Filmscript - the Maltese Falcon

1

Screenplay 2

THE MALTESE FALCON 3

By 4

DASHELL HAMMETT 5

THE FILM 6

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 20087

PROFESSIONALLCFILM COMPANY8

WWW.PROFESSIONALLCFILM.FREEHOSTING.NET 9

The Maltese Falcon (1941)10

DISSOLVE TO: 17. INT. HALLWAY - CORONET 11

APARTMENTS - CLOSE SHOT - 12

SPADE 13

pressing the buzzer of Apartment 1001. 14

MISS WONDERLY, 15

IN A BELTED GREEN CREPE DRESS, 16

opens the door immediately. 17

Her face is flushed. 18

HER HAIR PARTED ON THE LEFT SIDE 19

SWEEPING BACK IN LOOSE WAVES OVER HER RIGHT TEMPLE, IS 20

SOMEWHAT TOUSLED. 21

SPADE 22

(taking off his hat) 23

Good morning. 24

MISS WONDERLY 25

(lowers her head -- then in a hushed timid voice) 26

Come in, Mr. Spade. 27

18. INT. LIVING ROOM SEVERAL BAGS STAND 28

OPEN ON THE FLOOR. 29

Miss Wonderly and Spade enter from the hall. 30

MISS WONDERLY 31

Everything is upside-down. I 32

haven’t even finished unpacking. 33

She lays his hat on a table, sits down on a walnut settee. 34

Spade sits on a brocaded oval-backed chair, facing her. She 35

looks at her fingers, working them together. Then: 36

Come in, Mr. Spade. 37

Everything’s upside down. 38

I haven’t finished unpacking. 39

27. MISS WONDERLY 40

Mr. Spade, I’ve a terrible, 41

terrible confession to make. 42

He makes a polite smile. 43

2. 44

MISS WONDERLY 45

That -- that story I told you 46

yesterday was all -- a story. 47

(she stammers, looks at him with miserable frightened eyes) 48

SPADE 49

Oh, that... 50

(lightly) 51

We didn’t exactly believe your 52

story, Miss -- Miss -- is your name 53

Wonderly or Leblanc? 54

MISS WONDERLY 55

(working her fingers again) 56

It’s really O’Shaughnessy -- Brigid 57

O’Shaughnessy. 58

SPADE 59

We didn’t exactly believe your 60

story, Miss O’Shaughnessy. 61

We believed your two hundred 62

dollars. 63

BRIGID 64

You mean... 65

SPADE 66

I mean, that you paid us more than 67

if you had been telling us the 68

truth... 69

(blandly) 70

...and enough more to make it all 71

right. 72

BRIGID 73

(bites her lip) 74

Mr. Spade, tell me... 75

(her face becomes haggard, eyes desperate) 76

Am I to blame -- for last night? 77

BRIGID 78

(her voice thin and tremulous) 79

Mr. Spade, do they know about me? 80

3. 81

SPADE 82

Not yet. I’ve been stalling them 83

until I could see you. 84

BRIGID 85

Must they know about me at all, Mr. 86

Spade? 87

Couldn’t you somehow manage to 88

shield me from them? 89

So I won’t have to answer their 90

questions? 91

SPADE 92

Maybe. But I’ll have to know what 93

it’s all about. 94

She rises, puts a timid hand to his coat sleeve. 95

BRIGID 96

I can’t tell you -- I can’t tell 97

you now -- later I will -- when I 98

can. You must trust me 99

MR. SPADE. 100

Oh, I’m so alone and afraid! I’ve 101

got nobody to help me if you won’t 102

help me. 103

(begging) 104

Be generous, Mr. Spade. You’re 105

strong. You’re brave. You can spare 106

me some of that strength and 107

courage, surely. 108

(she drops to her knees, her hand touching his, clings 109

pitifully) 110

Help me, Mr. Spade! I need help so 111

badly. I’ve no right to ask you but 112

I do ask you. Help me! 113

Spade empties his lungs with a long sighing exhalation. 114

SPADE 115

You won’t need much of anybody’s 116

help. You’re good. It’s chiefly 117

your eyes, I think, and that throb 118

you get in your voice when you say 119

things like "Be generous, Mr. 120

Spade." 121

4. 122

She jumps to her feet. Her face blanching painfully, but she 123

holds her head erect and she looks Spade straight in the 124

eye. 125

BRIGID 126

(voice chilled) 127

I deserve that. But -- Oh -- the 128

lie was in the way I said it and 129

not at all in what I said. 130

(lips trembling slightly, but head still erect) 131

It’s my own fault that you can’t 132

believe me now. 133

Spade’s face darkens. He looks down at the floor. 134

SPADE 135

(muttering) 136

Now you are dangerous. 137

Brigid O’Shaughnessy goes to the table, picks up his hat. 138

She comes back and stands in front of him, holding the hat 139

for him to take if he wishes. Her face is thin, haggard. 140

SPADE 141

(looking at his hat) 142

I’ve got nothing against trusting 143

you blindly except that I won’t be 144

able to do you much good if I 145

