The Falcon Out West

Nice idea - bringing the urbane Falcon (Tom Conway) out west to solve the murder of a rancher (Lyle Talbot) killed by a rattlesnake bite in New York City. The rancher had a fiancée (Carole Gallagher), an ex-wife (Joan Irwin), and helpers (Minor Watson and Barbara Hale as his daughter), all of whom seem to have something to hide. Once out west, the search is on for the rancher's will and deed to his house, and the Falcon finds himself in danger.

This is actually a pretty good mystery with some old-fashioned Indians and prejudices thrown in - this is pretty common in old films, and gives one a good idea of the sensibilities of the time. Barbara Hale, who went on to play Della Street on "Perry Mason" is the most familiar face here - young and pretty, she started out as an RKO starlet. Carole Gallagher, the fiancée, had the beauty of a Lana Turner but alas, none of the spark, and her career didn't amount to much. Tom Conway does a good job at the Falcon, but I admit that I prefer George Sanders in the role.

This is an okay entry into the series.

When Lyle Talbot rich Texas rancher dies of snake bite at a New York night club while he's celebrating his upcoming marriage to Carole Gallagher, that's enough cause for suspicion on its face. Tom Conway gets involved when the Talbot's ex-wife tries to hire him to break up the forthcoming nuptials. Conway says that isn't his line, but being on the scene of the murder he has to get involved if for no other reason than the cops in the persons of Cliff Clark and Edward Gargan. Whatever the answers are they're out west back at the ranch.

So all the suspects and the Falcon meet up at Talbot's ranch. They include Talbot's former business partner Minor Watson and his daughter Barbara Hale, lawyer Don Douglas, and of course the ex-wife Joan Barclay.

Barclay in fact goes west with Conway and the cops follow them. With all the Dramatus Personae in one spot the better for Conway to find the culprit.

The Falcon Out West is a decent enough entry in the Falcon series, in the middle of the pack. Fans of the series should approve.

The Falcon films, both with George Sanders and Tom Conway in the lead role, are on the most part very enjoyable. There are some very good ones like the first two Sanders Falcon films and 'The Falcon Strikes Back', though also a few disappointments like 'The Falcon in Danger'.

While it is still very much watchable, 'The Falcon Out West' is one of the series' weaker outings. There is a lot to like still, the music is lively and haunting enough, and on the most part the production values are slick and atmospheric with particularly nicely done photography. William Clemens directs efficiently, and the story mostly is bright, breezy and diverting if a little short on suspense and surprises.

Conway evidently enjoys himself in the lead, sharing all the qualities that Sanders brought in his outings. Barbara Hale brings zest and allure to her role, while Edward Gargan is handles the comedy relief amusingly and Cliff Clark is pleasingly more understated and serious.

However, while the script has often been a strength in the Falcon films it's 'The Falcon Out West's' biggest faults. It does lack the crackling wit and playfulness of the best outings and instead feels lazy and tries to throw in too many western clichés that feel very ill-fitting. In fact, the setting and the story do feel too disconnected from one another and don't fit together, the Falcon feeling too out of place within such a rustic setting and the inclusion of the western genre clichés are clumsy and jarring rather than clever.

Carole Gallagher is also very bland in an underwritten role, and sometimes the film feels rushed in trying to cram in a lot in the short (too short?) running time.

Overall, watchable but a little disappointing and not one of the better Falcon films. 6/10 Bethany Cox

While George Saunders originally starred as the Falcon in the first few films, brother Tom Conway took over the series as the original Falcon's brother - and made it his own. Although not as famous as his brother, Conway was perfect as the Falcon - being witty, urbane and sophisticated.

When a wealthy Texas rancher (Lyle Talbot) collapses on a dance floor and dies presumably from a snake bite - the Falcon takes a train ticket and follows the rancher's fiancée (Carole Gallagher) out west to the rancher's spread.

Mysterious things start happening - the Falcon finds an Indian scalp on his door as a death warning, someone takes a shot at him when he is out riding and lots of other things. Then Hayden (Tex's lawyer) is killed in the same puzzling way. It is all solved in 65 minutes and the Falcon finds another "lady in distress".

Barbara Hale is first introduced saving a runaway coach. She plays the independent daughter of Tex's partner (Minor Watson) who is soon to be a suspect.

Barbara Hale was one of RKO's promising young starlets of the 40s. She eventually found lasting fame as Della Street in the TV series "Perry Mason".

Joan Barclay, who played Tex's ex wife had a reasonable career, starting with a bit in "The Gaucho" (1927) and ending with "The Shanghai Cobra" (1945). Carole Gallagher had a short, lack lustre career.

Wealthy Texas rancher Lyle Talbot dies of snakebite in a Manhattan night club. This sends Tom Conway out west, where he has blonde Carole Gallagher and brunette Barbara Hale to distract him from the corpses that pile up.

It's a settled and well greased series by this time, with lots of pretty girls, a decent mystery, and as a bonus, the process shots are not fouled up beyond belief. Even by RKO's fiscally responsible standards, this series never wasted money; likewise, it invariably ran on the diffident charms of Conway and cheesecake. Both are in evidence here.