A gallery of high-living lowlifes will stop at nothing to get their sweaty hands on a jewel-encrusted falcon. Detective Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) wants to find out why - and who's gonna take the fall.

This third screen version of Dashiell Hammett's novel is a film of firsts: John Huston's directorial debut, rotund 62-year-old Sydney Greenstreet's screen debut, film history's first film noir and Bogart's breakthrough role after years as a Warner contract player. When George Raft refused to work with a first-time director, Bogart took on the role of Spade - and launched the most acclaimed period of his career.

An all-star cast (including Greenstreet, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook Jr.) join Bogart in this crisply written sizzler that placed in the top quarter of the American Film Institute's 100 Greatest American Films list. Many say it's the best detective drama ever. Each time you see it, you'll find it hard to disagree.