The Falcon in Danger

Plot synopsis:
At a New York airport, a passenger aircraft coming in from Washington D.C., crash-lands at a crowded airport, however nobody is on board the jet. The aircraft had been hijacked at its previous stop with all but the pilot and two leading industrialists left behind. In addition to the three men, $100,000 worth of securities is also missing.
Although he promised his "fiancée" from Texas, Bonnie Caldwell (Amelita Ward), that he will give up solving crime, Tom Lawrence (Tom Conway), aka The Falcon, can't resist the lure of a fresh mystery. When she receives a ransom note, Nancy Palmer (Elaine Shepard) asks for his help in locating her father (Clarence Kolb), one of the missing industrialists. One of the Falcon's prime suspects is Nancy's jealous cousin Iris (Jean Brooks).
Police Inspector Timothy Donovan (Cliff Clark) and his assistant, Bates (Edward Gargan), are called to investigate the mystery. Later, all the passengers, except for Nancy's father, Stanley Harris Palmer, and his assistant, Wally Fairchild (Robert Emmett Keane), are found stranded at a rest stop. Nancy is told to leave $25,000 at a drinking fountain on Park Road, while Iris tells Tom that she suspects Nancy's fiancé, Ken Gibson (Richard Davies), told the kidnappers that Fairchild was carrying $100,000 in securities.
Tom accompanies Iris and Nancy to the Palmer's house and later sees Nancy leave a box by the drinking fountain. When two men collect the box, Tom follows their car on horseback and finds it belongs to an antique store owned by George Morley (Richard Martin). Donovan announces that Palmer has returned home alive; he and Fairchild stayed on the aircraft but strangers robbed Palmer at gunpoint, ordered him to parachute from the aircraft while the pilot set the controls on autopilot. More clues to the mystery appear, Tom finds a piece of junk that appears to be part of the aircraft and the missing securities which he turns over to Donovan.
Donovan suspects Fairchild but state troopers report the missing pilot and Fairchild have been found dead in a field. Morley becomes the next likely culprit but disappears. As he unravels the mystery, Tom reconstructs the second part of the flight. With other passengers gone, Palmer killed Fairchild who had proof of Palmer's cheating the government, then after take off, had also killed the pilot and dumped the bodies.
Palmer's dog attacks Morley in the antique store. Just then, Donovan arrives in time to see Tom shoot and kill Palmer in self-defense. Later at the airport, Bonnie tells Tom she is going home to Texas by herself. Dejected, Tom declares that he is forsaking all women, until a pretty co-ed approaches him, asking for his help.

Tags: mystery, murder, flashback

Review:
In this film, the humour is largely abandoned except for a few gags, and concentration is given instead to producing a good straight mystery thriller.
There is no espionage in this story.) The film opens with a wonderful scene where a plane crash-lands at an airfield and is found to be empty of both pilots and passengers (reminiscent of the initial scene of the film 'Mr. Arkadin' by Orson Welles).
Plenty of colour is added to the film by the Falcon's current 'fiancee', played by Amelita Ward with an authentic (rather than phoney) Texas accent as a loud and blundering Southern belle who constantly wants to ride her horse but rides the Falcon instead, relentlessly, until at the end he gets rid of her by sending her a false telegram in which her old boy friend asks her to marry him instead.
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.
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..
I like Tom Conway as The Falcon, and this was a very good mystery.
What was annoying was the presence of The Falcon's southern fiancée, who never shut up through the whole picture, even during crucial moments.
Hard to believe that such a sophisticated character as the Falcon would have put up with her for more than five minutes.The rest of the movie is actually quite good and a neat mystery about money and people disappearing out of a flying plane.
There's a very funny roller-skating scene, funny because of the way it was filmed.
When the daughter of one of the men (Nancy Palmer) gets a ransom note she goes to Tom Lawrence for help  much to the annoyance of Tom's newest and suspicious fiancé Bonnie Caldwell.
