The Falcon in San Francisco
Tags: murder

Plot synopsis:
A detective enlists the help of a little girl to capture silk smugglers.Tom Lawrence aka The Falcon (Tom Conway) and his sidekick 'Goldie' Locke (Edward Brophy) are travelling by train to San Francisco for a vacation. Goldie has discovered that he would be better off financially if he were married so asks any woman he meets for their hand with predictable results - this is a recurring theme throughout the film. The pair encounter a lonely little girl, Annie Marshall (Sharyn Moffet) who is searching for her pet dog Diogenes she tells them that she is being held prisoner in her home in San Francisco by her nurse, Miss Carla Keyes and butler, Loomis. The little girl's story is cut short when the stern Miss Keyes (Hermine Sterler) comes to reclaim her charge, but not long after Annie runs into the club car to announce that Miss Keyes is dead. The Falcon, suspecting the woman to have been murdered offers to escort Annie home to San Francisco but when the train reaches it's destination Tom is arrested by the police on a kidnapping charge. When Tom is unexpectedly released from jail on a $10,000 bail he finds it has been posted by a woman he has never met before by the name of Doreen Temple (Fay Helm) who promises that she will explain everything if Tom meets her for dinner that evening.That evening at a local nightclub, when Doreen excuses herself from the table, her thug Rickey (Carl Kent) posing as a cop tricks Tom into going with him. Rickey K.O.'s Tom and takes him to Doreen's apartment where she questions him about the murder of Miss Keyes and orders him to tell racketeer Peter Vantine to stay away from the S.S. Citadel. Rickey takes Tom far from the apartment and dumps him. Upon returning to his hotel room Tom meets up with Goldie and together they visit Annie's home where they meet her older sister Joan (Rita Corday). Joan denies knowing Doreen or Vantine and Annie tells the pair that she is not being held captive at the house so they leave.However, later that night The Falcon and Goldie return, sneak into Annie's room through an open window and she tells them that indeed she is being held prisoner by the butler Loomis (Jason Robards Senior) and takes the two sleuths to search Miss Keyes' room. Tom finds a photo of a ship's officer bearing the legend "To my dear wife Carla, love Abel". However, clumsy Goldie knocks over a lamp during the search of the room attracting the attention of Loomis, as the butler opens the door to Miss Keyes' room a shot rings out and the butler falls down dead. Tom grabs the photo and he and Goldie climb back out the window and return to their hotel room where an armed Peter Vantine (John Mylong) soon comes knocking on the door. Vantine demands the photo but The Falcon disarms him and forces him to reveal that Doreen was the paramour of bootlegging racketeer Duke Monette - who taught her all the tricks of his trade.To try and trap Doreen Tom visits the offices of the Star Coastal line to inquire about the officer, Abel. There he meets the Star general manager DeForrest (Robert Armstrong) but when Tom barges into DeForrest's office he is surprised to find Joan Marshall there. DeForrest explains that Joan is actually the owner of the shipping line and that Abel is 1st mate aboard the S.S. Citadel. Tom invites Joan to lunch but as they are leaving the helpful receptionist hands Abel's home address to Tom. IT IS A TRAP. The receptionist is in league with Doreen Temple and the address she has handed Tom is the address of Doreen's apartment and unwittingly Tom and Joan walk straight into the trap.Doreen and her thugs capture the pair and Doreen warns The Falcon not to try and interfere with the unloading of the Citadel. Vantine seems to have also been lured into the trap but when he arrives he fights with Doreen's men and in the confusion Tom and Joan escape. Tom returns to his hotel room where he finds DeForrest hiding in his closet. When questioned by The Falcon DeForrest insists that his concern for Joan drew him there, after DeForrest leaves Goldie shows Tom a newspaper clipping stating that the S.S. Citadel belongs to Duke Monette. That night the two sleuths sneak aboard the Citadel and discover that concealed amongst its legitimate cargo of bales of hemp is a valuable cargo of raw silk. When Tom shows the silk to DeForrest he orders that the Citadel be reloaded. The Falcon heads over to the Marshall house hoping that Joan might lead him to Duke.At the house Annie tells Tom that her sister has gone to Telegraph Hill to meet her 'secret lover', The Falcon follows Joan and watches as she meets with and embraces DeForrest. When Tom confronts them DeForrest admits that he is Duke Monette and that he is using a false identity to protect his daughters - Joan and Annie. Tom warns him that Doreen's gang is planning to hijack the Citadel and steal it's cargo that night and Duke asks for The Falcon's help to foil their scheme. Later that night Duke and The Falcon watch as Vantine, Doreen and their gang board the ship. When they board her Duke knocks the engineer out, leading to an explosion in the unattended boiler room of the vessel. But Duke then pulls a gun on Doreen and Tom. The Falcon informs Doreen that it was Duke who killed the two people she had hired to watch Joan and Annie - Miss Keyes and Loomis. When he then goes on to warn her that Duke intends to blow up the ship, Doreen and her henchman Rickey try to jump Duke but he shoots them both. As Rickey falls to the floor he shoots Duke allowing The Falcon to flee the S.S. Citadel before it spectacularly blows up.

