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• I LOVE THIS FIRST VERSION OF "THE MALTESE FALCON"

  • MARLENE RANTZ
  • 11/15/12

  I have seen this movie more than once, and I love this first version of "The Maltese Falcon." If I must point out a reason, it would be the excellent acting of the entire cast, and their charisma! For instance, Ricardo Cortez portrayed Sam Spade with more warmth and charm than Humphrey Bogart, and he had a tremendous amount of charisma. Otto Matieson, who portrayed Joel Cairo, also had a tremendous amount of charisma. I was dismayed to learn that he died a year after this movie, surely at a young age, because I know he had a bright future in motion pictures! Even character actor, Dudley Digges, who portrayed Gutman, had a tremendous amount of charisma in this movie! Then, too, there was terrific chemistry between Ricardo Cortez and Bebe Daniels-they really seem to sizzle together! All in all, a good version of "The Maltese Falcon."

• Better than the "famous" black bird?

  • r
  • 11/10/12

  I'm 68 yrs old & a huge fan of "THE Maltese Falcon" with Bogey, Astor, Lorre, etc. Today I saw the original. Let me just say that this slightly "smaller" film filled in many of the details I never caught in many, many viewings of the "famous" Falcon movie. I really liked it a lot!

• What A Surprise !

  • Nancy Thompson-Jones
  • 11/10/12

  Never knowing of this film's existence, what a surprise it was when I started watching The Maltese Falcon thinking I was going to see Bogart and Astor. Although these films were very similar, it was fun identifying the differences. It would be interesting to see Robert or Ben do a critique of it.

• The Maltese Falcon (1931)

  • Wendy Winkler
  • 12/10/07

  Being a big fan of the Bogart Maltese Falcon, I find this version very interesting. The famous version may be a better movie. But the 1931 version is a good movie on its own. Bebe Daniels is very good as Brigid. Sydney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre are a hundred times better than their 1931 counterparts. Ricardo Cortez is good, but he is no Bogart. Over all this a good movie.

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