haven’t some idea of what it’s all 146

about. 147

She puts his hat on the table, slips down onto the settee 148

again. Brigid O’Shaughnessy shakes her head and says 149

nothing. 150

SPADE 151

That’s good -- coming from you. 152

What have you given me besides 153

money? Have you given me any of 154

your confidence? Any of the truth? 155

Haven’t you tried to buy my loyalty 156

with money and nothing else? 157

BRIGID 158

I’ve given you all the money I 159

have. 160

(tears glisten in her eyes, her voice is hoarse, vibrant) 161

(MORE) 162

5. 163

BRIGID (cont’d) 164

I’ve thrown myself on your mercy -- 165

told you that without your help I’m 166

utterly lost. 167

(she turns on him suddenly -- cries in a vibrant voice) 168

What else is there that I can buy 169

you with? 170

Spade takes her face between his hands, kisses her mouth 171

roughly and contemptuously, then releasing her, he sits 172

back. 173

She sits, holding her face where his hands left it. 174

Spade gets up, takes two steps towards the fireplace, halts. 175

Brigid doesn’t move. He turns to face her. 176

SPADE 177

I don’t care what your secrets are 178

-- but I can’t go ahead without 179

more confidence in you than I have 180

now. You’ve got to convince me that 181

you know what it’s all about -- 182

that you aren’t simply fiddling 183

along hoping it’ll all come out 184

right in the end. 185

BRIGID 186

Can’t you trust me a little longer? 187

SPADE 188

How much is a little? And what are 189

you waiting for? 190

She bites her lip, looks down. 191

71. BRIGID 192

I don’t know. 193

SPADE 194

(casually) 195

Your are a liar. 196

She gets up and stands at the end of the table looking down 197

at him with dark abashed eyes. 198

BRIGID 199

I am a liar. I’ve always been a 200

liar. 201

6. 202

SPADE 203

(good-humoredly) 204

Don’t brag about it. Was there any 205

truth at all in that yarn? 206

BRIGID 207

(lowers her head slightly -- whispers) 208

Some... Not very much. 209

Spade rises, crosses to her. He puts his hand under her 210

chin, lifts her head. Her eyes are damp. He laughs into 211

them. 212

SPADE 213

We’ve got all night before us. I’ll 214

put some coffee on and we’ll try 215

again. 216

BRIGID 217

(her eyelids droop) 218

Oh -- I’m so tired. 219

(then tremulously) 220

So tired... of lying and thinking 221

up lies and not knowing what is a 222

lie and what is the truth. 223

I wish I... 224

She puts her hands up to Spade’s cheeks, her mouth hard 225

against his mouth -- her body flat against his body. 226

Spade’s arms go around her, holding her to him. Muscles 227

bulge his sleeves as his hand cradles her head, his fingers 228

lost among her hair. 229

FADE OUT. 230

146. SPADE 231

(CONT’D) 232

They just left here for the 233

Alexandria Hotel, but they’re 234

blowing town so you’ll have to move 235

fast... I don’t think they’re 236

expecting a pinch... Watch yourself 237

when you go up against the kid... 238

That’s right, Tom... and good luck. 239

7. 240

Spade slowly replaces the receiver on the prong. He fills 241

his chest with air and exhales. His eyes are glittering 242

between narrowed lids. 243

He turns, takes three swift steps toward Brigid 244

O’Shaughnessy. 245

The girl, startled by the suddenness of his approach, lets 246

her breath out in a little gasp. 247

Spade, face to face with Brigid, looks at her hard of jaw 248

and eye. 249

SPADE 250

They’ll talk when they’re nailed -- 251

about us. We’re sitting on 252

dynamite. We’ve only got minutes to 253

get set for the police. Give me all 254

of it fast. 255

She starts to speak, hesitates, bites her lip. 256

Spade takes her by the shoulder, cries angrily: 257

SPADE 258

Talk. 259

BRIGID 260

(uncertainly) 261

Where... shall... I... begin? 262

SPADE 263

The day you first came to my 264

office... Why did you want Thursby 265

shadowed? 266

BRIGID 267

I told you, Sam, I suspected him of 268

betraying me and I wanted to find 269

out. 270

SPADE 271

That’s a lie! You had Thursby 272

hooked and you knew it. You wanted 273

to get him out of the way before 274

Jacoby came with the loot. Isn’t 275

that so? 276

Brigid lowers her eyes shame-facedly. 277

8. 278

SPADE 279

What was your scheme? 280

BRIGID 281

S -- something -- like -- that. 282

SPADE 283

Right? 284

