loyal and slightly judgemental secretary, who appears to approve of the glamourous 'Miss Wonderly' ("Her name's Wonderly ... She's a knockout!") but clearly does not approve of Spade's dalliance with his partner's wife, was beautifully played by Lee Patrick. Lee Patrick was born in 1901, and appeared in 74 movies between 1929 and 1975 (with a gap of eight years between 1929 and 1937), including playing Bogart's blonde in 'Invisible Stripes' in 1939. Her final film was a reprise of the original role of Effie in 'The Black Bird', the unfortunate Maltese Falcon sequel in 1975, for which she would seem to have came out of retirement, having made her previous movie in 1964. Lee Patrick died the day before her 81st birthday, in 1982.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Walter Huston

'You know, the Falcon.' Director John Huston's father, he was not paid for the role. He did it to bring his son good luck with his first film. He later co-starred with Bogart in John Huston's 'The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre'.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Miles

Miles Archer, Spade's partner, was played by Jerome Cowan. A small and fairly thankless part, he nonetheless brought to it a gullible and rather foolish quality that made his death, and the fact that his wife clearly preferred his partner, all the more believable. Born in 1897 - Cowan appeared in over 140 movies between 1936 and 1969 - including 'High Sierra' with Bogart in 1941, shortly before they appeared in 'The Maltese Falcon'. He died in 1972.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Kasper Gutman

'He must weight 300 pounds!' This was his first role in film, although he was an accomplished stage actor. After this movie, he was typecast as the fat, sinister badguy.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Iva

Mrs Iva Archer, clearly infatuated by Spade who, in the film anyway, rarely seems to reciprocate her devotion, was played, in a suitably tearful and melodramatic style, by the experienced Gladys George. Born in 1900, she appeared in over forty movies between 1919 and 1953. Gladys George died in 1954.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Effie

Effie Perine played by Lee Patrick.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Miss Wonderly

Miss Ruth Wonderly, introduced in the film by Spade's secretary Effie with, "There's a girl who wants to see you. Her name's Wonderly ... She's a knockout!" Effie is nicely played by Mary Astor, who was born in 1906, and appeared in over 120 movies between 1920 and 1964, including 'Across the Pacific' with Humphrey Bogart. She died in 1987.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Wilmer Cook

'By gad, sir, you are a character!' Like in many of Bogart's movies, another actor refused this role. George Raft was originally supposed to play Spade, but he turned it down. Funny how Bogart is remembered with John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, and James Cagney, and Raft and Edward G Robinson are remembered as second tier stars.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: O'Shaughnessy

Brigid O'Shaughnessy, is introduced as Ruth Wonderly, briefly becomes Miss LeBlanc, and finally admits to her real name. In 'The Cheap Detective', a Bogart spoof movie based loosely on the combined plots of 'The Maltese Falcon', 'Casablanca' and 'The Big Sleep', made in 1978, the character was played with great relish by Madeline Khan. She introduces herself with a different name almost every time she appears in the film, 16 in all, much to the exasperation of Peter Falk, who plays the Bogie role.

From Quiz The Maltese Falcon

Answer: Joel Cairo

It has been hinted by some that Wilmer and Gutman were homosexual, but Cairo is described as 'queer' in the novel. He is based on a criminal Hammett caught in 1920 in Washington, but to avoid problems with censors, he is cast as effeminate.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: A Webley Automatic

Detective Polhaus:" ... It's a Webley. English ain't it?" Spade: "Yeh. A Webley Fosbery .45 Automatic - eight shot. They don't make 'em any more" Where Hammett's book describes a very rare gun, a collector's item, the screenplay describes one that never existed! No eight-shot Webley Fosbery .45s were ever manufactured. In the scene where Spade and Polhaus are investigating Archer's death, a poster for 'Swing Your Lady', a 1938 movie starring Humphrey Bogart, can be seen on the wall in the background!

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Ward Bond

Detective Sergeant Tom Polhaus, a solid straight cop, whose relationship with Spade was clearly based on mutual respect and friendship, was played by Ward Bond. Born in 1903, he appeared in a staggering 260 movies between 1929 and 1959, and died in 1960.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Peter Lorre

The sinister and deceitful Cairo was played with slimy menace by Peter Lorre. Born László Löwenstein, in what is now Slovakia, in 1904, Peter Lorre starred in over 80 movies, including five times with Humphrey Bogart in 'The Maltese Falcon', 'All Through the Night, 'Casablanca', 'Passage to Marseilles' and 'Beat the Devil'. He died in 1964.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Sydney Greenstreet

Educated, mysterious and utterly ruthless The Fat Man, who will stop at nothing to possess the Falcon, was unforgettably played by the English actor Sydney Greenstreet. Born in 1879 - noted stage actor Greenstreet made his screen debut in 'The Maltese Falcon' at the age of 61, and was nominated for an Academy Award! The scene where he tries to get Spade to take the drugged drink was his first in front of a camera! He appeared with Bogart in three other films, 'Across the Pacific', 'Casablanca' and 'Passage to Marseilles'. At over 350 pounds, he was so large that his entire wardrobe for the film had to be specially manufactured. Sydney Greenstreet died in 1954.

From Quiz 'The Maltese Falcon' #1

Answer: Kasper Gutman

Gutman is certainly an appropriate name for a character being played by an actor weighing over 350 pounds! In Dashiell Hammett's book, Gutman has his vulnerable 17-year old daughter, called Rhea, staying with him at the Alexandria Hotel.

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