Wait a minute... did we all see the same movie? *** SPOILER ALERT ***
Am I the only one who watched this movie and thought it's about a bunch of nuts going around chasing a unicorn? They're doing all these things (traveling the globe, stealing, murdering, throwing around cash) all in pursuit of something that doesn't really exist. In my opinion, the story about the bejeweled Maltese Falcon is a legend. It's not real and it never was.
These secret societies are known for being exactly that - notoriously secret. Where there is such secrecy and mystery, legends abound. We don't like voids; they make us anxious. When we come across these holes or things we don't understand we tend to fill them in with stories that quell our anxiety. It's what we do as people. We have myths, legends, stories to explain what we don't understand.
Somewhere this Maltese Falcon story got started and, naturally, people hear it, embellish it and the legend grows. It's like playing telephone as kids. What you start with is never what you get at the end. Anyway, every now and then someone claims they saw the bird or know of its whereabouts and it seems to move from place to place.
As we have an abundance of unicorn statuettes, someone decides along the way to make a Maltese Falcon. Of course, it's not bejeweled as the legend suggest, it's just covered in black. To explain this discrepancy, the story is the jewels were covered up in order to hide their real value.
The statuette maker, in a ploy to perhaps increase the value of his creation or to further the legend puts the word out that this 'valuable' bird has been located. His place is then conveniently 'robbed' lest the scam be revealed. Meanwhile the worthless statuette is sold privately or stored for safekeeping, At some point it resurfaces.
In steps Gutman who salivates thinking about the wealth the bird can bring him. He formulates a plan that involves others. They believe the story and plot to steal the bird. Their greed is so great, the thieves double-cross Gutman and each other. There's no way they're going to share the wealth so they make off with the prize. First stop, Hong Kong.
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Next stop, San Francisco – this is where the story (this movie) picks up. Lies, murder, more double-cross ensue. A private eye named Sam gets thrown into the mix. Long story short, when it's discovered the bird is fake the criminals assume they must have been duped once the other party found out the bird's value. The 'real' bird, as far as they're concerned, is out there somewhere still. Either they're that delusional or they're in denial. Maybe it's just easier to think the bird still exists than to admit they're all a bunch of fools who have wasted many years, many lives, and lots of money, chasing something that's not real and now they're going to pay for their stupidity and crimes by going to prison.
In my eyes, this movie is a cautionary tale about greed and what it can do. It shows how far some people are willing to go to quench their insatiable thirst for riches; whether those riches are real or perceived. One of the most telling lines is when Gutman says of Wilmer, 'he's like a son to me but when one loses a son they can get another... but there's only one Maltese Falcon.' As crazy as it sounds, it means he'd faster throw his own son under a bus, set him up to take the fall, or send him down the river before he'd ever consider giving up his quest for that big windfall. Wow!
What's really bizarre is these nuts are already throwing around large sums of cash and living rather privileged lives. They're far from destitute or needy but, to them, what they have is not enough. That's the extent of their greed.
Keep in mind, when this movie was released America had just emerged from the depression. It had been a very difficult time for so many people; some were probably still feeling the effects and hadn't fully recovered. Seeing this movie in that context would have had an impact, I believe. It would show how absolutely ridiculous and single-minded these people are.
Their lust for wealth is so great it's blinding and they're so far gone mentally they actually believe after all they've done (multiple murders, theft, destruction of property, etc.) they’re just going to walk out the door and pick up where they left off; take a trip, chase the 'right' bird. Outrageous!
Sam's the only one with any good sense. He doesn't really know what to make of the story but thinks it will lead to the answers he seeks. Whatever he thinks he needs to solve these murders. Until he's got all the pieces, he has to play along. He's surprised when the package arrives via dead man. The plot thickens but by the time the bird turns out to be a dud, he's not surprised at all. It's time to tie up the loose ends. When the police arrive he says he has exhibits for them: the guns, the money, and, oh yes, 'this black statuette here that all the fuss was about'. The way he treats the statuette even before then shows he doesn't believe it's a thing of great value.
Afterward, he doesn't think of it as a faked Maltese Falcon like the others. He knows this is all there's ever been; the only tangible part of the legend. When the police guy, Tom, goes to pick it up it's noticeably heavy so he asks what it is. He doesn't understand how that statuette figures into all that's been happening.
This is why Sam says, 'it's the thing dreams are made of'. Ergo, none of it's real; not the story; not the bird; not the hyped up value of the bird; nothing! It's all a dream; a fantasy, and these fools still don't get it. Then again, neither does the police because without the story, the bird means nothing; hence that final line, 'Huh?'. To me it underlines the absurdity of the whole convoluted affair.
This is, for me, what makes this a really good movie. The actors have to, for the most part, play it straight but they're playing lunatics; or in Sam's case, dealing with lunatics. It's film noir but I found myself laughing quite a bit. It's a fun movie that can be enjoyed on many levels.