There’s nothing more frightening to a beautiful woman than another beautiful woman – The Falcon Out West (1944)
The Falcon Out West (1944) – A Classic Mystery Adventure!
This film is number eight of sixteen[1] Film Noir detective stories that were released during the 1940s. These generally short films center around a detective who is suave, demeanor, and sharp-witted. This character captivated audiences during the World War II era.
After four films, the lead was switched to the older brother of the original actor. This change in no way affected the popularity of the series.
Hello to all of the classic people that are returning. I am glad you are back. I want to welcome any new visitors. Today on Classic Movie Review, we are taking on The Falcon Out West (1944).
This series was created as a follow-up to The Saint/Simon Templer films that began with The Saint in New York (1938). George Sanders was in five Saint films before being tapped to play The Falcon.
The Falcon Out West (1944) takes place after Tom Conway, playing Tom Lawrence, takes over for his actual brother George Sanders, who was in the role of Gay Lawrence. Both of these brothers are English, but Tom Conway comes off as slightly tougher than his younger brother. It is like comparing Sean Connery as James Bond to Roger Moore as Bond.
One thing that remains true for all Falcon roles is that the Falcon is a bit of a man whore. Independently wealthy and living in New York City, The Falcon assists police in solving murders. Of course, the police are opposed to his help, and The Falcon often finds himself in trouble.
Today’s film is rated a pretty low 6.1 on iMDB.com.[2] On Rottentomatoes.com, the film doesn’t have a Tomatometer score and is only 14 percent on the Popcornmeter.[3] This film is not Lawrence of Arabia (1962), but at 64 minutes, it is a good way to spend an hour on a slow weekend.
New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther wrote,
“Anything for variety—that seems to be the policy of RKO with reference to its gentleman sleuth, the Falcon, hero of a long series of films. Now, for his latest adventure, flatly titled ‘The Falcon Out West’ —just so none of the customers is likely to be confused—the producers have meshed a whodunnit with Western atmosphere. The result is schematically novel; in other respects, it is old, familiar stuff. … in the wide open spaces, where crooners and stock Indians roam, the Falcon goes through his old routine of spotting the guilty one.”[4]
I have to admit that I picked this film because it featured Barbara Hale, my childhood Della Street. I wanted to see some of her earlier acting.
Actors – The Falcon Out West (1944)
Returning
Tom Conway played the role of Tom Lawrence, AKA The Falcon. I briefly covered Conway in the great horror classic I Walked With a Zombie (1943). There is a link below.
Barbara Hale was in the important role of Marion Colby. This Della Street actress was first covered in the coming-of-age film Big Wednesday (1978).
New
Carole Gallagher was the Femme Fatale Vanessa Drake. Gallagher was born in California in 1923. Blessed with good looks, Gallagher studied drama in California. She had eleven credits beginning in 1942. In most of these films, she was uncredited and mostly played dumb blondes.
The Falcon Out West (1944) was Gallagher’s first credit role. Her only other credited role was in The Denver Kid (1948). Her last role was in 1949. She was briefly married to cowboy actor Dick Foran, and they had a son. Gallagher died in 1966.
Joan Barclay played Mrs. Irwin. Barclay was born in Minnesota in 1914. After she and her mother fled the cold for California, Barclay had a small role in The Gaucho (1927) with Douglas Fairbanks. Barclayspent most of the 1930s under contract to Warner Bros. and the 1940s with RKO.
Barclay had 94 credits that ended in 1945. These roles include a large number of Westerns. However, there are no real breakout roles. Barclay is known for Shadow of Chinatown (1936), Sky Racket (1937), Blake of Scotland Yard (1937), and The Shanghai Cobra (1945). She also appeared in The Seventh Victim (1943), as well as The Falcon in Danger (1943), and The Falcon Strike Back (1943), all with Tom Conway.
Barclay wisely married a rich man and left show business. She died in 2002.
