VHS "The Maltese Falcon" - Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre & Sydney Greenstreet

Shown in black and white (as it was intended). I HATE colorized, don't you?

Superb drama and acting all around and gets better as time passes.

The box sleeve is in mint condition. The only way it could be better and cleaned would be if it was still in shrink wrap.

Hard-drinking private eye Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) sleuths the backyard of San Francisco in search of an elusive black bird statuette while evading the setups of three disparate miscreants: the duplicitous Brigid, the perfumed Mr. Cairo, and the scheming Fat Man. John Huston's brilliant directorial debut is aided by first-rate performances, excellent camera work, as well as the director's acute attention to detail while shooting the film. Based on the crime novel by Dashiell Hammett. Academy Award Nominations: 3, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet), and Best Screenplay. Previous versions of the story were filmed in 1931 (a.k.a. DANGEROUS FEMALE) and in 1936 (as SATAN MET A LADY, starring Bette Davis), and poorly redone in 1975 (THE BLACK BIRD).

"...The real spark in this suavest of mysteries is provided by its eccentric collection of villains..." -- 5 out of 5 stars
Total Film - John Wrathall (03/01/2000)

"...Bogart was always in control....The movie is refreshingly cynical..."
Los Angeles Times - Mark Chalon Smith (09/03/1998)

"...Huston's strategy is crafty....It's all style. It isn't violence or chases, but the way the actors look, move, speak and embody their characters..."
Chicago Sun-Times - Roger Ebert (05/13/2001)

"...FALCON is the archetypal American detective yarn..."
Premiere - Premiere Staff (12/01/2003)

"Boldly manipulative light and shadow, utilizing drastic camera angles, and introducing Bogart's Sam Spade, the first-time director's detective classic defines film noir." -- Grade: A
Entertainment Weekly - Jeff Labrecque (10/06/2006)

"There is a spareness of style here that puts many of today's bloated thrillers to shame."
Sight and Sound - Matthew Leyland (03/01/2007)

5 stars out of 5 -- "This is pure essence of film noir -- essentially starting the genre..."
Ultimate DVD - Jan Vincent-Rudzki (03/01/2007)

4 stars out of 5 -- "The film remains enjoyable for its razor-sharp dialogue....A great example of vintage studio alchemy."
Uncut - Geoff Andrew (03/01/2007)

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