Tonight I unwrapped a new dvd set that I bought from Amazon around Christmastime, "The Falcon Mystery Movie Collection Volume 2", featuring six movies with the debonair Tom Conway in the starring role as "The Falcon", a detective with a knack for solving murders while looking and acting suave (hmm, have we seen this type of guy before, by any chance?). :)
I discovered "The Falcon" movie series via an Amazon recommendation. I purchased Volume 2 instead of Volume 1 just because I like Tom Conway, who starred in "Cat People" and a couple of other Val Lewton films. His more famous brother George Sanders was the original "Falcon", from the first movies of the series released in Volume 1. In the words of Ray Davies, "If you covered him in garbage, George Sanders would still have style", but as stylish as he is, his brother may just have the edge. They were a couple of wealthy Russian boys who grew up in England and became big stars in Hollywood. Now that, is Suave, as I'm sure you'll agree.
I didn't know what to expect with the "Falcon" series, I bought it on a whim. Tonight I watched the first movie on disc one, "The Falcon Out West" (1944), which ran about 65 minutes, as do all the films. I think that films of this duration were produced to fill out double features in the 1940s, or possibly as Saturday Matinee Serials. I love short movies, as you know, because I am on a tight shedge-yule. I've got books to read, drawings to attempt, walks to complete, football games to predict, and a 24/7 job.
So I love to find "programmers", as I think they were called (meant to "fill out a program", as it were), that run a little over an hour. Last year's "Mr. Moto" series was a case in point, the best one of this 65 minute type that I've seen so far.
"The Falcon Out West" was a good start to this series. He is heading out west (meaning The Valley) to attend a pre-wedding bash at the ranch of an old cowboy friend who is engaged to a blonde babe half his age. The old cowboy turns up dead at the party (and sumbliminal message rams beat cowboys), and wouldn't you know it, "The Falcon" is there on scene to solve the crime, which he proceeds to do with no hesitation because he's only got 50 minutes left.
You know how these short scripts go, however. They pack a Truckload Of Stuff into a short time frame. I think a lower budget prevented "The Falcon" from being as polished as were the "Moto" films, and it was not nearly as developed a story as are any of "The Thin Man" movies that it clearly emulates. Still, the presence of Tom Conway goes a long way toward making up for any minor shortcomings, and you also have the bombshell Carole Gallagher and a young Barbara Hale to hold your interest. And if those three aren't enough, you've got the endless scenery of Corriganville to look at. Nearly the entire film was shot there. And for a brief moment you even get to see Stoney Point in Chatsworth. The locations in the rural Valley of 1944, before it was massively subdivided, are worth the price of admission alone.
So there you have it, my first "Falcon" movie. You can file it in the "just for fun" category, but it gets two lower case thumbs up anyhow, just because it was indeed a lot of fun, with great Chatsworth footage. //////
We had good singing in church this morning, but we also said farewell to out excellent pianist of the last three years, who - having graduated CSUN with a master's degree - has been hired as a full time instructor at Los Angeles City College. Leon is a fantastic musician. We were lucky to have him, and we'll be fortunate if we find someone even half as good as his replacement. Wow.........
Pats beat Chargers, Saints beat Eagles, which means Rams will meet Saints for the NFC Championship next Sunday. I know the Saints are considered unbeatable, especially after the way they came back against the Eagles today. But I think the Rams are gonna win that game and go to the Super Bowl, where they will play - and defeat! Brady and the Patriots (who will beat the Chiefs next week), in revenge for the stolen Super Bowl from 2001, when Kurt Warner and company had the game locked up.........until the rookie Brady ran his first ever clutch two minute drill to set up the winning field goal. I lived with Mom then, and she could attest......I didn't sleep too well that night.
That Super Bowl against the Rams began the Brady legend, but - if the same two teams play in this SB - the Rams will end it. Brady is closing in on 100 years old. It will be a fitting end to his storied career.
But if the Chiefs end up playing The Saints, I'll probably go to Disneyland. I can't stand those two teams.
Yeah, sports......etc., etc., the usual disclaimer.
Supposed to rain all week but I will try to get in a hike and take some pics before next Friday.
See you in the morning. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo (big love) :):)
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