Le Faucon mène l'enquête

The Falcon film series is generally a lot of fun to watch, with many of the films very enjoyable and all worth watching at least once. The second outing 'A Date with the Falcon' is one of the better ones.

Not perfect by all means. 'A Date with the Falcon' did feel a little too short, if it was 10 minutes longer it would have given the mystery aspects a little more explanation instead of a few parts being hastier and not as easy to follow as others. Wendy Barrie was very likable and entertaining in 'The Gay Falcon' (the first and very enjoyable outing in the series), but here she is in a more brashly written role and the performance feels overdone and annoying.

When it comes to the production values, while not among the most visually stunning films ever made (then again 'A Date with the Falcon' is not that kind of film), 'A Date with the Falcon' is very meticulously filmed and lit with sets that are elegant and atmospheric. The music is lively and haunting, while the direction solid, the script is witty and smart (even more so, and more electrifying than that of 'The Gay Falcon') and the story a vast majority of the time very engrossing and never incoherent or a test for endurance. The characters are also a lot of fun with the only exception being Barrie's.

As said with 'The Gay Falcon', George Sanders is a truly great lead, he was never less than watchable and magnificent when at his best, and he looks so relaxed and at ease here and plays with his usual suave and imposing manner while also with an elegance, cutting aplomb and charm. James Gleason is also excellent.

Hans Conried steals scenes gleefully, and while he doesn't have as much to do Allen Jenkins is still enormous fun and also a scene stealer. Mona Maris is an alluring femme fatale.

In conclusion, one of the best outings in a series of films that are most enjoyable. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Sanders plays Gay Lawrence, The Falcon, who has at last been lured into marriage by his fiancé, Helen (played by Wendy Barrie). Just before he goes off to get married though, he gets mixed up in a case where a reclusive scientist who has created a formula to make fake diamonds that are indistinguishable from real ones get kidnapped by crooks and forced to spill the beans. As usual, the relationship between the falcon and the Law is pretty borderline at best, the keep on trying to arrest him on suspicion of being involved in the plot, murder and anything else they can pin on him. Needless to say he leads the police to the gang, and makes the 'plane to fly off with his fiancé. This is a great movie, and Sanders plays it with an insouciance that is quite invigorating: you cannot decide whether he is in his heart laughing at the whole film in its simplicity. The gangsters are almost a parody of gangsters, the police are bumbling goons, and his fiancé increasingly jealous and frustrated as he keeps on tripping over beautiful women who have known him in the past (but a few loving words and a kiss from him always seems to calm her down - what luck!). A great lark, and great to watch just for Sander's voice!!

George Sanders is the Falcon in "A Date with the Falcon," part of the enjoyable Falcon series, which was eventually taken over by Sanders' brother Tom Conway so that Sanders could appear in another series, "The Saint." In this one, a man disappears with his invention, simulated diamonds that pass for the real thing, which can be used in place of industrial diamonds in the manufacture of war weapons. The Falcon becomes involved in the case, even though he's supposed to be leaving town with his abrasive fiancée (Wendy Barrie) in order to meet her parents.

A little disjointed, and though others have complained about the Wendy Barrie character, I seem to remember the Falcon had an even more annoying fiancée in another film, "The Falcon in Danger," only this time, it was Gay's brother Tom who was now The Falcon. Why these women were written with such a heavy hand is beyond me, but they do distract.

Still, this film is entertaining - James Gleason is excellent as the harried head of the investigation, and Allen Jenkins is funny as Gay's assistant. Always a pleasant way to pass the time.

This Falcon entry (2/13) was played mainly for laughs, sometimes bordering on slapstick. The puns and wisecracks come thick and fast between the leading characters, all of them doubting everyone else's intelligence or honour. Wendy Barrie is almost manic in her assumed jealousy, James Gleason as the police Inspector is perfect and always brings his performance in "Arsenic and old lace" to my mind whenever I see him. But it's George Sanders as the Falcon and Allen Jenkins as his sidekick Goldie that have the majority of the smart ass one-liners, Sanders' body language is sometimes Music Hall but always believable.

Scientist Alec Craig apparently murdered by a gang after his formula to produce perfect synthetic diamonds, the Falcon unwillingly pulled into the caper whilst urgently trying to get off to get married to the frothing Barrie. As usual the entire NY police force was alerted to apprehend him as a murderer that no-one ever believes he really is. And Barrie loves him with a passion even though she knows he'll always love nearly all women. And Goldie stays with him wanting an easy life but knowing he'll never be getting one.

Enjoyable film, 61 minutes short but a lot seems to happen. Ed Gargan as Bates even shone here with a supreme show of brainpower!

Date with the Falcon, A (1941)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Second film in the series has the Falcon (George Sanders) leaving on his honeymoon but at the last minute he finds himself caught up with diamond thieves. This sequel is pretty much on the same level as the first film as it contains a small group of laughs, a so-so mystery but it does go by very quickly making it a mildly entertaining film. Sanders once again is good in the role but he seems a little bored compared to the first film. Allen Jenkins isn't given as much to do, which is a shame because he comes off very good in his few scenes here.