Wonderful character development!

Stylish but barely mediocre overall

Sadly Over-hyped

Blistering performances.

Producer: Maurice Geraghty. Copyright 17 March 1944 by RKO-Radio Pictures, Inc. New York opening at: 17 March 1944. U.S. release: March 1944. Australian release: 20 July 1944. 5,910 feet. 64 minutes. SYNOPSIS: When a wealthy cattleman dies in a New York nightclub, the murdered man's fiancée, accompanied by The Falcon, entrains for Texas.NOTES: Number eight in the sixteen-picture "The Falcon" series. (The numbering in the book The Great Movie Series is incorrect. There is a teaser for The Falcon in Mexico at the end of this movie, although the heroine in the movie itself is actually enacted by Mona Maris, not Zedra Conde).COMMENT: A novel entry in the series. True, the identity of the killer is pretty obvious. So obvious indeed that most audiences will discount that suspect as a possibility and look for someone else. So the suspense is well maintained nonetheless, and there are plenty of thrills on the way. Also the western setting allows for some new wrinkles on the urban mystery formula. An edge-of-the-seat stagecoach ride comes as a standout. And we like the way The Falcon handles himself on the box seat and in the saddle.Romance is provided by an attractive trio, headed by Carole Gallagher (a new girl on the block, this is her only starring role. In fact she is credited in only two other movies: Hit Parade of 1947 and 1948's The Denver Kid, in both of which she has only minor roles. A pity! She's a lovely girl and fine actress). Edward Gargan (pronounced "Garrigan") makes the most of some worthwhile material handed him by the scriptwriters and holds up the humor end with ease. We love his running gag with the educated Indian. Tom Conway, the perfect Falcon, maintains his usual suave composure, and receives excellent support from Cliff Clark (the detective), Donald Douglas (the lawyer), Minor Watson (the chief suspect), Barbara Hale (the suspect's pretty daughter), and Joan Barclay (the murdered man's ex-wife). The direction by William Clemens is highly competent (if unobtrusive), while Harry J. Wild contributes the creative, consistently skillful photography.

When Lyle Talbot rich Texas rancher dies of snake bite at a New York night club while he's celebrating his upcoming marriage to Carole Gallagher, that's enough cause for suspicion on its face. Tom Conway gets involved when the Talbot's ex-wife tries to hire him to break up the forthcoming nuptials. Conway says that isn't his line, but being on the scene of the murder he has to get involved if for no other reason than the cops in the persons of Cliff Clark and Edward Gargan. Whatever the answers are they're out west back at the ranch.So all the suspects and the Falcon meet up at Talbot's ranch. They include Talbot's former business partner Minor Watson and his daughter Bsrbara Hale, lawyer Don Douglas, and of course the ex-wife Joan Barclay.Barclay in fact goes west with Conway and the cops follow them. With all the Dramatus Personae in one spot the better for Conway to find the culprit.The Falcon Out West is a decent enough entry in the Falcon series, in the middle of the pack. Fans of the series should approve.

Nice idea - bringing the urbane Falcon (Tom Conway) out west to solve the murder of a rancher (Lyle Talbot) killed by a rattlesnake bite in New York City. The rancher had a fiancée (Carole Gallagher), an ex-wife (Joan Irwin), and helpers (Minor Watson and Barbara Hale as his daughter), all of whom seem to have something to hide. Once out west, the search is on for the rancher's will and deed to his house, and the Falcon finds himself in danger.This is actually a pretty good mystery with some old-fashioned Indians and prejudices thrown in - this is pretty common in old films, and gives one a good idea of the sensibilities of the time. Barbara Hale, who went on to play Della Street on "Perry Mason" is the most familiar face here - young and pretty, she started out as an RKO starlet. Carole Gallagher, the fiancée, had the beauty of a Lana Turner but alas, none of the spark, and her career didn't amount to much. Tom Conway does a good job at the Falcon, but I admit that I prefer George Sanders in the role.This is an okay entry into the series.

While the film began in the big city, it soon changed venues to the American West and naturally involved an unsolved murder. Changing the locale to the West was certainly unusual and the lead seemed very out of place in such a rustic setting. However, while the locale changed, the overall story is just a typical Falcon mystery.When the series began, the Falcon films were exceptional for the genre with wonderful acting and a freshness that set them apart from the typical B-detective series films. However, as time passed and George Sanders left the series to pursue other acting opportunities, the series began to wane. While Tom Conway (Sanders' real life brother) was excellent and bore a close similarity to Sanders, he wasn't quite as good and he was also saddled with scripts that simply lost their zip and seemed more formulaic. As a result, this film was something that previous Falcon films were not--a tad dull.