Edward Gargan played the bumbling comic relief as Homicide Detective Bates. Gargan was born in New York City in 1902. After college, Gargan began working on stage, including Broadway. He also had a good career on radio. Between 1930 and 1955, Gargan amassed an amazing 321 film and television credits. A large number of these were as a bumbling sidekick and were uncredited. Gargan is still best known for his Falcon roles. Other roles include bits in The Brasher Doubloon (1947) and Mighty Joe Young (1949), the latter of which was discussed in King Kong (1933). There are links in the description.
Gargan died in 1964. He was the brother of actor William Gargan, whom I discussed in Night Editor (1946).
Cliff Clark played hard-nosed Inspector Timothy Donovan. Clark was born in New York City in 1889. He had a successful stage career before beginning film work in 1933. During his career, Clark amassed 231 film and television credits. He specialized in playing tough guys like cops.
Clark is best known for his five Falcon roles, but he has played in a lot of well-known films. These films include The Crowd Roars (1938), Invisible Stripes (1939), Knute Rockne All American (1940), Stranger on the Third Floor (1940), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), The Mummy’s Tomb (1942), Destination Tokyo (1943), Fort Apache (1948), Mighty Joe Young (1949), High Noon (1952), and Scandal Sheet (1952). Links are in the description. Clark died in 1953.
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Story – The Falcon Out West (1944)
In a swinging show club in New York City, young blonde-looker Vanessa Drake (Carole Gallagher) is excited about her forthcoming marriage to a wealthy older man, Tom “Tex” Irwin (Lyle Talbot).
The happy groom makes his way to the crowded table while singing, handing out lollipops, and generous tips. Vanessa drags her inebriated Texan to the table. Tom Lawrence, AKA The Falcon (Tom Conway), arrives at the club. He takes time to elevator-eye the cigarette girl.
The former Mrs. Irwin (Joan Barclay) leads The Falcon to a table away from the wedding party. The drunken Tex waves his train tickets and leads his young future bride onto the dance floor. Mrs. Irwin tells The Falcon that he must stop Tex from marrying Vanessa. Mrs. Irwin says that Vanessa is only after money. The Falcon says he is fine with a homicidal manic but doesn’t want to get involved in marriage politics.
On the dance floor, Tex stops, saying his leg feels like he has been bitten by a rattlesnake and needs a doctor. He falls before he can get off the floor. On the way to help, The Falcon bumps into a man who says, sorry, pard. A little out of place for the location. Tex wants to cut the wound, but they think he is just a silly drunk. The Falcon reveals two puncture wounds on Tex’s leg. Either vampires or rattlesnakes. The Falcon pronounces Tex dead from a rattlesnake bite. He jumped a few steps here. The Falcon looks at Tex’s wallet, but there is no money or tickets.
The Maître d’ calls homicide but reaches the buffoonish Homicide Detective Bates (Edward Gargan), who hangs up. Inspector Timothy Donovan (Cliff Clark) insists that he and Bates check it out.
At the club, Bates and Donovan are told by a doctor that Tex died of a rattlesnake bite he received within two hours of his death. Donovan is hot when he finds that The Falcon is interviewing the wedding party guest. Donovan takes over the interview. Attorney Steven Hayden (Donald Douglas) asks if Vanessa can be interviewed later after the shock has worn off. The Falcon sees Vanessa pick up one of the train tickets. He pinches the other ticket. The Falcon tricks a cop and leaves.
The Falcon gets on the train and is waiting for Vanessa in her once honeymoon birth. They have a testy exchange. Vanessa says the real answer is at the ranch in Texas. Vanessa tells The Falcon that everyone is against her. She also continues that her love for Tex is real. The Falcon mentions that the ranch has been placed in Vanessa’s name as an early wedding gift.
The train reaches Texas. Bates, Donovan, and Attorney Hayden are waiting at the depot to take Vanessa back to New York City. The Falcon tells Donovan that he can’t take Vanessa back without extradition papers.
Just then, an old-fashioned stagecoach arrives for the guest of what was Tex’s ranch. All five people get into the stagecoach. The driver of the stagecoach is Dusty (Lee Trent), the sorry pard guy from the nightclub. All the hands from Tex’s ranch come into town firing guns. The state takes off without the driver and only Bates up top.
