The Falcon in Danger

Tom Conway, playing the Saint knock-off his real life brother George Sanders abandoned to him, is actually in danger: of getting married. He aso has a fine little mystery to solve, when a plane sets down at the airport with no one aboard.

RKO actually paid for some good writing for Conway's series; this one is credited to Craig Rice and Fred Niblo Jr. RKO stocked it liberally with starlets, and there's the always watchable Clarence Kolb around as an 'industrialist' near the center of the story. Another Falcon movie was the first to use a Raymond Chandler story as its plot basis. The results were pretty good mysteries and some nice cheesecake. This one lives up to that undemanding standard for a second feature.

Okay Falcon entry, but nothing more. The plane crash with no one aboard makes a good opening grabber. So who was aboard and what happened. Too bad the narrative soon clogs up in convoluted fashion. As a result, the whodunit part is clouded over by congested secondary parts, such that the final reveal becomes somewhat anti-climactic.

Also, the programmer lacks needed verve from a largely unmotivated cast—Ward's ditsy southener tries but is more annoying than charming. And are we really supposed to believe the super-refined Falcon would choose her as a fiancé! Also, it looks like director Clemens simply filmed the script without style or mood.

What the film does have are a couple of engaging scenes. There's the crowded roller-skating rink using 'crack the whip' that sends the ultra-dignified Falcon flying, a humorous touch from a by-gone era. Then too, the Falcon playing Gene Autry on a run-away horse gave a stunt double, I expect, a good payday.

Look for minor notables among the supporting cast—Richard Martin (George Morley) who later played Tim Holt's sidekick Chito Rafferty from that cowboy series; Erford Gage (Evan Morley) from the Val Lewton horror series and one of the few actors killed in action in WWII; and the distinctive but uncredited Ian Wolfe (butler) from hundreds of RKO productions of the time.

All in all, it's a routine programmer that could have used a slimmed down narrative and cast to better fit the slender 65-minute runtime.

Another Falcon mystery, starring the usual crew, Tom Conway and Jean Brooks. When a plane crash lands, they find it completely empty. A mystery, since a millionaire is now missing. The other passengers were left behind at the last stop. The coppers track down the falcon to assist, and find him in a speakeasy, of course. When the kidnappers demand ransom, the falcon tries to figure out who is behind it all. And how is the antique store involved in this? You'll recognize Clarence Kolb, as the kidnap-ee... he was always the wise old senator, or the rich old uncle. This one goes all over the place, but it's watchable. Except for the annoying, screeching girlfriend (Amelita Ward) she's yackety yack the whole film. Directed by the usual Bill Clemens. This one is an RKO shortie, at 69 minutes. A roller skating rink? Really??

The sixth Falcon movie (third starring Conway) has Tom Lawrence investigating how two industrialists disappeared from a plane mid-flight. The opening crash landing of the plane is pretty cool. This one doesn't match up with the continuity of the last film. Falcon has a Southern belle fiancée now? What happened to his reporter girlfriend? Amelita Ward, who plays the fiancée, would return in the next picture playing a different role. Elaine Shepard and Jean Brooks play the other two pretty women the Falcon flirts with. Clarence Kolb is fun. I could listen to his voice all day. Pretty good mystery this time around. I would have rated this a 7 but the annoying fiancée gets old fast. The movie would've been improved greatly by cutting her part out entirely.

I like Tom Conway as The Falcon, and this was a very good mystery. What was annoying was the presence of The Falcon's southern fiancée, who never shut up through the whole picture, even during crucial moments. Hard to believe that such a sophisticated character as the Falcon would have put up with her for more than five minutes.

The rest of the movie is actually quite good and a neat mystery about money and people disappearing out of a flying plane. There's a very funny roller-skating scene, funny because of the way it was filmed. The Falcon on roller skates? Who would have believed it? Despite its shortcomings, it's an entertaining movie if you can ignore that fiancé.