The Fallen Sparrow
Directed by Richard Wallace
Nazi spies pursue a Spanish Civil War veteran in search of a priceless keepsake.
1943 1h 34m Suspense/Mystery TV-PG
Expires: April 3rd
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The death of his good friend, police detective Louie Lepetino, brings John "Kit" McKitrick to New York City. Kit, a veteran of the Spanish Civil War, had been convalescing in Arizona after escaping from a Fascist prisoner-of-war camp in Spain. When the train stops in New York, Kit notices a beautiful woman passenger who, he later discovers, slipped something into his pocket. At police headquarters, Kit accuses Inspector Tobin, the head of homicide, of covering up the true cause of Louie's death, which the police have designated a suicide. After leaving police headquarters, Kit visits his friend, Ab Parker, who invites the veteran to stay at his apartment while he travels to Washington, D. C. to work as a decoder. Kit tells Ab of the two years of torture he suffered at the hands of an unseen tormentor, whom Kit knew only by the sound of his dragging foot. Kit tells Ab that he owes Louie his life for arranging his escape, and vows to find his friend's murderer to repay the debt. That night, Ab and Kit attend a party at the house of Barby Taviton, Kit's former girl friend and a patron of the refugee community. At Barby's party, Kit meets Otto Skaas and his uncle, Dr. Skaas, a crippled Norwegian historian who is studying different methods of torture. Dr. Skaas' description of the techniques of mental torture stirs Kit's memories. When Ab tells Kit that the Skaases were present at the party during which Louie fell to his death from an open window, Kit asks for more ...
The opening credits feature the following written prologue: "...in a world at war many sparrows must fall..." According to news items in Hollywood Reporter, RKO purchased the rights to Dorothy Hughes's novel for $15,000 as a vehicle for Maureen O'Hara. Other pre-production news items in Hollywood Reporter mentioned that Anna Lee, Barton MacLane and Walter Kingsford were to be in the cast, however, they are not in the viewed print. Although the CBCS lists Russell Wade as "Ab Hamilton," the character "Ab" in the film was named "Ab Parker" and was played by Bruce Edwards. According to a news item in Hollywood Reporter, RKO planned to promote Wade from a bit role to the part of "Ab" because of his performance in Bombardier. The studio was prevented from expanding Wade's part, however, because of the actor's prior committments to The Leopard Man and Gildersleeve's Bad Day. Although a Hollywood Reporter production chart includes Wade in the cast, it is unclear whether he was filmed in the part of "Ab" and later replaced by Edwards, appeared in a minor role or did not appear at all in the completed film. Although Sam Goldenberg's character is named "Prince deNamur" in CBCS, he is addressed as "Prince Francois St. Louis" in the film's dialogue.
This picture was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Score. According to modern sources, RKO traded its rights to Of Human Bondage and The Animal Kingdom to Warner Bros. in exchange for the services of John Garfield in this picture and Joan Leslie for The Sky's the Limit. Maureen O'Hara and Walter Slezak reprised their roles in a Lux Radio Theatre broadcast on February 14, 1944, co-starring Robert Young.
