Haukka vaarassa

Okay Falcon entry, but nothing more. The plane crash with no one aboard makes a good opening grabber. So who was aboard and what happened. Too bad the narrative soon clogs up in convoluted fashion. As a result, the whodunit part is clouded over by congested secondary parts, such that the final reveal becomes somewhat anti-climactic.

Also, the programmer lacks needed verve from a largely unmotivated cast—Ward's ditsy southener tries but is more annoying than charming. And are we really supposed to believe the super-refined Falcon would choose her as a fiancé! Also, it looks like director Clemens simply filmed the script without style or mood.

What the film does have are a couple of engaging scenes. There's the crowded roller-skating rink using 'crack the whip' that sends the ultra-dignified Falcon flying, a humorous touch from a by-gone era. Then too, the Falcon playing Gene Autry on a run-away horse gave a stunt double, I expect, a good payday.

Look for minor notables among the supporting cast—Richard Martin (George Morley) who later played Tim Holt's sidekick Chito Rafferty from that cowboy series; Erford Gage (Evan Morley) from the Val Lewton horror series and one of the few actors killed in action in WWII; and the distinctive but uncredited Ian Wolfe (butler) from hundreds of RKO productions of the time.

All in all, it's a routine programmer that could have used a slimmed down narrative and cast to better fit the slender 65-minute runtime.