The Black Bird

This article is about the 1975 film. For the 1926 film, see The Blackbird. For other films with similar titles, see Blackbird (disambiguation).

The Black Bird
Directed by	David Giler
Produced by	George Segal Ray Stark Lou Lombardo Michael Levee
Written by	Gordon Cotler Don Mankiewicz
Starring	George Segal Stephane Audran
Music by	Jerry Fielding
Cinematography	Philip H. Lathrop
Editing by	Lou Lombardo
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	December 25, 1975
Running time	110 min.
Country	U.S.A.
Language	English

The Black Bird is a 1975 film released December 25, 1975 starring George Segal and Stephane Audran. It is a comedy sequel to the well-regarded 1941 film version of The Maltese Falcon with Segal playing Sam Spade's son, Sam Spade Jr and Elisha Cook Jr. reprising his role of Wilmer Cook.

The Black Bird was panned by critics and audiences alike, and is still considered the weakest film adaptation of the novel; Pauline Kael wrote at the time that the film is "a dumb comedy, with an insecure tone and some good ideas mixed with some terrible ones."

Plot

When San Francisco private detective Sam Spade dies, his son, Sam Spade Jr. inherits his father's agency, including the sarcastic secretary, Effie Perrine (also known as "Godzilla"). He must also continue his father's tradition of "serving minorities." When Caspar Gutman is killed outside Spade's building, his dying words are, "It's black and as long as your arm."

Spade is given an offer by a member of the Order of St. John's Hospital to purchase his father's useless copy of the Maltese Falcon. A right-wing thug named Gordon Immerman has been hired to make sure Spade delivers the bird. He later gets an offer from a Wilmer Cook for the Falcon, but before they can negotiate, he is killed.

Shortly thereafter he meets a beautiful and mysterious Russian woman named Anna Kemidov, daughter of the general who once owned the real Maltese Falcon. She also wants Spade's copy and is willing to seduce him to get it.

Spade is soon dealing with Litvak, a bald Nazi dwarf who is surrounded by an army of Hawaiian thugs. In the ensuing chaos, Immerman tries to become Spade's partner. Spade discovers that his "false" copy may be the real thing.

Cast

• George Segal as Sam Spade, Jr.
• Stephane Audran as Anna Kemidov
• Lionel Stander as Gordon Immerman
• Lee Patrick as Effie
• Elisha Cook, Jr. as Wilmer Cook
• Felix Silla as Litvak
• Signe Hasso as Dr. Crippen
• John Abbot as DuQuai
• Connie Kreski as Decoy Girl
• Titus Napolean as Hawaiian Thug
• Harry Kenoi as Hawaiian Thug
• Howard Jeffrey as Kerkorian
• Ken Swofford as Brad McCormack
• John Alderman as Patron in Ballroom
• Eumenio Blanco as Hernadez

Production

Lee Patrick and Elisha Cook, Jr., were reprising their roles from the original The Maltese Falcon.

External links

• The Black Bird at the Internet Movie Database.
• The Black Bird at AllRovi