Expected more

Bad Acting and worse Bad Screenplay

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Director: EDWARD DMYTRYK. Screenplay: Edward Dein, Gerald Geraghty. Story: Stuart Palmer. Based on characters created by Michael Arlen. Photography: Jack McKenzie. Film editor: George Crone. Art directors: Albert S. D'Agostino, Walter E. Keller. Set decorators: Darrell Silvera, William Stevens. Costumes: Renie. Assistant director: James Casey. Music director: Constantin Bakaleinikoff. Music composed by Roy Webb. Sound recording: Jean L. Speak. RCA Sound System. Producer: Maurice Geraghty (brother of the screenwriter). Copyright 7 May 1943 by RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at the Palace: 1 April 1943. U.S. release: 7 May 1943. Australian release: 14 October 1943. 6,008. 66 minutes.NOTES: Number 5 of the 16 "Falcon" pictures, and the only one to be directed by Edward Dmytryk. COMMENT: The cast is four times more appealing and the direction about twice as inventive as the plot, — a lot of meaningless waffle about stolen war bonds. A surfeit of dialogue further burdens the story-line, though it does provide opportunities for a grand array of character players to sloop through their paces. Dmytryk's direction is likewise smooth, though it only really rouses the rafters in the action spots, e.g. the long tracking shot of Rita Corday swimming the length of the pool; the camera in the driver's seat of a speeding station wagon; the business with the Velma Dawson Puppets, including a "Goofy" puppet, courtesy of Walt Disney. Production values are high by "B" standards, with excellent camera- work and sets.

That Harriet Nelson (aka Hilliard) could even be suspected of murder seems sacrilegious. What would Ozzie Nelson say or David and Rickey. After all, her sweet tempered, sensible mother was one of the iconic moms of the 1950's (1). Oh well, she does show an edgier side here as the hotel manager. All in all, results look like she was a fine actress whose all-around talent was seldom tapped. The movie itself is a fairly routine Falcon. Seems a war bond scam is going on at the hotel, but who's behind it and how does it tie in with a series of murders. Leave it to the Falcon to sort out, along with his humorously dim-witted sidekick, Goldie (Edwards). There's plenty of eye candy for the guys. And since this is in the middle of the big war (1943), I expect the girl- heavy cast was for the guys in uniform. In fact, Erford Gage (Rickey) was killed in action near war's end. Note too that the director is Ed Dmytryck who went on to direct such noir classics as Murder, My Sweet (1944) and Crossfire (1947). Catch some of that style in the shadowy lighting and odd camera angle.Anyway, the plot's pretty convoluted, but that's not the main draw, for me at least. Instead, it's the suave Conway, snappy throwaway lines, and, of course, the comely girls, which makes this latter a special treat.(1) The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, (1952-1966)

Falcon Strikes Back, The (1943) *** (out of 4) Edward Dmytryk directs this fifth film in the series, which has The Falcon (Tom Conway) trying to track down war bond thieves. Up to this point in the series, this film here is clearly the best as it deals with a very interesting story and also features Conway in fine form. The story of the war bonds being stolen adds a great interest and I'm sure it was even more fascinating back when the film was released. The supporting cast is also in fine form with Cliff Edwards really coming into form as The Falcon's partner. The film also manages to be quite funny with several neat little twists including a great gag on how The Falcon gets away from the police. There's a little puppet show including, which isn't too good but there's an added bonus of a Goofy puppet and even Sherlock Holmes gets a poke in the ribs during a joke.

Tom Lawrence gets off to a good start on his own as he wakes up with a hangover but with a sexy Latino lady standing over his bed. Mia Bruger is her name and she tells the Falcon of her concern for her missing brother. He meets her later to discuss the matter but someone knocks him out. He wakes up later on a country road in the backseat of his car with little knowledge of where he is. When he is arrested for a bank robbery and a murder, Lawrence works put that he has been set up and goes on the lamb to solve the crime and why he was set up.In his first film on his own, Tom Conway opens with a typically suave turn in bed, hungover from his night on the town and waking with a beautiful woman in his room. From here the plot moves well to set up the mystery. It isn't a gripping thriller but it holds the interest by having enough going on and sufficient plot twists occur to help keep the pace up throughout. Much more enjoyable than the previous entry (Falcon's Brother) in this regard, the film is well written and well delivered.After a so-so start in the last film, Conway seems like he was made for the role and within a few seconds of the first scene he is into it and great fun. His detecting skills are on show and he mixes them well with a debonair delivery and screen presence – the memory of Sanders slipped from my mind. Hilliard works well alongside him but, unusually for the series, there are quite a few strong female performances from Randolph, Gibson and Corday. After Lefty in the last film we get Goldie returning but this time played by Edwards. It is a basic turn and not as funny as I would have liked. Better comic support value comes from the pairing of Clark and Gargan (straight man and stupid man respectively); the simple comic scenes involving them are not imaginative but they do provide a few laughs.Overall then a good entry in the series that is much more assured than The Falcon's Brother had been the year before. Consistent and with a good pace the film benefits from solid characters and good performances to produce a typically enjoyable film in this famous b-movie series.