Review: After 5 Falcon films without him, Goldie Lock makes his return with Ed Brophy in his first of 2  although he had played a cop in the 1st Falcon film in 1941 too.
This was also Tom Conway's 8th outing in the title role - this time with a cold - to Rita Corday's 5th as suspect.
"In San Francisco" was an earthier entry in the series, with some realistic acting, more violence to go with some of the seedier locales and a punchier storyline: all adding up to make an excellent film [11/13].A little girls' guardian is found dead on a sleeper train, suave passengers Tom Lawrence and Goldie offer to take her home but get arrested for child abduction.
It turns even nastier when various shady parties think that the Falcon's working for the other side, leading to him getting roughed up in his quest to find out what's going on.
The trail leads to an ex-bootlegger, an old moll in a ridiculous hat, silk smuggling  in short, an interesting and cogent plot with a satisfying climax.
Thankfully the possibilities with cute little Annie in tow were not taken up, a very brief bedtime reading of Peter And The Wolf was as close as we got.
Comedy was supplied by Brophy with the running gag of him trying to become a married poyson to save on his income tax payments.It's always been my favourite Conway Falcon movie, best for those of us who like watching 1940's b&w detective b pics whether in a series or not..
Pretty good Falcon.
"The Falcon in San Francisco" is a 1945 entry into The Falcon series starring Tom Conway.
This one has some nice shots of San Francisco and captures the city's atmosphere - old timers familiar with the city will love it.
In this one, Tom and Goldie (Edward Brophy) meet a cute little girl (Sheryl Moffett) and her dog Diogenes on a train.
The Falcon and Goldie soon find themselves in a web of intrigue involving a crime ring, a shipping company, and a secret kept by the girl's beautiful sister (Rita Corday).
King Kong's Robert Armstrong plays the shipping company's business manager.
The mystery is actually pretty good, and the film moves quickly.For some reason, these Falcon films always end somewhat abruptly.
Surprisingly good entry in Falcon series.
I watched this expecting, given the budget limitations of B-picture series, to see only a few "establishing shots" of San Francisco from stock footage, but a surprising number of scenes appear actually to have been shot on location -- or were at least very convincingly matted.
Even more impressive is the film's rather successful grasp of San Francisco atmosphere.
Too-handsome tough guys, a twisted dame with a streak of brutality, a gloomy Nob Hill mansion, and details like the extras in the nightclub scene and the furnishings in the dame's apartment are all done quite as well as in the higher-budgeted "Out of the Past." Some continuity elements seem to have been left on the cutting room floor, as in other RKO noirs, but to good effect, and it is obvious the bit players (including Dorothy Adams) were carefully chosen.
Better preserved than some of the Falcon pictures, this one merits attention beyond the context of the series..
The Falcon Meets a Little Girl, Very Charming, Good Mystery.
This is the eleventh Falcon film, notable for the entry of a child actress in a major role.
