The Maltese Falcon George Raft 1941

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 George Raft made a career of (or lost a career by) passing on roles that made Humphrey Bogart famous. According to Wikipedia he rejected seven parts that went to Bogart. Neither look like the "blond Satan" with a widow's peak that author Dashiell Hammett described. Geraldine Fitzpatrick was offered the role Brigid O'Shaughnessy but declined. The role went to the "scandalous" Mary Astor. This was Sydney Greenstreet's first film and makes an impressive debut.

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