Dashiell Hammett's
The Maltese Falcon was first published in three issues of
The Black Mask in 1929.
Warner Brothers released an adaption in 1931. It featured Bebe Daniels as Brigid, Ricardo Cortez as Sam, Una Merkel as Effie, and Thelma Todd as Mrs Archer. Warners made a loose adaption in 1936 called
Satan Met a Lady. It featured Bette Davis as sort-of Brigid, Warren William as sort-of Sam and a female sort-of Gutman. John Huston made another version in 1941, which was the first movie he directed. I saw all three versions in a triple feature at the Richelieu Theater, at Geary and Van Ness.
Huston's version starred Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade, Mary Astor as Brigid O'Shaughnessy, Sidney Greenstreet as Caspar Gutman, Peter Lorre as Joel Cairo, and Elijah Cook, Jr as Wilmer the gunsel. I have often said I will watch any movie with Elijah Cook, Jr.
The trade ad is from the 09-October-1941
Motion Picture Daily.