Tom takes the case anyway and arranges the drop off of the ransom money to be a sting operation  it fails but he gets a number plate that starts him on the trail of the kidnappers and the truth about how passengers and crew seemed to vanish in mid-air.Having taken the reigns from his half-brother George, Tom Conway continues as the new Falcon with this intriguing and rather enjoyable little film that only suffers from not being as clear as it really could have been.
The film opens with a plane landing empty with the crew and passengers missing; it is an interesting opening that is not reduced by the poor effects on the plane.From here on the simple premise gets a bit more confused as it brings in various threads; it is still interesting but it isn't as gripping as it could have been for much of the middle section  but it gets better towards the end as things get clearer.
It isn't anything special but the story does compare to the other Falcon stories.Where it doesn't compare is in the cast, which has seen a lot of changes over the past few films.
With Sanders gone, Conway struggles and he really can't fill the shoes of the Falcon.
Ward fills the usual 'fiancé in tow' role but she is annoying and unnecessary.
A wise choice was to drop the comedy sidekick to the Falcon, meaning that the story doesn't need a side issue for him (Goldy) to do.
None of them really make an impression even if they are all OK  meaning that there isn't really anyone holding the attention of stealing scenes, giving the material an average feel at times.Overall this is an OK entry in the series in terms of story but it is a poor one in regards total value.
The delivery is a bit messy and the characters are all just the formula rolled out again but, with no really good performances they stand out as just that  formula.
The sixth Falcon movie (third starring Conway) has Tom Lawrence investigating how two industrialists disappeared from a plane mid-flight.
The opening crash landing of the plane is pretty cool.
Falcon has a Southern belle fiancée now?
Amelita Ward, who plays the fiancée, would return in the next picture playing a different role.
Elaine Shepard and Jean Brooks play the other two pretty women the Falcon flirts with.
Pretty good mystery this time around.
Watch Tom Conway "Crack the Whip".
Second in the Tom Conway Falcon series.
Amelita Ward as the Falcon's female sidekick from Texas is simply too annoying and thankfully is shipped off to her former fiancé Buck Thompson at the end of the movie never to be seen again in the series.
One of them, Jean Brooks, makes appearances in multiple Falcon movies but never again as part of a "crack the whip" at a roller rink.
Clarence Kolb does a good job as the missing wealthy industrialist.
I like old B-detective films and have seen dozens.
And of all these series films, the Falcon films are among my favorites--even the later Tom Conway versions (that were slightly less enjoyable than his brother's Falcon films).
It has the usual amiable performance by Conway and a decent script (without the usual bumbling cops--here they actually weren't totally stupid) but is totally destroyed by one of the most awful and annoying characters I have seen in this type of film.
In other words, an exceptional film is undone by one major weak link--this time in the form of Amelita Ward as Tom Lawrence's totally obnoxious fiancée.
I simply wanted this loud-mouthed and ditsy dame to die and die soon--and hopefully painfully.You can't blame all of this on Ward, as I suppose she was just being the sort of wretched character the writers and director envisioned.
For example, could Ward have have held incriminating photos that forced RKO to put her in the film or perhaps the writers wanted the public to totally hate her?
As far as the plot goes, it's pretty interesting and is all wrapped up nicely, but because Ward is so terrible and so grating, I don't recommend this film to anyone but those determined to see every film from the series.
The Falcon films, both with George Sanders and Tom Conway in the lead role, are on the most part very enjoyable.
There are some very good ones like the first two Sanders Falcon films and 'The Falcon Strikes Back'.
At the same time there are a few lacklustre ones, with 'The Falcon in Danger' being one of the biggest examples.Not unwatchable certainly.
Tom Conway continues to thrive and enjoy himself as the title character, everything that Sanders brought to the role are also present in Conway's performance and with full impact.
Cliff Clark is much better here than in his previous two Falcon films, where he suffered from poor writing that made his character a mugging buffoon and that James Gleason was (still is admittedly) sorely missed, here he's amusing at being befuddled and indignant.It starts off well too, with a tense opening (pretty poor effects aside) that makes one wish that the rest of 'The Falcon in Danger' was just as good.
