Hammett""s murder mystery novel had previously been filmed twice:The Maltese Falcon (1931), a low-budget, pre-Code film (directed by Roy Del Ruth)-renamed for TV asDangerous Female- with Ricardo Cortez as the gumshoe opposite femme fatale Bebe Daniels; it was faithful to Hammett""s novel, although its pre-censorship status allowed for steamier scenes (a nude bathtub shot, a portrayal of Spade as a womanizing Latin lover, and a clearly homosexual relationship between Casper "Fat Man" Gutman (Dudley Digges) and ""fall guy"" Wilmer (Dwight Frye))Satan Met a Lady (1936), a remake directed by William Dieterle) with Warren William and rising star Bette Davis as the femme fatale, but without the ""black bird"" (a ram""s horn was substituted)Huston was convinced that he could remake the film with a more precise screenplay and better acting than the other two adaptations.Professor Xavier promised to continually combat him with his X-Men ("And I will always be there, old friend").] He had an unkempt and unshaven look - wearing a tattered and dirty leather police uniform (with a missing right arm sleeve on his leather-jacket), and sporting a rare sawed-off shotgun.By sending her away as he hurries to the bomb site, he inadvertently sends her directly into "harm" on the streets.