The Falcon in Hollywood (1944)

It's the persistent cabbie "Billie" (Veda Ann Borg) who steals the thunder in this quite entertaining and quickly paced outing for our eponymous sleuth (Tom Conway). He is dragooned into an investigation following a murder at an Hollywood studio and so for the next hour or so we are treated to loads of backstage photography, scantily clad dancers, an increasingly irate producer (John Abbott) and, of course, a diabolical curse of the Maharajah's ring. Is the picture doomed to end up on the outing room floor? It has no director and is rapidly becoming a celluloid albatross! There's a bit more of a story here, with a few realistic suspects and a bit of detail on just how films are made before a denouement that's hardly a shock, but results in a fun chase through the studio lot and a great big Super Trouper! Enjoyable enough afternoon stuff.