Fred Sexton’s Maltese Falcon Sculpture Paid Homage in Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019)

By Steve Hodel | June 25, 2020 |
June 25, 2020
Los Angeles
A scene from “Once Upon A Time..in Hollywood” (2019)
“Sharon Tate” (actor Margot Robbie) embraces the Maltese Falcon sculpture in Beverly Hills store as Tarantino pay’s homage to the classic 1941 classic John Huston film. The original “Black Bird” was designed by George Hodel and John Huston’s long time friend Fred Sexton. Sexton was arrested as an accomplice in the 1949 George Hodel Incest/Sex Scandal and testified for the prosecution as a participant in the sex acts between George Hodel and his fourteen-year-old daughter, Tamar.

February 2016 Vanity Fair Article Explores — John Huston, Fred Sexton, and The Black Dahlia Avenger Investigation: The Stuff That Surrealist Dreams are Made Of
See original Fred Sexton/John Huston blog and article HERE.
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6 Comments

  1. Carolyn Simons on June 26, 2020 at 1:27 am

    I saw that! Fred Sexton…what is not known about him would be truly shocking if discovered or exposed…the black bird reminded me of all you have shown us…

    Reply
    • Steve Hodel on June 26, 2020 at 1:35 am

      Carolyn S:
      Yes, Well stay tuned. Working on “The Early Years” now. Lots more to come.
      steve

      Reply
    • steve roll on June 26, 2020 at 11:48 am

      Now I need to go back and watch that scene!

      Reply
      • Steve Hodel on June 26, 2020 at 1:10 pm

        Steve R:
        Yes, I totally missed it, so don’t blink more than twice. It’s right where she goes to see herself in the theatre. She goes into the book store to pick up a book she ordered that there the bird sits and she goes over an embraces it.

        Reply
  2. Miles on June 26, 2020 at 5:16 pm

    Steve,
    Glad you featured this on your blog. Do you have any thoughts as to WHY Tarantino chose to put the statuette in this film?

    Reply
    • Steve Hodel on June 26, 2020 at 11:08 pm

      Miles:
      Not a clew. Guessing he wanted to pay homage to Huston’s classic film???

      Reply

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