THE FALCON OUT WEST

US, 1944, 65 minutes, Black and white.
Tom Conway, Carole Gallagher, Barbara Hale, Joan Barclay, Edward Gargan.
Directed by William Clemens.

The Falcon Out West is the eighth in a series of short B-budget supporting features with Tom Conway as the investigator, the Falcon. The films present a small murder mystery, much like an episode in a series from later television. There are various suspects, some colourful locations, some ironic dialogue, the Falcon able to understand characters and resolve the murder mystery – before the police are able to.

Tom Conway, George Sanders’ brother, with very similar mannerisms, is the suave Falcon. Barbara Hale, early in her career, has a central role in this film.

This film is a bit silly – and some commentators say that it was trying to capitalise on The Marx Brothers Go West. Be that as it may, it is just a footnote in the B-budget American supporting features and the Falcon series.