The Black Bird (1975)

In the bustling city of San Francisco, Sam Spade Jr., a man who shared only fleeting moments with his father, inherits his famed detective agency after the elder Spade's death. Not only is he entrusted with his father's legacy of serving the underrepresented, but he also has to accommodate his father's acerbic secretary, Effie Perrine, endearingly referred to as "Godzilla." His uneventful life is disrupted when Caspar Gutman, a man of considerable size, is found dead outside his office, leaving behind a cryptic clue: "It's black and as long as your arm." The mystery deepens when a member of the Order of St. John's Hospital offers to buy what is believed to be a worthless duplicate of the infamous Maltese Falcon, a relic his father had in his possession. Meanwhile, the presence of Gordon Immerman, a right-wing enforcer ironically nicknamed "Andrew Jackson," looms over Spade. Despite Immerman's attempts to form an alliance, Spade remains wary. His apprehension escalates when another interested party, Wilmer Cook, is killed before they can negotiate. Suddenly, the alluring yet enigmatic Anna Kemidov enters the scene. As the daughter of the general who once owned the genuine Maltese Falcon, she will stop at nothing, including seduction, to reclaim the coveted artifact. It soon becomes apparent that the item everyone seeks may not be a mere copy, but the real Maltese Falcon. As the plot thickens, Spade finds himself entangled with an army of Hawaiian thugs led by the menacing Litvak, a bald Nazi dwarf. Amidst the ensuing chaos, alliances shift, truths are questioned, and the line between love and deceit blurs. In this whirlwind of intrigue and danger, Sam Spade Jr. must unravel the truth behind the black bird and uphold his inherited legacy. In his pursuit, he learns that the shadow of the Maltese Falcon is filled with treachery, passion, and deadly secrets.

The Black Bird is a comedy movie featuring Lee Patrick and directed by David Giler.

The Black Bird is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Tubi TV.