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THE MALTESE FALCON - Lobby Card (11" x 14"); Very Fine

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,500.00 USD Estimated At:3,000.00 - 6,000.00 USD
THE MALTESE FALCON - Lobby Card (11  x 14 ); Very Fine
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THE MALTESE FALCON

Lobby Card (11" x 14")
Very Fine
Warner Bros., 1931

All posters from this film are recognized as being quite rare, and this card is certainly no exception..

This card from the first sound version of Dashiell Hammett's classic FIlm-Noir crime drama depicts three people gazing intently at the film's titular prize. This example is in outstanding unrestored condition with only a light 4 in. diagonal crease on the lower left corner, light wear to the other corner tips and a tiny stain.

In 1930, Dashiell Hammett's work, which would become one of his most celebrated, was serialized in Black Mask, a well-known detective fiction magazine of the time. Warner Brothers quickly recognized the potential in Hammett's story, aligning with their success in crime films like Little Caesar (1931) and The Public Enemy (1931). The film adaptation, true to Hammett's novel, featured Ricardo Cortez as the iconic detective Sam Spade. However, the studio's attempt to reissue the film in 1936 was thwarted by the Production Code due to "lewd" content such as Bebe Daniels' nude bathtub scene, insinuations of Spade's sexual relationships with female clients, and strong homosexual undertones, including the implication of a relationship between Wilmer the gunsel and Caspar Gutman.

This lot will be auctioned on Thursday, September 12th. The auction will begin at 9:30am PST and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on September 13th.