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The Black Bird

Play trailer Poster for The Black Bird PG Released Dec 25, 1975 1h 40m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
33% Tomatometer 12 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Sam Spade Jr. (George Segal) inherits his father's detective business and the still-coveted Maltese falcon.

Critics Reviews

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Pauline Kael The New Yorker The Black Bird is a dumb comedy with an insecure tone and some good jokes mixed with some terrible ones. Oct 25, 2023 Full Review Variety Staff Variety The general tenor of the film shows a sentimental empathy for the original material with no heartless put-downs marring the work. There are lots of smiles, many chuckles, and a few strong laughs. Feb 23, 2012 Full Review Time Out As a whole the movie fails to top the wry tone of Huston's classic or to produce a surprise denouement. Jun 24, 2006 Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com …dismissed as witless in its day, butfull of gags, good and bad, and really not too bad at all…The Black Bird has a certain cache among genuine noir fans… Rated: 3/5 Oct 6, 2024 Full Review Steve Warren The Barb (Atlanta) Falcon is a classic, Bird isn't. May 9, 2023 Full Review Ruth Batchelor Los Angeles Free Press Black Bird is a funny movie. Jun 30, 2021 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (8) audience reviews
Sapere A segal had such a talent for being “put-upon” and he makes that work better here than in many other flicks. Those critics who tried to sink TBB failed—it was funny in the 70s and it’s funny now Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/16/25 Full Review Lori R It's a parody and it's really funny. Proves the critics know nothing. Give it a try and don't listen to the unhumorous naysayers. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 11/29/24 Full Review nick s A few good gags but most of the humour fell flat. A lot of the lines seemed pointless. A real shame that Segal kept winding up in weakly written movies like this... an effortlessly charasmatic guy who would have slayed with a good script. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 10/22/24 Full Review Steve D What was Segal thinking? Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 03/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Excellent comedy sequel to the Maltese Falcon, with George Segal at his best as the luckless son of Sam Spade lured back in the Maltese Falcon hunt, and several members from the original cast. I just wish someone would issue it in DVD format. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/28/23 Full Review Audience Member A pretty funny sequel/spoof of Maltese Falcon, which was an interesting idea, but I think we could have done without it. Overall, it's okay. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Black Bird

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Cast & Crew

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David Giler

Director

George Segal

Sam Spade Jr.

Stéphane Audran

Anna Kemidov

Lionel Stander

Gordon Immerman

Lee Patrick

Effie

Elisha Cook Jr.

Wilmer Cook

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The Black Bird

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Movie Info

Synopsis Sam Spade Jr. (George Segal) inherits his father's detective business and the still-coveted Maltese falcon.
Director
David Giler
Producer
Lou Lombardo, Michael Leeve
Screenwriter
David Giler
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Rastar Pictures, Columbia Pictures Corporation
Rating
PG
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 25, 1975, Original
Runtime
1h 40m