The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese Falcon, featuring the original radio script from 1943 as an onstage drama, is based on the acclaimed novel by Dashiell Hammett who is widely acknowledged as one of America’s greatest mystery writers. 

The classic screenplay (1941) was brought to radio with the original cast, starring Humphrey Bogart in the lead role as Detective Sam Spade, who as best actor of the year was nominated for the 1943 academy award

The story chronicles the adventures of private detective Sam Spade as he becomes embroiled with a group of eccentric criminals, including a treacherous femme fatale on a quest to claim a priceless black statuette of a falcon.

It is an early example of the “hardboiled” detective novel, which departs from novels in the romantic tradition that heavily emphasize characters’ emotions and instead introduces a cynical and detached attitude that is characteristic of novels in this style.