You won't find anyone dressing up as Sam Spade or as an iron Falcon statue for Halloween or a convention. (Which is a shame, really—Sam Spade was a dapper chapper.) The Maltese Falcon doesn't have a fandom, per se, but it does have a legacy of massive proportions. The film is a gold standard for film noir. Take a coldhearted, hardboiled detective, add a shady femme fatale, throw in a mysterious goal and a heaping portion of dry, banter-y dialogue, stir, and voila: film noir.

Roger Ebert details the legacy of The Maltese Falcon, in addition to its being the ultimate noir. It basically defined Humphrey Bogart's career. He would not be the lovable-yet-callous rogue with a perpetual cigarette in his mouth without this film. It introduced the world to Sydney Greenstreet, who basically defines the term "large and in charge." It was John Huston's first movie, and that dude went on to Hollywood directorial superstardom. And it includes some seriously stunning cinematography.

So maybe someone should glue on some black feathers and be a Maltese Falcon whenever they next need a costume. It's a classic.