The Falcon Strikes Back (1943)

The fifth film in the Falcon series

Directed by Edward Dmytryk (Crossfire (1947)) 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 $250000 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.

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