 The second of three film adaptations of Dashiell Hammetts "The  Maltese Falcon," this film has notable connections to both other  versions. First, this films screenwriter, Brown Holmes, was also  credited as a screenwriter on the 1931 version, directed by Roy Del  Ruth. Second, this films cinematographer, Arthur Edeson, was also  the director of photography for John Hustons version in 1941.  Third, Warren William, who plays the Sam Spade character (Ted Shane)  in this film, also played Perry Mason in a series of films beginning  in 1934, but was replaced in 1936 by Ricardo Cortez 