She nods mutely. 285

SPADE 286

so you came back to me. 287

She puts her hands up around the back of his neck pushing 288

his head down until his mouth all but touches hers. 289

BRIGID 290

Yes, but -- Oh, sweetheart, it 291

wasn’t only that. I would have come 292

back to you sooner or later. From 293

the very first instant I saw you I 294

knew... He puts his arms around her 295

holding her tight to him. 296

SPADE 297

(tenderly) 298

You Angel! Well, if you get a good 299

break, you’ll be out of San Quentin 300

in twenty years and you can come 301

back to me then. 302

She draws away from him slightly, throws her head far back 303

to stare up at him, uncomprehending. 304

SPADE 305

(tenderly) 306

I hope they don’t hang you, 307

Precious, by that sweet neck. 308

He puts his hand up and caresses her throat. 309

In an instant she is out of his arms back against the table 310

crouching, both hands spread over her throat. 311

Her face is wild-eyed, haggard. 312

Her mouth opens and closes. 313

9. 314

150. BRIGID 315

(in a small, parched voice) 316

You’re not?... 317

(she can get no other words out) 318

Spade’s face is damp with sweat now. 319

His mouth smiles and there are smile wrinkles around his 320

glittering eyes. 321

SPADE 322

(gently) 323

I’m going to send you over. The 324

chances are you’ll get off with 325

life. That means you’ll be out 326

again in twenty years. You’re an 327

angel! I’ll wait for you. 328

(he clears his throat) 329

If they hang you, I’ll always 330

remember you. 331

Brigid drops her hands, stands erect. 332

Her face becomes smooth and untroubled except for the 333

faintest of dubious glints in her eyes. 334

She smiles back at him. 335

BRIGID 336

Don’t, Sam. Don’t say that -- even 337

in fun. Oh, you frightened me for a 338

moment. I really thought -- you do 339

such wild and unpredictable 340

things... 341

She breaks off, thrusts her head forward and stares deep 342

into his eyes. 343

The flesh around her mouth shivers and fear comes back into 344

her eyes. 345

She puts her hands to her throat again. 346

Spade laughs. His laugh is a croak. 347

SPADE 348

Don’t be silly. You’re taking the 349

fall. 350

10. 351

BRIGID 352

But -- but, Sam, you can’t! Not 353

after what we’ve been to each 354

other. You can’t! 355

(she takes a long trembling breath) 356

You’ve been playing with me -- only 357

pretending you cared -- to trap me 358

like this. You didn’t -- care at 359

all. You -- don’t -- l -- love me. 360

The muscles holding his smile stand out like walls. 361

SPADE 362

I think I do. What of it? I won’t 363

play the sap for you. 364

BRIGID 365

(tears come to her eyes) 366

You know it is not like that! You 367

can’t say that! 368

SPADE 369

I am saying it. You’ve never played 370

square with me for half an hour at 371

a stretch since I’ve known you. 372

Brigid blinks her tears away, takes a few steps backward, 373

stands looking at him, straight and proud. 374

BRIGID 375

You know, down deep in your heart 376

you know that in spite of anything 377

I’ve done, I love you. 378

He puts his hand back on her shoulder, the hand shakes and 379

jerks. 380

SPADE 381

I don’t care who loves who. I’m not 382

going to play the sap for you. I 383

won’t walk in Thursby’s -- and I 384

don’t know how many others -- 385

footsteps. You killed Miles and 386

you’re going over for it. 387

She takes his hand from her shoulder, holds it close to her 388

face. 389

BRIGID 390

Why must you do this to me, Sam? 391

Surely Mr. Archer wasn’t as much to 392

you as -- 393

11. 394

He is no longer smiling. 395

He pulls his hand away from her. 396

His wet face is set hard and deeply lined. 397

His eyes burn madly. 398

SPADE 399

Listen... This won’t do any good. 400

You’ll never understand me but I’ll 401

try once and then give it up. 402

Listen... When a man’s partner is 403

killed, he’s supposed to do 404

something about it. 405

(MORE) 406

SPADE 407

(CONT’D) 408

It doesn’t make any difference what 409

you thought of him. He was your 410

partner and you’re supposed to do 411

something about it. Then it happens 412

we’re in the detective business. 413

Well, when one of your organization 414

gets killed, it’s bad business to 415

let the killer get away with it -- 416

