A painfully unfunny and unnecessary sequel to "The Maltese Falcon" has a truly convoluted storyline and far too many characters and even the returning characters from the original are ridiculously obnoxious. George Segal at this point in his career was like Elliott Gould, in far too many movies and way too over publicized, and a little bit of him goes up really long ride. At least it seems like this that is, his character is unlikable and has absolutely no charm. He's the son of the original Sam Spade, constantly ridiculed because of his name in a highly black San Francisco, a joke that would have been funny in smaller doses but only becomes obnoxious here. Any efforts to shock audiences with the Spade reference just goes flat because it's quite overused even more than lines that Mel Brooks used in his movies.
I'll give the film credit for one thing, in regards to its opening credits, they are very creative, looking very similar to film credits of the 1940s. But this wasn't made at Warner Brothers where all three versions of "The Maltese Falcon" were. It would have been nice to have that connection. The big mistake is that it is played as a comedy, and every effort to be funny falls as flat as Lee Patrick's secretary spread. Her character, a returnee from the original movie, nicknamed Godzilla, is given the most hideous wardrobe, and does nothing but bray through the entire film, becoming cumbersome in a very obnoxious way. Elisha Cook Jr. Returns as well, and in his limited time on screen. Reveals that his character, not the brightest bulb in the original film, is now a complete idiot.
The overused speech impediment of Stéphane Audran in a Mary Astor like role is also a riveting, as if they were trying to imitate Kay Francis who wasn't even involved in any of the three movies. At least John Abbott who plays the man initially looking for the fake bird comes off as somewhat dignified, fortunately bumped off for his second scene, but Lionel Stander unfortunately does not. Another issue is that the film never seems to be set in the modern times, somehow having moments that seem that it's back in the forties, with a conga line in a smart supper club straight out of the forties as well as the wardrobe that they obviously got a discount coupon from Western Costumes or sitting in mothballs in storage on the Columbia lot ever since the days of Grace Moore musicals. This was one of several big flops with nostalgic thing to use to come out in the mid 1970's, mainly the fault of the script writer and director. A complete disaster in every way.
I'll give the film credit for one thing, in regards to its opening credits, they are very creative, looking very similar to film credits of the 1940s. But this wasn't made at Warner Brothers where all three versions of "The Maltese Falcon" were. It would have been nice to have that connection. The big mistake is that it is played as a comedy, and every effort to be funny falls as flat as Lee Patrick's secretary spread. Her character, a returnee from the original movie, nicknamed Godzilla, is given the most hideous wardrobe, and does nothing but bray through the entire film, becoming cumbersome in a very obnoxious way. Elisha Cook Jr. Returns as well, and in his limited time on screen. Reveals that his character, not the brightest bulb in the original film, is now a complete idiot.
The overused speech impediment of Stéphane Audran in a Mary Astor like role is also a riveting, as if they were trying to imitate Kay Francis who wasn't even involved in any of the three movies. At least John Abbott who plays the man initially looking for the fake bird comes off as somewhat dignified, fortunately bumped off for his second scene, but Lionel Stander unfortunately does not. Another issue is that the film never seems to be set in the modern times, somehow having moments that seem that it's back in the forties, with a conga line in a smart supper club straight out of the forties as well as the wardrobe that they obviously got a discount coupon from Western Costumes or sitting in mothballs in storage on the Columbia lot ever since the days of Grace Moore musicals. This was one of several big flops with nostalgic thing to use to come out in the mid 1970's, mainly the fault of the script writer and director. A complete disaster in every way.