Some familiar actors return to the series in this one, though not in recurring roles. Edward Brophy (who appeared in the first Falcon film as a detective, and is a fairly recognizable character actor in his own right) plays Goldie, and Rita Corday appears in her fifth (out of six total) film in the series, though never as the same character. And, missing from this film are the police inspector and his detective.
The Falcon (Tom Conway) and Goldie are taking a train to San Francisco for a vacation from crime solving (discussing ways for Goldie to reduce his income taxes by getting married) when a dog interrupts them. Shortly thereafter, a little girl named Annie (Sharyn Moffett), the dog's owner, joins them saying that she must get back to Mrs. Peabody (Esther Howard). She goes on to tell them that she and her older sister are more or less "held captive" in their own home by Mrs. Peabody, her nursemaid, and Loomis (Jason Robards Sr.). The nursemaid appears saying that she hopes Annie hasn't been telling them any of her (tall) tales, and escorts her away. Mrs. Peabody is later found dead on the train.
Since Annie is now without a guardian, the Falcon decides to help her get home. A man named Peter Vantine (John Mylong) sees the two of them leaving the station in a cab and phones the police to report a kidnapping. The police catch up to the cab and take the Falcon in for questioning. But they only detain him briefly because Doreen Temple (Fay Helm), a woman unknown to the Falcon, posts his bail. Shortly thereafter, aided by some thugs, Ms. Temple questions him about Peter Vantine (e.g. did he kill Mrs. Peabody on the train?). The Falcon says that, though he suspected that the nursemaid could have been murdered, he'd never even heard Vantine's name before she mentioned it. Not believing him, she has her thugs beat him up and drive him around San Francisco before dropping him out of the car.
The Falcon recovers and goes to Annie's house and the door is answered by Loomis. But, before he can be turned away, he meets the little girl's sister Joan (Ms. Corday) and gets a different story from her than the one Annie told about being "held captive" in their house. However, later that night, the Falcon returns with Goldie. Then, with Annie's assistance, they gain access to the former nursemaid's room, finding a photo of man with Star Coastal Lines. Loomis hears a noise, enters the room, and is shot by someone who (unbeknownst to the others) was also in the room. The Falcon and Goldie return Annie to her room and escape, unseen by Joan, before the police arrive.
Back at their hotel, the Falcon and Goldie are interrupted by Vantine, who barges in on them with a gun. Quickly, the Falcon disarms him and they learn from Vantine that he has been tracking Doreen Temple, who he believes is working with Duke Manet, a smuggler thought to be dead. This leads the Falcon to visit the offices of Star Coastal Lines where he meets Mr. De Forrest (Robert Armstrong), learns the name of a ship soon arriving at port, and more.
During the rest of the film, several familiar plot devices from the series are incorporated including an identity revelation, a double cross, more people are shot and/or found dead, and the Falcon is captured by (and escapes from) the "bad guys" again. Of course, the Falcon figures it all out and everything ends well as usual. This film has no lead in to the next film in the series.
The Falcon (Tom Conway) and Goldie are taking a train to San Francisco for a vacation from crime solving (discussing ways for Goldie to reduce his income taxes by getting married) when a dog interrupts them. Shortly thereafter, a little girl named Annie (Sharyn Moffett), the dog's owner, joins them saying that she must get back to Mrs. Peabody (Esther Howard). She goes on to tell them that she and her older sister are more or less "held captive" in their own home by Mrs. Peabody, her nursemaid, and Loomis (Jason Robards Sr.). The nursemaid appears saying that she hopes Annie hasn't been telling them any of her (tall) tales, and escorts her away. Mrs. Peabody is later found dead on the train.
Since Annie is now without a guardian, the Falcon decides to help her get home. A man named Peter Vantine (John Mylong) sees the two of them leaving the station in a cab and phones the police to report a kidnapping. The police catch up to the cab and take the Falcon in for questioning. But they only detain him briefly because Doreen Temple (Fay Helm), a woman unknown to the Falcon, posts his bail. Shortly thereafter, aided by some thugs, Ms. Temple questions him about Peter Vantine (e.g. did he kill Mrs. Peabody on the train?). The Falcon says that, though he suspected that the nursemaid could have been murdered, he'd never even heard Vantine's name before she mentioned it. Not believing him, she has her thugs beat him up and drive him around San Francisco before dropping him out of the car.
The Falcon recovers and goes to Annie's house and the door is answered by Loomis. But, before he can be turned away, he meets the little girl's sister Joan (Ms. Corday) and gets a different story from her than the one Annie told about being "held captive" in their house. However, later that night, the Falcon returns with Goldie. Then, with Annie's assistance, they gain access to the former nursemaid's room, finding a photo of man with Star Coastal Lines. Loomis hears a noise, enters the room, and is shot by someone who (unbeknownst to the others) was also in the room. The Falcon and Goldie return Annie to her room and escape, unseen by Joan, before the police arrive.
Back at their hotel, the Falcon and Goldie are interrupted by Vantine, who barges in on them with a gun. Quickly, the Falcon disarms him and they learn from Vantine that he has been tracking Doreen Temple, who he believes is working with Duke Manet, a smuggler thought to be dead. This leads the Falcon to visit the offices of Star Coastal Lines where he meets Mr. De Forrest (Robert Armstrong), learns the name of a ship soon arriving at port, and more.
During the rest of the film, several familiar plot devices from the series are incorporated including an identity revelation, a double cross, more people are shot and/or found dead, and the Falcon is captured by (and escapes from) the "bad guys" again. Of course, the Falcon figures it all out and everything ends well as usual. This film has no lead in to the next film in the series.