The Falcon and the Co-eds (1943)

The Falcon and the Co-eds was the seventh of the sixteen RKO Falcon movies. Tom Conway starred as the debonair sleuth Tom Lawrence (known as the Falcon) and the result is eminently satisfactory B-movie entertainment.

Jane Harris, a pupil at the exclusive Blue Cliff Seminary for Girls, contacts the Falcon with a story that one of the teachers there has been murdered. The Falcon doesn’t take her story seriously but when she takes extreme measures to get his attention (by stealing his car) he decides that perhaps it wouldn’t do any harm to do a little investigating. 

The teacher supposedly died of heart failure but the Falcon is prepared to admit at least the possibility that there might have been more to it.

The initial clue that led Jane Harris to suspect murder came from another student, Marguerita Serena (Rita Corday). Marguerita is widely believed by to be clairvoyant and she had predicted that there would be a murder. Marguerita has other issues apart from her psychic powers. Her father was rumoured to have been insane and to have committed suicide and Margeurita is haunted by the fear of madness.

The Falcon discovers that several of the staff members of the college have things they wish to hide. There is some doubt as to whether Dr Anatole Graelich, who teaches psychology at Blue Cliff, entered the country legally. The behaviour of Vicky Gaines (Jean Brooks) is somewhat suspicious, as is the behaviour of music teacher Mary Phoebus (Isabel Jewell).

And Marguerita has predicted that another murder is about to be committed.

It all leads up to a tense and exciting cliff-top finale.

The hints of the supernatural, or the paranormal, are not allowed to overwhelm the story but they do add some interestingly spooky atmosphere.

Writer Ardel Wray provides a good solid mystery plot. William Clemens does a more than capable job directing and keep things moving along at a brisk pace. J. Roy Hunt’s cinematography, given the B-movie budgetary limitations, is quite impressive.

Tom Conway as the Falcon is suave and charming and has the necessary charisma. The supporting cast is quite strong and all the performances are effective.

Comic relief is a regrettable but inescapable fact of life in Hollywood B-features of this era. In this film the comic relief is provided by the blustering Inspector Timothy Donovan (Cliff Clark) and his bumbling subordinate Detective Bates (Edward Gargan) and they’re reasonaby amusing. Additional comic elements are contributed by the three daughters of the college’s caretaker. The three girls are known collectively as the Three Ughs and they’re a delight (and genuinely funny).

The Falcon and the Co-eds has been released as part of a Warner Archive Falcon boxed set. I caught this one on TCM. The TCM print is quite acceptable.

The Falcon and the Co-eds is a very worthy entry in the Falcon movie cycle. The balance between the mystery and the more light-hearted elements is just right and the whole thing is bright and breezy and thoroughly enjoyable. Highly recommended.