XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

RipDelight This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

Glimmerubro It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

ThedevilChoose When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

Prismark10 The Gay Falcon is the first in a series of films about a suave detective nicknamed The Falcon, played by George Sanders. The Falcon series was intended to replaces the Saint films also starring George Sanders.This Saint lite adventure sees the Falcon investigating a series of parties embroiled in jewellery thefts assisted by his uncouth sidekick, Goldie Locke and pretty assistant Helen.The film is entertaining enough, a time waster but does not reach the standards of Sander's debonair Saint films. The story is straightforward with few twists and turns.

l_rawjalaurence Irving Reis' film - the first in the Falcon series based on a character created by Michael Arlen - possesses most of the virtues characteristic of a good "B" movie: a taut plot-structure; a brisk, no-nonsense style of filming combining stock footage with studio sequences comprised largely of shot/reverse shots; and a clutch of memorable performances from characters given full opportunity to show off their abilities. Allen Jenkins' "Goldie" Locke, all arms and legs and quizzical looks as he vainly tries to escape arrest by the police, has one delicious moment where he is asked to describe a criminal for the benefit of a police artist, and ends up describing the police inspector Mike Waldeck (Arthur Shields) instead. Nina Vale's Elinor Benford, a star-struck fan of The Falcon (George Sanders) thoroughly enjoys herself as she ends up in scrape after scrape, if only for the fact that she can sit next to the Falcon in a car and repeatedly ask him: "So what do we do next?" Gladys Cooper plays an affluent socialite, apparently vulnerable but concealing a devious nature; while Turhan Bey enjoys himself as a dubious Mexican lounge-lizard. At the center of the film, both physically as well as structurally, is Sanders' Falcon; I did not realize just how well-built he actually was, as he dominates the frame, dressed in a variety of costumes from evening dress to a hobo's outfit. Regrettably THE GAY FALCON perpetuates racist stereotypes characteristic of that time: Willie Fung's performance as the comic Chinese servant Jerry is particularly jarring. Nonetheless the film passes the time quite agreeably.

bensonmum2 The Gay Falcon, the first movie in the Falcon series, finds the Falcon (George Sanders) ready to give up both women and detective work at the request of his fiancé. This promise, however, doesn't last long as a pretty woman with a story of stolen jewelry soon walks into his life. In no time at all, the Falcon is up to his elbows in murder and hiding out from the police. The only way to clear his name is to find the real killer.This may have been George Sanders first time out in the role of the Falcon, but he wears the role with the familiarity of a favorite old sweater. I would argue, however, that his Saint series (which ended just prior to the start of the Falcon series) was so similar to the Falcon that it was hardly a stretch for Sanders. Regardless, Sanders makes everything seem so effortless and natural. He is joined by an especially strong cast. Gladys Jenkins, Edward Brophy, and Arthur Shields should be familiar to any fan of classic B-fare. Oddly though, all are upstaged by the strong performance of Nina Vale who surprisingly only appeared in two other films. I can't believe she didn't do more. She's quite good and imminently watchable. As for the movie, none of the Falcon movies are particularly deep affairs and The Gay Falcon is no different. It's light, breezy entertainment. The 1940s style of comedy/mystery films has always appealed to me and The Gay Falcon is a nice example. The comedy elements hit their mark and are, at their worst, amusing. Nothing to make you fall in the floor with laughter, just good, light-hearted fun. The mystery elements in the movie also work and are sufficiently convoluted to make it interesting throughout. And it helps that the final solution to the mystery at least makes sense and is ultimately satisfying. Director Irving Reis keeps things moving at an entertaining pace with no time for a wasted scene in the movie's relative short 67 minute runtime. Overall, it's a solid effort.

Spondonman I actually preferred this series of films after Tom Conway took over from his half brother George Sanders as the Falcon, Conway seemed more at ease in the role. But this was a good start, and the 12 sequels hovered around this mark until The Devil's Cargo in 1948. The Falcon was lucky in that he never had trouble having beautiful young (and older) women fall for him - a couple a film. What a pleasant problem for him when they immediately turned mega jealous of any other woman who showed up, no matter how innocent!It's the usual murky murder mystery, but the Falcon (as private sleuth) isn't fooled for long - fortunately he knew something the viewers didn't, which led him and the police to the culprits. One scene I always enjoy is that of Turhan Bey's strangely atmospheric apartment being searched by Sanders and Barrie in the dark. But there's plenty of enjoyable moments in the 63 minutes - Sanders previously intrigued by an undertaker giggling at a comic paper is a few scenes later briefly studying one for himself - an aspect of ordinary life that he hadn't investigated before perhaps? Or being incognito as a tramp but giving the policeman waving him off a cigar as a present, before pulling out his pipe. You'd have to see it to understand Sander's mixed emotions in that scene! All in all not Kane, but well worth watching again and again as I have done!The copies I have of the series were off UK TV in 1987, most were '50's TV dupes and these would have needed TLC even then to eliminate some frame wobble and jumpy scratches etc. I hope they have been saved from further decomposition since because all the Sanders/Conway outings are a pleasant watch.