This entry in the Falcon series (or was it a serial?) begins almost in the middle of a cliffhanger, with an unmanned plane managing to land itself on almost exactly the right runway (with the help of some pre-Thunderbirds model work) what happened to the passengers and crew? Must be another case of the Gremlins. The police is baffled, so they raid an illegal gambling den, just to find Tom Conway, The Second Falcon, in his third adventure and second solo case. Like his younger, more famous brother he is forever having fiancée frustrations. Also looking for Tom are two young women who are related to the missing industrialists (a blond and a brunette). Both of them have received a ransom note demanding 25 thousand. Unfortunately, this drop off/pick up/ransom money exchange happens to coincide with Tom's girl Friday's horse riding plans. Although The F. claims these proud animals terrify him, and despite there being several skilled riders nearby, guess who has to save the day (and fails) when one of the ladies' horses runs wild? The crooks get away while our hero almost runs over a nanny with a pram (how positively incorrect of him).
Some evidence is pointing to one of the girls fiancées being a suspects (engagements are never a good sign where the Falcon is around). This Mr. Gibson is a horse betting man deep in debt. On the other hand, he never sleeps over so he can't be a complete cad. Maybe it's the bookie and his enforcers who done it instead? During a confusing mish mash of a skirmish, The Falcon gets shot at close range, but after a single scene in the hospital he's back on the case (where was his old assistant Goldie to catch the bullet?). Just in case one of the two girls is pulling the strings, everybody goes ice skating to follow- and of course fall over each other. Finally an unexpected eye witness shows up to tell his side of the story via flashback. Tom eventually uses Lieutenant Columbo logic ("you couldn't have because....") to get his criminal. This film may only run for an hour and a bit, but there sure is a whole lot crammed into it (current filmmakers should take not of this). What I want to know is how come some of the stock shots are so degraded when they can't have been more than ten or twenty years old? And did they really think nobody would notice?
6 out of 10
Some evidence is pointing to one of the girls fiancées being a suspects (engagements are never a good sign where the Falcon is around). This Mr. Gibson is a horse betting man deep in debt. On the other hand, he never sleeps over so he can't be a complete cad. Maybe it's the bookie and his enforcers who done it instead? During a confusing mish mash of a skirmish, The Falcon gets shot at close range, but after a single scene in the hospital he's back on the case (where was his old assistant Goldie to catch the bullet?). Just in case one of the two girls is pulling the strings, everybody goes ice skating to follow- and of course fall over each other. Finally an unexpected eye witness shows up to tell his side of the story via flashback. Tom eventually uses Lieutenant Columbo logic ("you couldn't have because....") to get his criminal. This film may only run for an hour and a bit, but there sure is a whole lot crammed into it (current filmmakers should take not of this). What I want to know is how come some of the stock shots are so degraded when they can't have been more than ten or twenty years old? And did they really think nobody would notice?
6 out of 10