Podcast Summary

Podcast: Choice Classic Radio Detectives | Old Time Radio
Episode: The Falcon: The Case of the Menacing Mamselle (06/29/1952)
Release Date: December 12, 2025
Host: Choice Classic Radio
Starring: Les Damon as Mike Waring (“The Falcon”)
Setting: Postwar Paris

Episode Overview

This episode of The Falcon radio drama transports listeners to postwar Paris, embroiling private detective Mike Waring in an intricate plot of espionage, mistaken identity, personal vengeance, and Communist intrigue. The case revolves around American Jerry Collier’s quest to avenge his brother and a deadly web spun by sinister agents who manipulate loyalties and truths. Murder, deception, and sharp repartee build toward a clever and suspenseful conclusion, demonstrating why The Falcon stands out among Golden Age detective programs.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. Parisian Intrigue and the Setup (00:45–04:03)

• Mike Waring ("The Falcon") narrates his presence in Paris, framing the city as both seductive and perilous.
• Jerry Collier checks into a pension (boarding house) in search of Fleurette Duval, a woman he believes betrayed his brother during the war.
• The concierge, Emile Diderot, offers help but reveals his true colors as a spy and blackmailer when pressed about his suspicious knowledge of Jerry’s target.

2. The Femme Fatale: Fleurette Duval (05:47–08:12)

• Jerry confronts Fleurette, accusing her of betraying his brother Paul to the Nazis. She denies the allegation, claiming hers is a common name and insisting on her innocence ("Duval is a very common name in France. It is like Smith in your country..." — Fleurette, 07:18).
• Jerry leaves, realizing he may have been manipulated into pursuing the wrong woman.

3. A Deadly Frame—Communist Plot Unfolds (08:20–12:00)

• Emile Diderot and Robert Vaughan, both Communist agents, discuss how well the plan is progressing, with Emile extorting Vaughan for greater payment.
• After a confrontation with Collier, Mike Waring is knocked unconscious. Emile and Vaughan plot to kill Waring and frame Jerry Collier for the crime.

4. The Murders & Police Entrapment (14:01–17:00)

• Mike regains consciousness and confronts Emile about his suspicious behavior; Emile is caught with a knife and gives flimsy excuses.
• Mike visits Fleurette’s flat, only to discover she’s been murdered with Collier’s gun. Inspector Georges Marat interrogates Waring, suspicious of the American presence at both crime scenes.

5. On the Run – Proving Innocence & Untangling the Plot (17:51–25:08)

• Jerry calls Mike, swearing innocence; Mike explains the real conspiracy: Collier was manipulated by Communist agents into seeking out Fleurette, who herself was an agent for Western intelligence, before the Communists liquidated her.
• Emile is also found dead, and suspicion continues to fall on the Americans. Mike realizes Emile and Vaughan engineered everything.
• Mike bargains with Emile to set up Vaughan but discovers Emile dead, with the plot thickening.

6. The Climax – The Falcon Unmasks the Killer (26:15–29:41)

• Mike and Inspector Marat catch up to Jerry Collier at Vera’s bar. Mike baits Collier into revealing he saw Fleurette’s body in the bedroom—though Collier claimed he never entered the apartment.
• Mike deduces Collier is guilty and bravely confronts him, knowing Collier's gun is empty ("How many shells does a Colt .45 hold? ... Three and three make six. I knew Collier's gun had to be empty." — Mike Waring, 29:14).
• With quick thinking and nerve, Mike helps bring the real murderer to justice, clearing his own name and exposing the Communist frame-up.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On mistaken identity and vengeance:
  "She was a mercenary young thing. For a small consideration, she turned him over to the Gestapo."
  – Jerry Collier, confronting Fleurette Duval (06:30)

• On life as a spy and cynical humor:
  "In my country, they call that blackmail."
  – Robert Vaughan
  "What a coincidence, monsieur. In France, they call it blackmail, too."
  – Emile Diderot (05:07–05:09)

• Mike’s exasperation at complicated double-crosses:
  "Look, Collier, try to get this through your head. Fleurette Duval was planted in the Communist Party by people who must be nameless. The comrades discovered it and decided to liquidate her. That’s where you came in."
  – Mike Waring (20:03)

• Classic hardboiled wit:
  "If you're planning a trip to Paris this summer, let me tip you off about the Palais de Justice. Go out of your way to miss it. France is no place to see through iron bars."
  – Mike Waring (24:34)

• Brilliant twist on an empty gun:
  "How many shells does a Colt .45 hold?... Three and three make six. I knew Collier's gun had to be empty."
  – Mike Waring (29:14)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Episode Theme & Opening: 00:45
• Collier Arrives & Emile’s Blackmail: 01:42–05:13
• First Confrontation With Fleurette: 05:47–08:12
• Communist Agents Plot & Double Cross: 08:20–12:00
• Discovery of Fleurette’s Murder: 15:04–16:00
• The Police Interrogate Mike: 16:13–17:00
• Mike Arranges Collier’s Escape: 18:30–19:06
• Revelation of Communist Manipulation: 20:03–20:56
• Police Catch Collier in a Lie: 27:00–29:00
• Final Twist and Case Resolution: 29:04–29:41

Final Thoughts

The Case of the Menacing Mamselle is a quintessential old-time radio detective drama: crackling with tension, sly humor, and razor-sharp dialogue. It deftly weaves a tale of Cold War anxiety, misinformation, and human vulnerability—while The Falcon’s intelligence and composure carry the day.

For Fans Of:
Raymond Chandler, espionage thrillers, noir detective stories, and classic radio’s clever, tightly woven mysteries.

Recommended Segment:
Listen to the confrontation between Mike and Collier in the final act (27:00–29:41) for a masterclass in deduction and suspenseful pacing.