jacobs-greenwood Directed by Edward Dmytryk, this is Tom Conway's first film as the Falcon and he's got a new sidekick, Goldie (Cliff Edwards), and houseboy (Richard Loo) though he retains his journalist, girlfriend Marcia Brooks (Jane Randolph). The police inspector (Cliff Clark) and his detective (Edward Gargan) also return from the preceding Falcon film, The Falcon's Brother (1942) (George Sanders' last film in the title role).Mia Bruger (Rita Corday) shows up in the Falcon's bedroom one morning while he's recovering from a hangover. Although she claims to want his help with an immigration issue, she holds a gun on him when he refuses. A struggle ensues, which appears to be something quite different to Goldie and Ms. Brooks when they enter the room. But when the Falcon prevails, he decides to help her anyway.After driving her to a "bar" to which she directs him, the Falcon is promptly clubbed over the head. While he is unconscious, his car is used in a burglary of $250,000 in war bonds and a warrant is issued for his arrest. When the Falcon regains consciousness, he finds himself in his car and there's a comic scene involving two bums that tell him where he is (out in the country) as well as the day and time, using a stick sundial.The police soon catch the Falcon, who take him to the "bar" only to find that the establishment is now a sewing school run by Gwynne Gregory (Wynne Gibson). Though still jealous over the bedroom scene, Ms. Brooks helps the Falcon establish his alibi for the police and then reluctantly agrees to pose as a sewing girl to learn what she can about the sewing school. In the purse of Ms. Gregory, she discovers the name of a hotel in the country (which becomes the setting for the rest of the movie).Shortly after arriving at the hotel, the Falcon and his sidekick humorously "eliminate" the hotel's house detective so that Goldie can be hired to replace him. Quite a few characters are introduced into the storyline at this point including: a puppeteer (Edgar Kennedy) who is doing charity shows at the hotel, the hotel manager (Harriet Hilliard - Ozzie and Harriet), an ex-con (Erford Gage) that the Falcon helped send "up the river" working as a nurse for a German refugee (Andre Charlot), and even Ms. Bruger and Ms. Gregory turn up again.As is typical, murder becomes part of the plot-line, as do the stolen war bonds (with the aide of the Falcon's houseboy) and a fingerprint laden cigarette case. Of course, the police show up at a key moment to arrest the Falcon and take him away. But, as usual, he escapes (with the same trick used earlier in the film by his sidekick), returning to the hotel in time to solve the crime ... except this time, the police inspector actually gives the Falcon some credit.The film ends with a woman's scream and her running to the Falcon for assistance, introducing the next case and/or film in the series.FYI, the very recognizable character actor Byron Foulger plays the hotel clerk in this film.

kapelusznik18 ***SPOILERS*** The high flying "Falcon" Tom Lawrence, Tom Conway, is laid low after a night of heavy drinking and is awaken in his office by Mia Berger, Rita Corday,an what seems like escapee from fascism-Nazi German occupied Europe- begging him to track down her missing brother. Not in the best shape Lawrence goes to this bar where Mia's brother is known to frequent and not only doesn't find him but is knocked out and left outside town in a car that was involved in the robbery of $250,000.00 of US Government bonds where a number of people were killed! Arrested on a tip by the police Lawrence, and later after escaping from them,is now more then determined to prove his innocence by finding Mia or whoever she is in order for him to prove he was with her when the robbery occurred. Things don't look so good for Lawrence when he finds Mia refuses to help him and is later, at the hotel she was staying in, killed by being shot by a sniper while diving off a plank at the hotel swimming pool! ***SPOILERS****Now in real hot water in not only being accused of a robbery of $250,000.00 in US Government Bonds, at the very height of WWII,but the murder of Mia as well Lawrence uses all his wits and savvy to elude the police as well as to get him out of the mess that he now finds himself in. It all boils down to an act of simple reeving on the killer's part who back in San Francisco was screwed out of his life savings by not only Mia but the person she worked with a con artist known as "The Duchess" the tea toting and all so righteous Mrs. Geraldine Lipton, Waynne Gibson, who runs-as a cover for her criminal activities- a woman's knitting school in town. The killer himself is caught in a trap that Lawrence-the Falcon-set for him using Mrs. Lipton as bate.With Lawrence hot on his tail and having really nowhere to go the killer ends up falling to his death as he slipped off the roof of the hotel that he, using an assumed name, worked at!

MartinHafer 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.

Neil Doyle 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.