Having the Falcon exchange witty lines with Sharyn Moffett who in the film 'will be 18 in nine years' time', as she puts it, and who 'has decided to marry Tom Lawrence (the Falcon)' when she grows up 'but then he'll have to stop chasing after other girls', is a refreshing and amusing change.
Tom Conway does very well at communicating with a kid, and Sharyn is charming in the part.
Unfortunately, the hideously boring and coarse Edward Brophy is the Falcon's sidekick in this one, which is so annoying.
Rita Corday appears in her fifth Falcon film, and has become a reliable fixture in the series.
Robert Armstrong, solid and good viewing, appears in this one and adds conviction to a double identity.
The film is well directed by Joseph H.
Lewis, his one foray into falconry, with some good San Francisco location shots, excellent framing, and a nice pace.
The story is satisfying in its puzzling complexity, and we really can't figure out very much at all until we get near the end.
That's because the plot often just doesn't make much sense--particularly the far-fetched ending.Tom Conway plays his usual dapper role as Tom Lawrence ("The Falcon") and the film is greatly improved by having his old sidekick ("Goldy", played by Eddie Brophy).
For some reason, while earlier Falcon films always featured a sidekick, for quite a few of Conway's film the sidekick had disappeared--making the films a bit flat and needing an infusion of humor.
The female leads in THE FALCON IN Hollywood and several other previous films were just awful--playing both love interests and comic relief.
Fortunately, Goldy is not annoying but provided able support--as did the cute little kid who appeared in the film.
Often, cute kids are detriments to a film but here she infuses a nice new element to the film.While I could TRY to explain the film, frankly it didn't make all that much sense to me and I am sure it would only confuse you if I tried!
For fans of the series, this is a good and welcome addition to the series.
But for others, it's probably not going to make them fans of the Falcon films..
Good entry in the Falcon series that features the return of sidekick Goldie Locke.
This time Goldie is played by Edward Brophy.
Tom Conway certainly benefits from having someone to play off of.
The plot to this one has the Falcon vacationing in San Francisco when he tries to help a little girl and gets mixed up in a plot involving murder and a mystery surrounding a former bootlegger.
Good supporting cast includes Robert Armstrong, Fay Helm, and Jason Robards, Sr. Rita Corday returns for another Falcon movie, again playing a new character.
Child actor Sharyn Moffett is very cute.
This is an entertaining film in a series that had started to look like it was on its last legs when the Falcon was rambling around Texas and Mexico..
One of Tom Conway's better later, and overall, Falcon films.
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', though also a few disappointments like 'The Falcon in Danger' and 'The Falcon in Mexico'.On the most part, 'The Falcon in San Francisco' is for me one of Conway's better later and overall Falcon films.
Most of the film works very well indeed, but the story does get a little convoluted later and ends abruptly.
A few of Edward Brophy's comic shenanigans are a touch overdone too.However, a lot also does work.
A new director is on board here, courtesy of Joseph H Lewis in his sole Falcon outing, and it is a very stylish and energetic directing job.
Further advantages are a very playful script with dialogue that crackles with wit and some of the series' funniest and a mostly absorbing story that is never less than bright, breezy and fun with some suspense and great twists and turns.Conway is dapper, suave, charismatic and amusingly cutting here, he always thrived in the title role and 'The Falcon in San Francisco' is evidence of that.
Rita Corday brings plenty of allure, Edward Brophy is on the most part very funny and his comic relief is more than welcome and Sharyn Moffett is charming and vulnerable without ever falling into any of the obvious traps that child performers can do.All in all, solid fun and one of the better later films of the series and one of Conway's best.
7/10 Bethany Cox. The Falcon charm works on women of all ages.
Tom Conway and retainer Ed Brophy are on their way to San Francisco on a train when they make the acquaintance of young Sharyn Moffett.
The Falcon charm work on women of all ages and the little girl asks for his help saying she's become a prisoner in her own home.
