The Falcon Strikes Back

In this episode of the Falcon, Tom Lawrence is investigating a theft of war bonds and murder. Considering it was made during WWII, it isn't surprising that they added the patriotic angle--something that happened in other similar films, such as some of the Sherlock Holmes and Charlie Chan movies.

This is a pretty good Falcon movie that stars Tom Conway (real-life brother of George Sanders who had played the Falcon in several earlier films). While not his best of the series (for example, I liked THE FALCON AND THE CO-EDS and THE FALCON'S BROTHER just a bit more), it was enjoyable and engaged me. However, no matter how good this film was, I found myself comparing it to the earlier Sanders films again and again. While there is a lot of similarity between the actors (both physically and in their melodious voices), the earlier films seemed to have a bit more energy and charm--probably because by now the series seemed a bit formulaic and predictable. Still, for a B-detective series film from the era, it's slightly better than average and is definitely worth a watch.

By the way, the Harriet Hilliard who plays one of the ladies that turns the Falcon's head is the same Harriet from "The Ozzie and Harriet Show". While competent in the film, she didn't seem especially like the ladies the Falcon usually fell for or rescued.

Tom Lawrence gets off to a good start on his own as he wakes up with a hangover but with a sexy Latino lady standing over his bed. Mia Bruger is her name and she tells the Falcon of her concern for her missing brother. He meets her later to discuss the matter but someone knocks him out. He wakes up later on a country road in the backseat of his car with little knowledge of where he is. When he is arrested for a bank robbery and a murder, Lawrence works put that he has been set up and goes on the lamb to solve the crime and why he was set up.

In his first film on his own, Tom Conway opens with a typically suave turn in bed, hungover from his night on the town and waking with a beautiful woman in his room. From here the plot moves well to set up the mystery. It isn't a gripping thriller but it holds the interest by having enough going on and sufficient plot twists occur to help keep the pace up throughout. Much more enjoyable than the previous entry (Falcon's Brother) in this regard, the film is well written and well delivered.

After a so-so start in the last film, Conway seems like he was made for the role and within a few seconds of the first scene he is into it and great fun. His detecting skills are on show and he mixes them well with a debonair delivery and screen presence – the memory of Sanders slipped from my mind. Hilliard works well alongside him but, unusually for the series, there are quite a few strong female performances from Randolph, Gibson and Corday. After Lefty in the last film we get Goldie returning but this time played by Edwards. It is a basic turn and not as funny as I would have liked. Better comic support value comes from the pairing of Clark and Gargan (straight man and stupid man respectively); the simple comic scenes involving them are not imaginative but they do provide a few laughs.

Overall then a good entry in the series that is much more assured than The Falcon's Brother had been the year before. Consistent and with a good pace the film benefits from solid characters and good performances to produce a typically enjoyable film in this famous b-movie series.

In his first movie starring as the suave Falcon, Tom Conway is accused of murder and the theft of a quarter of a million dollars in war bonds. Besides Cliff Edwards and Richard Loo as his minions, there are the usual RKO starlets and Edgar Kennedy in a straight role as a puppeteer.

It's a fairly good little mystery from a story by Stuart Palmer and direction by Edward Dmytryk, and a limited number of sets that we've seen before: the hotel lobby, the pool, and so forth. The economy that this series was made with made it quite profitable for RKO, and it cleared almost $200,000 after expenses. It also have Edgar Kennedy a chance to do some straight acting. He was best known as a screen comic, beginning with Keystone, and having starred in his own series of shorts from RKO for ten years at this point. You may recognize him as the peanut seller in DUCK SOUP doing his patented slow burn. Here, he's definitely creepy.

Entertaining little mystery with a puppeteer theme among the sub-plots and easy to watch. TOM CONWAY, sounding amazingly like his brother George Sanders who originated the role of the Falcon, does a commendable job of mixing sleuthing with romance.

Jane Randolph is good as the romantic interest, but Harriet Hilliard offers little evidence of either acting ability or future possibilities as a romantic lead. She had a much brighter future on TV.

The plot has something to do with war bonds but only serves to provide a modicum of interest until the murderer is finally revealed. Edgar Kennedy has one of his more memorable roles here.

A breezy entry in the series, very watchable. Amusing to see Cliff Edwards (of "Pinocchio" fame) in a supporting role.

While the Falcon nurses a monumental hangover, a beautiful woman arrives in his room. All she wants is help from the suave detective. And the Falcon is never one to refuse a beautiful girl anything. Soon he is investigating murder and a forgery racket with the aid of a glamorous reporter and his side-kick Goldy.

Starts with the Falcon having a hangover and a damsel in distress and he ends up with a sore head and the bumbling police after him. He heads to a resort where he gets involved with a dodgy hotel owner, a puppeteer, a murder and almost gets run down - all par for the coarse for our suave hero. A standard tale, diverting enough, though it meanders a little. Nice rooftop finale.