Twisted Obsession
This is a story of the consequences of obsession. Are Gutman, Cairo and Brigid such bizarre characters because of their obsessive pursuit of the elusive black bird or is the pursuit of the elusive black bird leading them ever closer to the precipice of derangement? On the other hand, there is the practical and cynically grounded Sam Spade who appears as a rock of stability in comparison. Spade is committed to solving the case, but lacks the desperation of obsession.
Deception and the Truth
Everyone lies. Brigid, of course, is a master spinner of falsehoods, half-truths and lies. But even Sam Spade is not above engaging in deception in order to get at the truth. The historical provenance of the very existence of the Maltese Falcon itself may have been nothing but a grand deception. Certainly, the story that led the treasure hunters to believe they had finally tracked down the real thing was a deception on a less grand scale. What separates the obsessive falcon seekers from Spade is the difference between trust and cynicism. Ironically, it is Spade’s trust in his belief that everybody deceives that is his saving grace.
Masculinity
Sam Spade is constantly portrayed as the ideal image of masculinity through opposition to the almost ludicrously effeminate Joe Cairo and the loathsomely bloated Gutman. Space refers to Gutman’s “bodyguard” Wilmer as the “gunsel” which would seem to mean a guy with a gun, but at the time was, in fact, slang for a young man “kept” by aging homosexual men. It is not just homosexuality that come under fire, however; Spade’s partner, Miles Archer, also has his masculinity castigated. In Archer’s case, it is for the exact opposite reason: he thinks with his penis instead of his head and as a result gets killed by chasing after another pretty face.
Living by a Code of Honor
Spade subscribes to his own personal moral code. That code may violate the tenets of publically codified rules of behavior, but then again Spade work within a milieu which hardly allows for pure chivalry. The point is that unlike his tragically fated partner and unlike those seeking the Falcon, he lives by that code and refuses to break or even bend its moral foundation. As the story concludes, his secretary Effie, questions how he could betray his possible love for Brigid by handing her over to the police. For Spade, the question is moot.