Her rather severe nurse is later murdered on the train and the Falcon and the always helpful Goldie Locke are involved.Besides Moffett this caper will involve her older sister Rita Corday, a former bootlegger from Prohibition days Robert Armstrong, a Dutch importer John Mylong and a poor man's Gale Sondergaard Fay Helm.This is one of the bloodiest Falcon episodes that RKO did.
A whole lot of people die in this one, especially in an incredibly bloody climax.Conway is charming as usual and Brophy provides much needed comic relief in this story.
Classic Falcon film.
The Falcon, Tom Lawrence,(Tom Conway) travels on a train heading for San Francisco along with his partner Goldie Locke, (Edward Brophy) and they are planning a vacation to take in the sights of San Francisco.
On the train they encounter a very young little girl named Annie Marshall ( Sharyn Moffett) who is looking for her lost dog and meets up with the Falcon and his partner.
Annie tells the Falcon she is being held captive in her home by her butler and nurse and the Falcon decides to investigate this girls problem, but is interrupted by the murder of the Annie's nurse.
There is all kinds of bad situations the Falcon gets into with plenty of beatings and he also encounters Duke Monet, (Robert Armstrong) who has a sinister past and is involved with a silk smuggling racket.
There is excellent photography through out the City of San Francisco and old buildings long gone..
A great look at San Francisco before it went down the drain..
A great look at San Francisco before it went down the drain.What a beautiful city San Francisco used to be.
Lots of great sites to see in this film.
A great murder mystery with a super cute dog and lots of beautiful women.
Great story, excellent acting.This one is about the Falcon and his friend, who adds lots of comedy to the film, who are on vacation in San Francisco.
The Falcon promises to give up investigating crimes, but is unable to do so..
Excellent 1940's mystery with a great climax.
This is a really good 1940's mystery, of that type which mixes some humor and warmth with the tough stuff.
The plot is a little complicated, but it does make sense and, after all, this is a MYSTERY.
That is the mark of a very good mystery!
The San Francisco settings are very nice.
It's always a treat when a studio picture of the 1930's or 1940's gets out of the sound stage and takes you someplace interesting, like San Francisco.
Tom Conway is excellent as the Falcon.
Worthy of film noir, which this picture is not, having a frequently light, wry tone.
About average for the Tom Lawrence version of the Falcon series.
Edward Brophy does his usual sidekick role well, Rita Corday is nice to look at, Sharyn Moffett does her best as Shirley Temple, there is a reasonable plot, a few good shots of an older San Francisco, and not much else to recommend.
Best for those who must see the entire Falcon series..
Well, well, the two handsome young tough/bad guys are shinning and have stolen part of the show!
Their looks are more impressive than the Falcon.
Too cute to be a tough guys.
Good quality guys and pretty girls with acting talent are packed up.
Those ordinary look like the female tomb raider are praised as the most sexy and beautiful woman in the world.
If you want to see really handsome actor and beautiful actress, try this one and you will find out what is true beauty and good acting.Overall it is a nice and entertaining film.
The plot starts off well enough—a little girl's nurse dies unexpectedly on board a train with the Falcon and Goldie.
After that the plot becomes pretty convoluted, such that the elements of a mystery are undercut by the many complications.
Still the colorful players manage to hold audience interest.I particularly like little Sharon Moffett (Annie) who manages to be both cute and vulnerable without being cloying, a really difficult trick for Hollywood moppets.
Brophy also manages some well-calibrated comedy relief without resorting to tiresome clowning around.
And, of course, there's always the smooth and dapper Conway as the gentleman detective.
Except for a few landmark shots of San Francisco, there's not much else distinctive in this eleventh entry in the highly successful series..
The eleventh film in the Falcon series.
Some familiar actors return to the series in this one, though not in recurring roles.
Edward Brophy (who appeared in the first Falcon film as a detective, and is a fairly recognizable character actor in his own right) plays Goldie, and Rita Corday appears in her fifth (out of six total) film in the series, though never as the same character.
