The Maltese Falcon (1941 Film) Characters

Sam Spade

Sam Spade is a private detective in San Francisco. He is a no-nonsense kind of man, who never takes anyone at their word, and believes that he can trust others only once he has hard proof of their trustworthiness. He has been having an affair with his partner's wife, Iva Archer, which ends after Miles Archer is murdered while working on a new case. Sam is a street smart investigator with a need for power and the upper hand. He takes on the search for the Falcon because of money, but is primarily motivated by a sense of loyalty. In spite of getting himself into sticky situations, he is a man of scruples, who believes ultimately in doing the right thing.

Brigid O'Shaughnessy

Brigid O'Shaughnessy comes to San Francisco using an alias—"Ruth Wonderly"—and hires Sam and Miles to trail a man named Floyd Thursby. She is a woman who knows more than she lets on, affecting a fragility and vulnerability in order to get what she wants. She is afraid for her life and willing to kill in order to protect herself. A woman who has been dealt some difficult lots in life, Brigid is at once tough and fragile, ruthless and demure; ultimately, Sam deems her untrustworthy, in spite of his affection for her. Brigid is a classic example of a "femme fatale," a seductive and enticing woman whose feminine wiles often ensnare men in dangerous exploits.

Gutman

Gutman, or "The Fat Man" is the main antagonist in the film. A rotund man, he has been searching for the Maltese Falcon for 17 years and will stop at nothing to have it in his possession. As he plots a way to get the Falcon, motivated by a decadent avarice, he hires others to carry out his dirty work. He is loyal only to himself, and he doggedly pursues the Falcon for the material wealth it will bring him. Part of his villainousness is his jolly and seemingly kind-hearted temperament, which hides a cold ruthlessness and a cunning self-interest.

Iva

Iva is Miles' widow, with whom Sam was having an affair before Miles' death. She is devoted to Sam, jealous and emotional, and she at one point accuses Sam of murdering Miles, because she is jealous of his relationship with Brigid. She is also a red herring, in that it seems as though she could have killed her husband in order to be with Sam, until it is revealed that it was in fact Brigid who killed Miles.

Effie

Effie is Sam's loyal secretary at his business. She is scrappy, helpful, and practical, and has a keen intuitive sense. Having worked for Sam for many years, she is capable of thinking like a detective, and knows how to put her services to good use, even under pressure. Sam has great affection for her, and entrusts her with some difficult tasks. Effie is Sam's extra set of eyes, and perhaps the person closest to him.

Joel Cairo

Joel Cairo is one of Gutman's henchmen. He is a small and suppliant man, but also violent and ruthless. He has been searching for the Falcon with Gutman for many years and is weary of the search, but willing to carry on for the glory it might bring. He is characterized as exotic and effeminate, carrying a cane, speaking with an unusual and ambiguous accent, and carrying a gardenia-scented business card. He is at once a sexual and an ethnic deviant, and his ambiguities of identity are portrayed as threatening and untrustworthy.

Wilmer

Wilmer is Gutman's hitman, bodyguard and lapdog. He does whatever Gutman asks of him, and Gutman considers him a son. Wilmer puts on the act of being tough and gritty, but is also a frightened young man, unsure of himself and his own strength. Wilmer is constantly at odds with Sam and is ready to kill him if he crosses him too much. In the end, Gutman betrays him and gives him over as the fall man for the murders.

Tom Polhaus

Tom is a cop and a friend of Sam's, and seems to trust him more than Dundy does. The two policemen are portrayed as being less than competent at their jobs, never quite as crafty or successful as Sam, who is scrappier and less predictable.

Lieutenant Dundy

A police lieutenant who is power-hungry and wants to nail Sam for a crime he didn't commit. Dundy seems intent on pinning the murders of Miles and Thursby on Sam.