(A.k.a. Dangerous Female.) The 1931 Maltese Falcon was buried, first in the abundance of crime and detective films with which it coincided, and then of course in the shadow of John Huston's 1941 remake. If it lacks the legendary elements of the 1941 version, as William K. Everson notes in The Detective in Film "it was still a remarkably good film-and at times so similar to the later Bogart version that it seems inevitable that John Huston screened it at least once. The changes (from the novel) were already apparent in this first version, in which Sam Spade-a tough private detective, principled in his own fashion, but ruthless and not totally honest-was decidedly softened and given a modicum of charm in the hands of Ricardo Cortez. However, the mere casting of Cortez in such a role (and) the utilization of Bebe Daniels...as the femme fatale...showed intelligent reflection on the offbeat nature of the roles. Dudley Digges was an excellent Gutman..."