Although the film features the Falcon and other characters created by Michael Arlen, its plot is taken from the Raymond Chandler novel Farewell, My Lovely,[1] with the Falcon substituting for Chandler's archetypal private eye Philip Marlowe and the setting of New York City replacing Marlowe's Los Angeles beat.

When Gay Lawrence (George Sanders), an amateur sleuth and Goldie's boss, arrives at the club, he learns that Moose is the suspect, because the manager died of a broken neck.

Marriot ambushes him, grabs the detective's gun, and shoots him, but, in turn, is shot by an unseen assailant who makes his escape.

Seeing Lawrence is still alive, Reporter Ann Reardon (Lynn Bari), who has been trailing him, helps the detective to his feet, learning his gun was loaded with blanks.

Lawrence searches Marriott's coat pockets and finds a business card from psychic Jules Amthor (Turhan Bey), at 415 Morton Avenue, the address where Moose is going.

Lawrence asks Ann to track down the stolen necklace that belongs to socialite Diana Kenyon (Helen Gilbert).

Critic Louis Black, in a 1999 article for The Austin Chronicle, wrote that the film "... had none of the atmosphere of Chandler's book" and recommended instead, the later adaptation, Murder, My Sweet (1944).

[2] Film reviewer Bruce Newman, wrote in San Jose Mercury News, "The studios had so little interest in the character that in the first two movie adaptations of Chandler's books, he was replaced.