bad all around -- bad for every 417

detective everywhere. 418

BRIGID 419

You don’t expect me to think that 420

these things you’re saying are 421

sufficient reason for sending me to 422

the...? 423

SPADE 424

Wait till I’m through. Then you can 425

talk. Third. I’ve no earthly reason 426

to think I can trust you and if I 427

did this and got away with it, 428

you’d have something on me you 429

could use whenever you wanted to. 430

Next: since I’ve got something on 431

you, I couldn’t be sure you 432

wouldn’t decide to put a hole in me 433

some day. Fifth. I wouldn’t even 434

like the idea of thinking that 435

there might be one chance in a 436

hundred that you’d played me for a 437

sucker. And sixth: But that’s 438

(MORE) 439

12. 440

SPADE (cont’d) 441

enough. All those are on one side. 442

Maybe some of them are unimportant. 443

I won’t argue about that. But look 444

at the number of them. Now, on the 445

other side we’ve got what? All 446

we’ve got is that maybe you love me 447

and maybe I love you. 448

BRIGID 449

(whispers) 450

You know whether you love me or 451

not. 452

SPADE 453

Maybe I do. 454

He looks hungrily from her hair to her feet and up to her 455

eyes again. 456

SPADE 457

What of it? Maybe next month I 458

won’t. I’ve been through it before. 459

I’ll have some rotten nights after 460

I’ve sent you over but that’ll 461

pass. 462

(he takes her by the shoulders, bends her back leaning over 463

her) 464

If all I’ve said doesn’t mean 465

anything to you, forget it and 466

we’ll make it just this. I won’t 467

because all of me wants to -- 468

regardless of consequences -- and 469

because you’ve counted on that with 470

me the same as you counted on that 471

with the others... 472

(he takes his hands from her shoulders, lets them fall to 473

his side) She puts her hands up to his cheeks, draws his 474

face down toward her again. 475

BRIGID 476

Look at me and tell me the truth. 477

Would you have done this to me if 478

the Falcon had been real and you 479

had been paid your money? 480

SPADE 481

Don’t be too sure I’m as crooked as 482

I’m supposed to be. That kind of 483

reputation might be good business 484

(MORE) 485

13. 486

SPADE (cont’d) 487

bringing in high-priced jobs and 488

making it easier to deal with the 489

enemy. 490

She looks at him, says nothing. 491

Spade moves his shoulders a little. 492

SPADE 493

But a lot of money would have been 494

at least one more item on your side 495

of the scales. 496

BRIGID 497

(whispers) 498

If you loved me, you’d need nothing 499

more on that side. 500

SPADE 501

(his voice a hoarse creak) 502

I won’t play the sap for you. 503

She puts her mouth to his slowly and is in his arms when the 504

doorbell 505

RINGS. 506

Before he releases her he calls: 507

SPADE 508

Come in. 509

123. MED. SHOT - ROOM - ANGLE ON DOOR 510

Lieutenant Dundy, Tom Polhaus and two other detectives 511

enter. They look back and forth from Spade to the girl. 512

SPADE 513

Hello, Tom... Got them? 514

POLHAUS 515

(nods) 516

Got them. 517

SPADE 518

Swell... Here’s another one for 519

you. 520

(he pushes Brigid forward) 521

(MORE) 522

14. 523

SPADE (cont’d) 524

She killed Miles -- and I’ve got 525

some exhibits. 526

He goes to the closet, unlocks the door, steps into the 527

closet. 528

SPADE’S VOICE 529

(from closet) 530

The boy’s guns and one of Cairo’s 531

-- and a thousand dollar bill I was 532

supposed to be bribed with. 533

He comes out of the closet, gives the guns to Polhaus. 534

SPADE 535

And that black statuette on the 536

table there that all the fuss was 537

about... 538

He turns to Dundy, draws his brows together, leans forward 539

to peer into the lieutenant’s face, starts to laugh. 540

SPADE 541

What’s the matter with your little 542

playmate, Tom? He looks 543

heart-broken. I bet when he heard 544

Gutman’s story he thought he had me 545

at last. 546

POLHAUS 547

(grumbles) 548

Cut it out, Sam. 549

(he looks uneasily at his superior) 550

SPADE 551

(nods) 552

Ought to have expected that. 553

(picks up his hat, puts it on) 554

Shall we be getting down to the 555

Hall? 556

Brigid’s face and movements are like a sleepwalker’s. 557

SPADE 558

Your Sam’s a detective. 559

It’s heavy. What is it? The stuff 560

that dreams are made of. 561