The roller-skating scene is funny, Elaine Shepherd is alluring and fits well enough and Edward Gargan boasts the best comic moments.On the other hand, any sense of danger and suspense is lost after the opening.
The running time is too short, which has not always been a problem in a film series with short durations but it was less forgivable with so much crammed in and paced so frantically here.
'The Falcon in Danger' does suffer from trying to cram in and tell too much in a short space of time, which makes a lot of the mystery underdeveloped and confused, with almost all of it a long way from suspenseful, and a few scenes and transitions rushed.
A contender for the worst thing about 'The Falcon in Danger' is the exceedingly annoying performance of Amelita Ward, if there was an award for the worst or most annoying performance in a Falcon film Ward's a very strong contender.Summing up, starts off well and definitely watchable, but the rest of the film doesn't match up to the promising standard of the opening, being rushed, over-stuffed and confused and Ward really grates.
5/10 Bethany Cox. Conway makes an acceptable Falcon but script is too busy....
A plane lands with nobody aboard, making a crash landing on automatic pilot.
The police come to The Falcon (TOM CONWAY) for assistance in the mystery of the vanishing crew but he's reluctant to help them.
That is, until a pretty girl tells him her father was aboard the plane and wants him to help her.
His girlfriend, a Southern gal played by AMELITA WARD, persuades the Falcon to take the case.The plot thickens when another damsel in distress shows up, the niece of a wealthy man who needs to find her uncle and reveals a blackmail plot over missing securities that makes her afraid there's been a kidnapping.
All of this happens within the first fifteen minutes, so you can see how crammed with events the plot gets in a very short time.Despite all the red herrings, I did manage to put my finger on the right suspect long before the end.
Too much plotting spoils enjoyment of this one with too much cramming of plots and sub-plots in brief running time.Trivia note: AMELITA WARD, who plays the annoying and whining Southern woman that Conway manages to get rid of, was the body double for Olivia de Havilland's twin sister in THE DARK MIRROR ('46)..
The plane crash with no one aboard makes a good opening grabber.
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..
This entry in the Falcon series (or was it a serial?) begins almost in the middle of a cliffhanger, with an unmanned plane managing to land itself on almost exactly the right runway (with the help of some pre-Thunderbirds model work) what happened to the passengers and crew?
The police is baffled, so they raid an illegal gambling den, just to find Tom Conway, The Second Falcon, in his third adventure and second solo case.
Unfortunately, this drop off/pick up/ransom money exchange happens to coincide with Tom's girl Friday's horse riding plans.
The crooks get away while our hero almost runs over a nanny with a pram (how positively incorrect of him).Some evidence is pointing to one of the girls fiancées being a suspects (engagements are never a good sign where the Falcon is around).
During a confusing mish mash of a skirmish, The Falcon gets shot at close range, but after a single scene in the hospital he's back on the case (where was his old assistant Goldie to catch the bullet?).
This film may only run for an hour and a bit, but there sure is a whole lot crammed into it (current filmmakers should take not of this).
Falcon in Danger, The (1943) ** (out of 4) Sixth film in the series has The Falcon (Tom Conway) investigation a mysterious plane that lands without a pilot, crew or passengers.
That storyline is actually very interesting and highly entertaining but the film makes the mistake of telling the secret behind it at the twenty-minute mark.
Conway is on par with his two previous films and the supporting cast is entertaining enough, if not exactly good.
Each of these films have had The Falcon followed around by his "fiance" and this plot joke is certainly wearing thin by now.
The Falcon works on his own this time out so there's not too much humor in the film.
The film picks up somewhat during the final act but even so it's not enough to make this one of the better films in the series..