And, missing from this film are the police inspector and his detective.The Falcon (Tom Conway) and Goldie are taking a train to San Francisco for a vacation from crime solving (discussing ways for Goldie to reduce his income taxes by getting married) when a dog interrupts them.
Shortly thereafter, a little girl named Annie (Sharyn Moffett), the dog's owner, joins them saying that she must get back to Mrs. Peabody (Esther Howard).
She goes on to tell them that she and her older sister are more or less "held captive" in their own home by Mrs. Peabody, her nursemaid, and Loomis (Jason Robards Sr.).
The nursemaid appears saying that she hopes Annie hasn't been telling them any of her (tall) tales, and escorts her away.
Mrs. Peabody is later found dead on the train.Since Annie is now without a guardian, the Falcon decides to help her get home.
The police catch up to the cab and take the Falcon in for questioning.
But they only detain him briefly because Doreen Temple (Fay Helm), a woman unknown to the Falcon, posts his bail.
Shortly thereafter, aided by some thugs, Ms. Temple questions him about Peter Vantine (e.g. did he kill Mrs. Peabody on the train?).
The Falcon says that, though he suspected that the nursemaid could have been murdered, he'd never even heard Vantine's name before she mentioned it.
Not believing him, she has her thugs beat him up and drive him around San Francisco before dropping him out of the car.The Falcon recovers and goes to Annie's house and the door is answered by Loomis.
But, before he can be turned away, he meets the little girl's sister Joan (Ms. Corday) and gets a different story from her than the one Annie told about being "held captive" in their house.
However, later that night, the Falcon returns with Goldie.
The Falcon and Goldie return Annie to her room and escape, unseen by Joan, before the police arrive.Back at their hotel, the Falcon and Goldie are interrupted by Vantine, who barges in on them with a gun.
Quickly, the Falcon disarms him and they learn from Vantine that he has been tracking Doreen Temple, who he believes is working with Duke Manet, a smuggler thought to be dead.
This leads the Falcon to visit the offices of Star Coastal Lines where he meets Mr. De Forrest (Robert Armstrong), learns the name of a ship soon arriving at port, and more.During the rest of the film, several familiar plot devices from the series are incorporated including an identity revelation, a double cross, more people are shot and/or found dead, and the Falcon is captured by (and escapes from) the "bad guys" again.
Of course, the Falcon figures it all out and everything ends well as usual.
This film has no lead in to the next film in the series..
One of the lesser entries in the series.
U.S. release: August 1945.
U.K. release: 6 January 1947.
Australian release: 10 January 1946.
67 minutes.SYNOPSIS: An impossibly complicated plot starts off when the Falcon befriends a young girl on the train to San Francisco.
She claims she is being held prisoner.NOTES: Number eleven in the sixteen-picture Falcon series.
Brophy's Goldy is not much help either.
Conway sails through his role in his usual suave but increasingly detached manner, but Rita Corday makes a most attractive heroine, and Sharyn Moffett is quite tolerable as the young girl.
The other players, with the exception of Faye Helm's villainess and her sadistic henchman Carl Kent, make little impression (including Robert Armstrong's routine shipping fleet owner).Visually, the film is more interesting.
There are only a few shots of San Francisco (most notably Conway boarding a cable car), but the sets (some doubtless standing from The Magnificent Ambersons) are extensive and well-lit.
Although they're a good match, Miller's glossy black images using little if any fill light, such as the scenes in Moffett's bedroom, are a characteristic that few other cinematographers would duplicate.Despite its fair-sized budget (and its many echoes from Hammett and Chandler), The Falcon in San Francisco is definitely one of the lesser entries in the series.
It's just too contrived.OTHER VIEWS: With his sweeping camera movements through crowded sets, and other establishing shots through all sorts of "frames", plus a bit of location shooting in San Fancisco itself, director Joseph H.
Lewis manages to get a fair bit of production value into this entry.
Unfortunately his efforts are largely wasted on a mindlessly convoluted-but-who-cares plot.
Conway is unperturbed, but some of the other principals try hard (in Brophy's case too hard) to interest us in the characters, but with only passing success.