The Falcon in Danger (1943)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

William Clemens

Writers:

Michael Arlen (character)
Fred Niblo Jr. (screenplay)

Release Date:

17 July 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

Phantom Pilot or Fiendish Killer?

Plot:

Two industrialists disappear from an airplane while the plane is in the air. Also missing is $100,000...

Plot Keywords:

The Falcon | Airplane | Rollerskating Rink | Sixth Part | Government Contract

Cast

Tom Conway	...	Tom Lawrence / The Falcon
Jean Brooks	...	Iris Fairchild
Elaine Shepard	...	Nancy Palmer
Amelita Ward	...	Bonnie Caldwell
Cliff Clark	...	Insp. Timothy Donovan
Edward Gargan	...	Det. Bates (as Ed Gargan)
Clarence Kolb	...	Stanley Harris Palmer
Felix Basch	...	Morley
Richard Davies	...	Kenneth Gibson
Richard Martin	...	George Morley
Erford Gage	...	Evan Morley
Eddie Dunn	...	Det. Grimes
Ian Wolfe	...	Thomas, the butler

Runtime:

69 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:K-11 (2005)

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Falcon in Hollywood (1944)

In danger of losing the plot!

Yes, the plot was a little "messier" - as well as the print in this entry in the Falcon series [#6/13], but in spite of all that still very enjoyable. The gang was all there – Lawrence, Clark and Gargan, plus regular Falconite Jean Brooks, the RKO staircase from Ambersons/Cat People was seen to good advantage in Clarence Kolb's house - no Goldie however.

Passenger plane crash lands at airport at the beginning of the film and is found to be literally running on empty – a wealthy industrialist who was on board is presumed kidnapped, especially when ransom notes are left for his daughter. The Falcon is asked to help solve the mystery by 2 beautiful women. It gets … slightly complicated from here, what with murders, a bitter daughter of a missing employee, stolen securities, a broken padlock, and a foreign antique dealer with 2 trigger happy sons but a rather splendidly cluttered shop. Not a second in the 67 minutes was wasted! The only thing that really grated was the Falcon's girlfriend played by Amelita Ward laid her jealousy on with a trowel, and from being amusing at first got irritating – there was a seriousness there I never liked! Favourite bit: Carefree Gargan helping himself to beer and sandwiches at the gambling den and continually interrupting his boss Clark.

Not the best Falcon film but not too bad, anyway well worth watching for fans and well worth avoiding for enemies.