The Falcon in San Francisco

This is a movie that can be enjoyed on a superficial level, but if you think too much about the plot it might just give you a headache. That's because the plot often just doesn't make much sense--particularly the far-fetched ending.

Tom Conway plays his usual dapper role as Tom Lawrence ("The Falcon") and the film is greatly improved by having his old sidekick ("Goldy", played by Eddie Brophy). For some reason, while earlier Falcon films always featured a sidekick, for quite a few of Conway's film the sidekick had disappeared--making the films a bit flat and needing an infusion of humor. Also, fortunately, there is no ditsy female to clutter up the film. The female leads in THE FALCON IN Hollywood and several other previous films were just awful--playing both love interests and comic relief. However, they all just came off as annoying. Fortunately, Goldy is not annoying but provided able support--as did the cute little kid who appeared in the film. Often, cute kids are detriments to a film but here she infuses a nice new element to the film.

While I could TRY to explain the film, frankly it didn't make all that much sense to me and I am sure it would only confuse you if I tried! It was that convoluted! For fans of the series, this is a good and welcome addition to the series. But for others, it's probably not going to make them fans of the Falcon films.

Tom Lawrence, The Falcon, is on a train for a vacation in San Francisco. Along for the ride is his sometimes sidekick, Goldie Locke. They meet a cute 9-year old girl named Annie Marshall and her equally cute little dog, Diogenes. She claims she's being held prisoner in her own house in SF. The Falcon and Goldie don't believe her, but then Annie's nurse turns up dead and the SF PD suspect The Falcon. He now believes Annie's story and sets about finding out what's going on. The story gets a little complicated and the viewer has to watch close to keep up. There's no Cliff Clark and Edward Gargan to provide comic relief as bumbling New York cops and the film suffers for it. There is plenty of stock footage of San Francisco to keep the viewer interested. Watch for Myrna Dell in a bit part as a hotel guest who is definitely not interested in Goldie. 9-year old Sharyn Moffett is quite good as Annie. Both her parents had been in show business and her mother pushed her into a Hollywood career. Sharyn was quite religious and soon left the business, got married, and moved to Pennsylvania where both she and her husband became Episcopalian ministers. Sharon (she changed the spelling to the biblical way) later became head of the national Big Sisters Organization.

This is the eleventh Falcon film, notable for the entry of a child actress in a major role. Having the Falcon exchange witty lines with Sharyn Moffett who in the film 'will be 18 in nine years' time', as she puts it, and who 'has decided to marry Tom Lawrence (the Falcon)' when she grows up 'but then he'll have to stop chasing after other girls', is a refreshing and amusing change. Tom Conway does very well at communicating with a kid, and Sharyn is charming in the part. Unfortunately, the hideously boring and coarse Edward Brophy is the Falcon's sidekick in this one, which is so annoying. There is a marvellous wicked femme fatale in this one played by Fay Helm, who obviously finds it delicious to be devilish. Rita Corday appears in her fifth Falcon film, and has become a reliable fixture in the series. Robert Armstrong, solid and good viewing, appears in this one and adds conviction to a double identity. The film is well directed by Joseph H. Lewis, his one foray into falconry, with some good San Francisco location shots, excellent framing, and a nice pace. The story is satisfying in its puzzling complexity, and we really can't figure out very much at all until we get near the end. Falconers will enjoy this one, and lesser mortals should too.

After 5 Falcon films without him, Goldie Lock makes his return with Ed Brophy in his first of 2 – although he had played a cop in the 1st Falcon film in 1941 too. This was also Tom Conway's 8th outing in the title role - this time with a cold - to Rita Corday's 5th as suspect. "In San Francisco" was an earthier entry in the series, with some realistic acting, more violence to go with some of the seedier locales and a punchier storyline: all adding up to make an excellent film [11/13].

A little girls' guardian is found dead on a sleeper train, suave passengers Tom Lawrence and Goldie offer to take her home but get arrested for child abduction. It turns even nastier when various shady parties think that the Falcon's working for the other side, leading to him getting roughed up in his quest to find out what's going on. The trail leads to an ex-bootlegger, an old moll in a ridiculous hat, silk smuggling – in short, an interesting and cogent plot with a satisfying climax. Thankfully the possibilities with cute little Annie in tow were not taken up, a very brief bedtime reading of Peter And The Wolf was as close as we got. Comedy was supplied by Brophy with the running gag of him trying to become a married poyson to save on his income tax payments.

It's always been my favourite Conway Falcon movie, best for those of us who like watching 1940's b&w detective b pics whether in a series or not.

The Falcon, Tom Lawrence,(Tom Conway) travels on a train heading for San Francisco along with his partner Goldie Locke, (Edward Brophy) and they are planning a vacation to take in the sights of San Francisco. On the train they encounter a very young little girl named Annie Marshall ( Sharyn Moffett) who is looking for her lost dog and meets up with the Falcon and his partner. Annie tells the Falcon she is being held captive in her home by her butler and nurse and the Falcon decides to investigate this girls problem, but is interrupted by the murder of the Annie's nurse. There is all kinds of bad situations the Falcon gets into with plenty of beatings and he also encounters Duke Monet, (Robert Armstrong) who has a sinister past and is involved with a silk smuggling racket. There is excellent photography through out the City of San Francisco and old buildings long gone.