Suddenly, a real Texas cowgirl, Marion Colby (Barbara Hale), rides down the escaped coach. The Falcon checks her body out as she rides by the speeding coach. Marion is the daughter of Tex’s former business partner, Dave Colby (Minor Watson). Marion stops the coach, and everyone is saved. Marion is very cold to Vanessa. The Falcon points out that there is a new bullet hole in the side of the stagecoach. Marion and The Falcon flirt on the way to the ranch.
When they arrive at the ranch, none of the hired native Americans are around. Marion says she will send the station wagon over to pick them up for supper. The power is out in the house, and Attorney Hayden goes to turn on the generator. Bates hears a rattlesnake. It turns out to be a kitten with a gourd. Dusty arrives and turns on the lights.
Attorney Hayden shows an open safe he has found. Hayden and Dave Colby are the only ones with the combination to the safe. There is no deed giving the ranch to Vanessa. It is proposed that Indians may have done it because their land was taken.
The group attends a lavish cookout at the Colby ranch. Marion is rocking a Spanish-inspired outfit. Donovan keeps questioning people about the open-safe and business relationships. The Falcon follows Marion as she tries to destroy claim checks from the luggage. He takes possession of the tickets. The Falcon also sees how to open one of Colby’s locked artifact collection boxes. Marion admits that she and her father were also in New York City, as was Dusty. Dave Colby was trying to stop Tex from getting married. They had a fight and left before Tex died.
They hear a scream, and everyone rushes out to find Vanessa with a knife cut on her hairline. Donovan takes the knife as evidence. Vanessa doesn’t know who attacked her. Everone has an alibi.
When the visitors are driven back to Tex’s ranch, the Indian workers have returned. Bates and an Indian start a HOW running gag. Mrs. Irwin and Vanessa have a little spat of bedrooms. The Falcon sees a blood stain on Mrs. Irwin’s sleeve. She says she scratched herself.
The Falcon finds Bates listening through a door. The Falcon enters the room and finds Attorney Hayden and Dave Colby in a room working on paperwork. It appears to be innocent. Donovan arrives, and The Falcon pretends the men are having a poker game.
Bates calls The Falcon back into the house. A knife with a Comanche scalp is attached to The Falcon’s door. Dusty says it’s a death warning.
In the morning, Vanessa asks The Falcon to go riding with her. He takes the opportunity to search Vanessa’s room. The Falcon finds the missing $3000 that Tex had. Dusty gives The Falcon a wild horse, but he tricks Dusty and jumps on another.
During the ride, Vanessa asks The Falcon for help. She reveals that she had found the money in her suitcase earlier. Tom discovers that Marion is following the pair. Vanessa gallops away. The Falcon flirts with her a bit. The Falcon tells Marion about the Comanche scalp and says it is from her father’s collection. She rides away in anger. When The Falcon is riding back alone, someone fires a shot at him. He rides after but can’t find the shooter. He rides to the Colby ranch and sees the hands near a horse with wet hoofs. They give him the cold shoulder.
Dave Colby says the scalp is from his collection, but it is not Comanchee. Colby continues that Comanches don’t give warnings before an attack. Donovan and a local lawman arrive in a car. They tell Colby that he must be at the Irwin ranch for a 3:00 P.M. meeting.
Everyone gathers at the ranch except lawyer Hayden. Donovan gives out the papers from the safe for identification. Suddenly, Tex’s voice comes over the stereo. Donovan can’t figure out how the music was turned on. Mrs. Irwin dogears a page, and Donovan calls her out for stealing Vanessa’s deed. It seems like she may have done the knifing of Vanessa.
Eagle Feather (Chief Thunderbird) says that lawyer Hayden needs help. When they find him, he has two puncture marks on his arm. He tries to tell something Tex said at the club but dies of a rattlesnake bite before he can finish. The local law arrests Mrs. Irwin.
Outside, another ride fires a shot between Donovan and The Falcon. Dusty and some hands try to ride down the shooter. When they come back, The Falcon says someone sent a riderless horse running to lead them away from the shooter. They search the ranch and find that the shooter is Red (Perc Launders), one of Colby’s hands.
