A Date With The Falcon

My Dear Princess & Dear Fellows,

Poor Cazza is still in recovery. She seems exhausted by her travails this week. She got up this morning, had breakfast and then immediately fell asleep again.

I took the opportunity to put on one of my favourite films, "A Date With The Falcon". 

Seriously, I bloody LOVE The Falcon films. There are 13 of them, made in the 1940's. The first few starred George "Shere Khan" Sanders, with his velvetty voice, but when he became too famous they replaced him with his brother Tom Conway who was uncannily like him (including the voice).

The movies are all quickie second-feature murder mysteries, but also very funny. No really. Their screwball sense of humour still stands up. In the movies, he's constantly trying to solve murders while staying engaged to his jealous fiancee and aided by his long-suffering sidekick "Goldie" Locke.

In the movie just now, The Falcon was trying to evade police by hiding on the ledge of a balcony. Only for Jealous Fiancee to ruin it by screaming, "WHAT ARE YA DOING UP THERE? COME BACK IN THIS INSTANT!" until a large crowd gathers, calling for him to jump.

When the police eventually figure out what's going on, and The Falcon goes back in, the crowd let out a big sigh of disappointment and there are mutters of, "Phooey, I knew he was a faker..."

If my description has sold you on the film, it is easy to find the full version online. I love the internet.

Actually I could watch anything with George Sanders in it. David Niven had a story about him too, in his book "Bring On The Empty Horses". Apparently he had a tumultuous relationship with Zsa Zsa Gabor which ended in acrimony and divorce. 

Annoyed at losing his house to her, and bitter in the run-up to Xmas, he apparently stalked around to the house with a paid detective, with the aim of throwing a brick through her window and gaining proof that she had already moved her new lover into the place.

But it occurred to him that wandering the streets of Beverly Hills with a brick in hand might cause questions if spotted by the police. So he took the expedient step of wrapping it in brightly-coloured paper first.

Apparently, he was just wandering up to the house when Zsa Zsa appeared at the front door. She was hosting a party, and appeared not to bear any grudges. "Darlink!" she cried, "How LOVELY to see you! You MOST come in for drinks wiz all our friends!"

His feelings of revenge were quelled, and he came in for a drink. "Happy Christmas darlink!" said Zsa Zsa and handed him a card. 

"Oh... er... I don't have a card for you," he responded. "But I do have this...." and handed her the brick.

There are several versions of that story floating about. But I like this one the best.

S.