I'm a survivor of the time when these detective series episodes offered the most reliable nights at the movies, familiar characters in familiar plot formulas.
Looking at THE FALON'S ALIBI, last but one of Tom Conway's exploits as the Michael Arlen character and remake of an earlier entry, is a not altogether welcome reminder of how routine the pattern was.
Super urbane Falcon Conway here cancels his flight booking to come to the aid of blonded Maria/Paula Corday, who slips him the word "Help" on a news paper cutting. Hired companion to irritating dowager Esther Howard, Corday's afraid of being implicated in the theft of her employer's diamonds after a previous robbery and her own assessment that revealed the gems as fake. Recall the Guy De Maupassant plot. Insurance rep. Emory Parnell hovers, to Conway's scorn.
The action moves from the race track to a plush down town Barbary Towers hotel, complete with out doors pool, night club live show, upper-floor Broadcast studio and evil-doers on the fire escape at night. Occasionally shirtless, Tom the Falcon figures it out by having a robbery conspirator rush back to his room, when a fire is set there and Tom confronting the local fence. Complications from slinky singer Jane Greer two timing twitchy husband Elisha Cook jnr. With her band leader. Minimal noir trimmings include location shots of traffic at night and killers taking shots at our hero.
Very post WW2, Leo McCarey's director brother busily fills the screen with wide lapel suits, cut away cars, unfunny comics & glamorous women, who Tim Holt would get to squire through his adventures. (Myrna Dell particularly registers in her walk on) This one is not short on production value, as with the lengthy track that reveals Greer doing her number in the lavish ball room. Twitchy K. G. R. Deejay Cook jnr. Gives the only memorable performance.
Looking at THE FALON'S ALIBI, last but one of Tom Conway's exploits as the Michael Arlen character and remake of an earlier entry, is a not altogether welcome reminder of how routine the pattern was.
Super urbane Falcon Conway here cancels his flight booking to come to the aid of blonded Maria/Paula Corday, who slips him the word "Help" on a news paper cutting. Hired companion to irritating dowager Esther Howard, Corday's afraid of being implicated in the theft of her employer's diamonds after a previous robbery and her own assessment that revealed the gems as fake. Recall the Guy De Maupassant plot. Insurance rep. Emory Parnell hovers, to Conway's scorn.
The action moves from the race track to a plush down town Barbary Towers hotel, complete with out doors pool, night club live show, upper-floor Broadcast studio and evil-doers on the fire escape at night. Occasionally shirtless, Tom the Falcon figures it out by having a robbery conspirator rush back to his room, when a fire is set there and Tom confronting the local fence. Complications from slinky singer Jane Greer two timing twitchy husband Elisha Cook jnr. With her band leader. Minimal noir trimmings include location shots of traffic at night and killers taking shots at our hero.
Very post WW2, Leo McCarey's director brother busily fills the screen with wide lapel suits, cut away cars, unfunny comics & glamorous women, who Tim Holt would get to squire through his adventures. (Myrna Dell particularly registers in her walk on) This one is not short on production value, as with the lengthy track that reveals Greer doing her number in the lavish ball room. Twitchy K. G. R. Deejay Cook jnr. Gives the only memorable performance.