Crime/Film Noir/Mystery ‧ Passed ‧ 1h 40m ‧ 1941
November’s free Classic Movie Night features the 1941 film, The Maltese Falcon, considered by some to be the first true film noir. Ranked #23 on the American Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest Movies of All Time, the film received three Academy Award nominations and continues to earn rave reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie review aggregation website, The Maltese Falcon holds an approval rating of 100% with reviewers calling it "suspenseful, labyrinthine, and brilliantly cast, and one of the most influential noirs—as well as a showcase for Humphrey Bogart at his finest." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 96 out of 100, indicating "universal acclaim." Considered one of the greatest films of all time, it was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In the film, detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) gets more than he bargained for when he takes a case brought to him by a beautiful but secretive woman (Mary Astor). As soon as Miss Wonderly shows up, trouble follows as Sam's partner is murdered and Sam is accosted by a man (Peter Lorre) demanding he locate a valuable statuette. Sam, entangled in a dangerous web of crime and intrigue, soon realizes he must find the one thing they all seem to want: the bejeweled Maltese falcon.
The Odeon’s Classic Movie Night is the third Wednesday of each month. Admission is always free but we appreciate your donations, which enable us to continue offering these special movie presentations.
If you’re interested in sponsoring your favorite Classic Movie* by underwriting the licensing fee (typically $50 to $250 depending on the film) in part or whole, please email us at notify@theodeontheater.com.
* Movies must appear on the AFI’s “100 Greatest Movies of All Time” list.