The Maltese falcon: Some high-living lowlifes want to get their hands on a bejeweled falcon. Detective Sam Spade wants to find out why and find out who will take the fall for his partner's murder.

The big sleep: L.A. private eye Philip Marlowe takes on a blackmail case and ends up wearing out his gumshoes trailing murderers, nightclub rogues, the spoiled rich and more.

Dial M for murder: Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice decides to murder his wife for her money and because she had an affair the year before. He blackmails an old college associate to strangle her, but when he dials a Mayfair exchange to set the plot in motion, his right number gets the wrong answer.

The postman always rings twice: Illicit lovers botch their first attempt to bump off her husband. They finally pull it off and end up betraying each other at trial. Amorous attractions never proved so fatal.