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.

The Falcon heads to Texas to solve a rancher's murder. In most of the classic film series from the '30s and '40s, detective or otherwise, it seemed mandatory that they put the main character in a western setting at some point. I'm not sure whether this was done because audiences loved cowboys or to get more use out of existing western sets, as well as easy on the writers to reuse tired plots and clichés. This is the weakest Falcon movie up to this point. It isn't much fun despite some forced comedy and the mystery is pretty limp. The western stuff is more corny than exciting. When they found an excuse to add a runaway stagecoach gag, I knew it would be a long hour. Tom Conway and the regulars do their best, but they are out of their element with this setting. Sadly this is the last appearance in the series for both Cliff Clark and Edward Gargan. The obligatory lovely ladies this time are Carole Gallagher, Barbara Hale, and Joan Barclay. Lyle Talbot has a surprisingly small part, being killed off in the first five minutes of the picture. It's not a bad movie but a bit of a disappointment following the extremely enjoyable Falcon and the Co-Eds.

The Falcon films, both with George Sanders and Tom Conway in the lead role, are on the most part very enjoyable. There are some very good ones like the first two Sanders Falcon films and 'The Falcon Strikes Back', though also a few disappointments like 'The Falcon in Danger'.While it is still very much watchable, 'The Falcon Out West' is one of the series' weaker outings. There is a lot to like still, the music is lively and haunting enough, and on the most part the production values are slick and atmospheric with particularly nicely done photography. William Clemens directs efficiently, and the story mostly is bright, breezy and diverting if a little short on suspense and surprises.Conway evidently enjoys himself in the lead, sharing all the qualities that Sanders brought in his outings. Barbara Hale brings zest and allure to her role, while Edward Gargan is handles the comedy relief amusingly and Cliff Clark is pleasingly more understated and serious.However, while the script has often been a strength in the Falcon films it's 'The Falcon Out West's' biggest faults. It does lack the crackling wit and playfulness of the best outings and instead feels lazy and tries to throw in too many western clichés that feel very ill-fitting. In fact, the setting and the story do feel too disconnected from one another and don't fit together, the Falcon feeling too out of place within such a rustic setting and the inclusion of the western genre clichés are clumsy and jarring rather than clever.Carole Gallagher is also very bland in an underwritten role, and sometimes the film feels rushed in trying to cram in a lot in the short (too short?) running time.Overall, watchable but a little disappointing and not one of the better Falcon films. 6/10 Bethany Cox

This time the Falcon goes Wild West, which was a nice change from the asphalt based crimes he usually dealt with – like a breath of fresh air. It's only a pity that cynical Cliff Clark and gorging Ed Gargan in their last Falcon film weren't given some horse riding to do too!Tom Conway as Tom Lawrence doesn't want to get mixed up in a beautiful damsel in distress's marital problems but immediately takes over when the ex-husband is murdered by snakebite venom in a New York nightclub. The trail takes him – and all of the suspects too - back to the dead man's ranch and his Will, where the plot thickens. Favourite bit: the sudden late night poker game trying to hide the fact there was something to hide from the cops, to their disbelief. The barbecue evening was lovely with young Barbara Hale adding nicely to the scenery, Gargan concentrating on the food, Clark smoking in the background with the host and the Falcon concentrating on solving the crime – it only needed the Merry Mac's to round it off!If you prefer serious meaningful modern films you sure wasted your time! It was a nice little unassuming atmospheric whodunit without being either heavy or too taxing of course, just how I like 'em in fact.