Tom Conway (the Falcon), Jean Brooks (Iris Fairchild), Cliff Clark (Inspector Timothy Donovan), Elaine Shepard (Nancy Palmer), Amelita Ward (Bonnie Caldwell), Ed Gargan (Bates), Clarence Kolb (Stanley Harris Palmer), Felix Basch (Morley), Richard Davies (Ken Gibson), Richard Martin (Georgie Morley), Erford Gage (Evan Morley), Eddie Dunn (Grimes), Russell Wade (bit), Bruce Edwards (mechanic), Joan Barclay (hysterical girl), Jack Mulhall (manager of casino), Ian Wolfe (butler), Charles Trowbridge (doctor), Selmer Jackson (airport official), Robert Emmett Keane (Fairchild).Director: WILLIAM CLEMENS.
71 minutes.NOTES: Number seven of the sixteen "Falcon" pictures.
"The Gay Falcon" (sic) was number one.COMMENT: Although competently directed and acted, this entry doesn't measure up the standard Clemens achieved in "The Falcon and the Co- Eds", which was made AFTER, but actually released BEFORE this one.
Although the scriptwriters commendably dispense with the Falcon's "comic" sidekick, they saddle him with a talkative female, Amelita Ward, instead.
The sixth film in the Falcon series.
Directed by William Clemens, with a screenplay co-written by Fred Niblo Jr, this is Tom Conway's second film in titled role, aka Tom Lawrence.
In lieu of the more typical male sidekick this time, he's got a fiancée Bonnie Caldwell (Amelita Ward), a Texas girl who seems to get him into, instead of "out of", trouble.
Cliff Clark and Edward Gargan reprise their roles as Inspector Donovan and Detective Bates, respectively, as does Eddie Dunn as Detective Grimes.
Those familiar with the series will also recognize Jean Brooks, who plays another prominent role in this film.An airplane crash lands with no passengers nor pilot aboard; Selmer Jackson appears, uncredited, as an official at the airport.
The police are baffled, so naturally, Inspector Donovan, with Detectives Bates & Grimes in tow, seeks the assistance of the Falcon.
However, Lawrence's Southern accented fiancée Bonnie had made him promise not to get involved in any more cases given their pending nuptials.
As the police are exiting, in walks a beautiful blonde who turns out to be Nancy Palmer (Elaine Shepard, who had a short-lived career as an actress for good reason), the daughter of one of the two important passengers, along with the pilot, who are still missing from the mystery plane.
The Falcon is drawn to her and reads the ransom note she carries which warns of police involvement, but coyly defers to Bonnie who insists that he help the poor heiress in locating her father.
The three of them go to inspect the plane, where they run into Donovan, Bates, and Grimes, who has a box of items that includes half of a small padlock that the Falcon surreptitiously confiscates.
While exiting the plane, the Falcon meets the daughter of the other missing man; her name is Iris Fairchild (Brooks).
She too has a similar ransom note, warning against contacting the police, which asks for $25,000 to be delivered to a specific time & place.Because of his fiancée's misinterpretation of the situation, the Falcon almost fails to get the license plate of the men who pick up the ransom.
It turns out Morley is owed a considerable amount of money by Nancy Palmer's fiancé, Kenneth Gibson (Richard Davies), who works, worked?, for her father.
However, Mr. Palmer (the recognizable Clarence Kolb) shows up at home, unharmed, and he relates a story of the events; his doctor is played by Charles Trowbridge, uncredited, according to IMDb.com.
Though she initially insists that her fiancé remain in the hospital, when Bonnie discovers his nurse is pretty (Rosemary La Planche, a former Miss America and veteran of several Falcon films herself), she allows him to continue to pursue the mystery.Suspicion is then cast on Iris herself, her father having been cheated by Palmer and "forced" to work as his assistant for $10,000/year.
A couple of equally useless scenes at Palmer's place of business, whose purpose seems to be to give the clueless police some screen-time, follows before the story returns again to Morley's, and then continues at the Palmer home.
Now all the suspects are under the same roof, including Morley, who Iris and the Falcon followed to the Palmers, where he met Gibson, and the others as well as Nancy's big dog.
Miraculously, the Falcon seems to have suspected the culprit in the kidnapping all along, and the whole thing unravels with, as usual, the guilty party being killed.The film ends typically, with an hysterical woman beckoning the Falcon to yet another case.