Donovan, the Falcon, Bates, the local sheriff, and Mrs. Irwin go to the Colby Ranch. Red confesses that they were trying to scare The Falcon away. The other hands chime in and say they wanted to protect Colby, whom they all think is guilty. Colby is disgusted by the accusations. Donovan accuses Colby.
The Falcon goes into Colby’s artifact room, and Marion follows him inside. The display case from earlier is locked, and The Falcon breaks it open. Everyone from outside comes into the room. The Falcon opens an Indian medicine bag. Inside is the deed that gives the Irwin Ranch to Vanessa. Colby says Tex asks him to hide the deed because Vanessa was having an affair. Also in the bag is a rattlesnake ring that can be used to inject venom. Colby says the ring was made by the men of the Spanish Coronado expedition. Colby says there is also a missing duplicate of the ring.
The sheriff tries to take Colby and Mrs. Irwin into town. But the ranch hands stop the arrest. The Falcon and Vanessa are left alone in the ranch. The Falcon tells Vanessa that she is Tex’s killer, the money, and the knife cut. He also explains she hung the scalp and turned on the record player.
Vanessa gets close to The Falcon in the best Femme Fatale manner. The Falcon tells that she stopped photographers from taking her and Tex’s picture at the nightclub because she knew the wedding was being called off. The Falcon says that is what Lawyer Hayden was trying to tell when he died.
Vanessa opened a necklace that had the duplicate rattlesnake ring inside. The Falcon continues that her lover is Dusty. Vanessa tries to kill The Falcon with the ring, but he overpowers her. Dusty comes into the room with his gun drawn. Dusty thinks Vanessa is innocent. Sucker. They take The Falcon outside but find that the law and all the ranch hands are coming their way. The Falcon cleverly hangs the second ring on the door.
Dusty takes The Falcon outback. He fires on Donovan. The Falcon disarms Dusty, who is quickly captured by the ranch’s hands. The Falcon tells Donovan that Vanessa is the killer.
The old-fashioned stagecoach takes The Falcon, Bates, and Donovan to the train depot. It seems that the Falcon is staying with Marion. Suddenly, a well-dressed Hispanic woman asks The Falon for help. When he finds out that she is not married, he boards the train, leaving Marion confused.
Conclusion – The Falcon Out West (1944)
Today’s film is the eighth of sixteen movies if you count the three starring someone other than the brothers. This movie marked the fifth time Tom Conway would play The Falcon. He would make five more movies as this character, ending in 1946.
This film marked the fifth and final time that Cliff Clark would play Donovan. It was also the seventh and final Falcon film, where Edward Gargan played a dopey detective.
In the investigation scene where Tex’s voice came on the stereo, a 1939 Philco was used. I had no idea wireless remotes were that old.
Bates was eating through the entire film. Food rationing was placed on the American population during World War II. His ravenous eating might have looked out of place, given the sacrifices of the population and soldiers. I assumed there was abundant food because they were at the source, a large ranch.
The film made a number of references to Comanches. This tribe traditionally occupied west Texas and would have been well known in that region. The Spanish Coronado Expedition of 1540–1542 did pass through the northern panhandle of Texas. This expedition met Apaches further west. However, they met the Teyas, who are believed to be Caddoan speakers and related to the Wichita.[5] No Comanches. Chief Thunderbird, who played the servant Eagle Feather, was born in Montana.[6]
World-Famous Short Summary – A Femme Fatale that strikes faster than a rattlesnake
As a technical note, references and citations are listed for each show on the site at classicmovierev.com. Thank you for listening and commenting.
Beware the moors.
[1] Thirteen with the brothers, three more with John Calvert The Falcon (fictional detective) – Wikipedia
[2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036809/
[3] The Falcon Out West (1944) | Rotten Tomatoes
[4] https://www.nytimes.com/1944/03/18/archives/the-screen-falconry-again.html
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_V%C3%A1zquez_de_Coronado
[6] https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204352/
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