The Quest Continues

A couple of years before BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE, Baker and Berman tried to interest viewers, and, more importantly, the money men in their latest venture. Possibly they were also interested in a TV series with....

But let me get to films first. There were only two of them: BARBADOS QUEST (MURDER ON APPROVAL) and BREAKWAY. Both were in black-and-white and featured "The Falcon" himself--Tom Conway. Conway was the bother of George Sanders, and, like Sanders, he had been born in St. Petersburg, Russia. Both weren't of Russian heritage, however. Conway was born in 1904, Sanders in 1906. During the Russian Revolution, the family moved to England.

Conway took over the Falcon role from his brother and starred in ten Falcon films. He also did three films with Val Lewton, which are now considered classics. By the time that Baker and Berman became involved with Conway, he was older, obviously, and looked more worse for wear than ever, but still retained a charm and casualness that comes across on the screen. He also appeared to do his own stunt work, that is, his fighting scenes seemed as if he took the punch and gave it. The tumbles seemed his own, too. He was also an alcoholic from reports, and his more successful brother finally could not put up with him and ignored him totally. Conway died penniless in Venice, California at age 67. His liver was shot.

While his life story is not happy toward the end, he appears well enough to handle his first film for Baker and Berman. BARBADOS QUEST is one of the better films for the duo (about a stamp, no less!) and has some nifty dialogue going for it. It was also shown theatrically in the States as MURDER ON APPROVAL. Conway was back in BREAKAWAY, a less fascinating and witty film than the preceding one. From my research, BREAKAWAY never had an American theatrical showing. What is interesting about this film (aside from its use of a young Honor Blackman) is that several persons behind the scenes did future work in the Sadean-like films of Baker and Berman. The film was directed by Henry Cass (as was BLOOD OF THE VAMPIRE) and Stanley Black (a Baker and Berman mainstay) provided the music.

Both films tried to legendize Tom "Duke" Martin, played by Conway. In the American pressbook the detective was heralded as "The Ace of Private Eyes!". And, the pressbook goes on: "He combines, in fact, those fascinating traits of all the great, fabled screen detectives. The logical mind of  'Sherlock Holmes,' the romantic flair of 'The Saint,' the wry humor of 'Raffles' and the debonair charm of 'The Falcon,' all sparkle in the characterization of  'The Duke'--the new role created by Tom Conway."

It is regrettable that a third film was not done, or a TV series, but perhaps everyone involved had had enough, and it was time to move on.