

1. Charlie Chan's Murder Cruise (1940)
Sidney Toler once again portrays the Oriental Detective, assisted by Victor Sen Yung as Number #2 Son Jimmy. Layne Tom Jr. also appears as numerically challenged Number #7 Son Willie; he had made prior appearances as Number #2 Son Charlie Jr. in "At the Circus" and "At the Olympics" with Warner Oland, and as unnumbered son Tommy in "Honolulu". Interestingly, the young Layne Tom appeared in Chan films with both Oland and Toler, though Sen Yung never appeared in a Warner Oland Chan film.
The rest of the cast is an interesting mix as well; Lionel Atwill appears as mystery cruise director Dr. Suderman, Leo (minus the G.) Carroll is introduced as archeology Professor Gordon, and Charles Middleton and Claire Du Brey portray a nervously rigid couple, the Walters. Cora Witherspoon is also on hand as a member of the cruise party, offering comic relief as socialite Suzie Watson who bewilders Chan with her confusing descriptions of characters on board.
When the dust finally clears, four murders have taken place; one in Charlie's Honolulu office, one in a Honolulu hotel, and two more on board a cruise ship heading to San Francisco. All are by strangulation using various means, a suitcase strap in one case, a leather shoelace in another. Adding additional intrigue, the murderer leaves an unusual calling card with victim number two, a small bag containing thirty dimes representing the Biblical Judas' thirty pieces of silver.
With clever attention to detail, Chan is pointed in the right direction by Professor Gordon's slip up, commenting on an aspect of Chinese history. Gordon should have known better, particularly since it's later revealed that he had the foresight to have his accomplice Ross (James Beddoe) masquerade as his own disguised double as a street beggar to throw Charlie off track. Cunning as the ruse was, it was no match for Chan's investigative ability.
Until this film, the body count in a Chan film had never gone higher than three. Sometimes more is not better, but in this movie it works, even though victim two was killed in a case of mistaken identity. The way the story unfolds, especially with the curve thrown by circumstances surrounding the second victim, makes for an entertaining and well played out mystery.
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2. Charlie Chan in Panama (1940)
Prior to having his cover blown midway through the film by overzealous Number #2 Son Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung), Sidney Toler masquerades as Panama Hat shop owner Fu Yuen, approached by U.S. government agent Godley (Addison Richards) on the trail of an enigmatic spy known only as Ryner. When Godley dies in Fu Yuen/Chan's hat shop after inhaling a poisoned cigarette, the stage is set for a fairly entertaining mystery, more of an espionage thriller than a murder who-done-it, although the body count does reach three before it's all over.
Lionel Atwill provides an enigmatic presence as English novelist Cliveden Compton, though I feel he was better suited to portray Dr. Rudolph Grosser (Lionel Royce), a Viennese scientist and expert on tropical diseases and plague, who is later discovered by son Jimmy to be harboring "Twenty Rats Bubonic Infected 7/12". Compton becomes victim number two in the story, shot by the same gun that the murderer intended to use on Chan himself until Jimmy's baseball throwing right arm properly found it's mark.
The colorful cast also includes cabaret owner Manolo (Jack La Rue), Chicago school teacher Miss Finch (Mary Nash), cabaret singer with a secret Kathi Lenesch (Jean Rogers), and Richard Cabot (Kane Richmond), superintendent for the Miraflores Power Contol.
With the clock ticking, Chan and son are pressured to locate an explosive device that threatens the Panama Canal Zone planted by agent Ryner. The hunt eventually brings them to a cemetery and tomb of the still very much alive Egyptian tobacco shop owner Achmed Halide (Frank Puglia). In a clever ruse, agent Ryner still under wraps, has the Chan party and himself (herself?) trapped in the tomb while accomplice Manolo plants the device right in the Power Control complex. Shortly after, Chan does a little trapping of his own, as he seals the suspects in the same room with the bomb, until Ryner identifies himself (herself?) attempting to get away.
Charlie Chan in Panama rates highly in the Chan series with it's exotic locale, lush sets and atmospheric scenes. Though some of the story aspects are retreads we've seen before and after (handgun appears from behind a screen, lights out scene to cover confusion), it's still done well enough to be entertaining. And the payoff is just clever enough without seeming forced, the revelation of agent Ryner who gives away his (her?) identity with one word - "nitroglycerine".
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3. Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940)
Sentenced to death for robbery and murder, Steve McBirney (Marc Lawrence) shoots his way out of court by grabbing a deputy's gun, making his way to an accomplice's getaway car. He prevails upon Dr. Cream (C. Henry Gordon), of Cream's Crime Museum to make him a new face so that he can get his revenge upon Inspector Charlie Chan, whose evidence helped put him away. Dr. Cream was once a successful facial surgeon, who now uses the cover of a wax museum to double as a mob hideout.
"Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum" has great atmospherics; most of the story takes place at Cream's museum with it's macabre displays of famous killers. The set is creepy and creaky, providing just the right tone for a murder mystery. One exhibit in particular portrays mobster McBirney rubbing out a former confederate, Butcher Dagan. Adding to the suspense, Dr. Cream hosts a weekly radio broadcast by the Crime League, focusing on famous unsolved murder cases with prominent guests, hoping to shed new light on old crimes. Chan is invited to participate in one such broadcast, the famous "Rock Case" - Charlie has always believed Rock to have been an innocent man framed for a murder he didn't commit, but convicted upon evidence provided by criminologist Dr. Otto von Brom. Chan accepts the invitation to square off against von Brom - "Knowledge only gained through curiosity".
Behind the scenes though, mobster McBirney is pulling the strings, first having his face rearranged by Dr. Cream, and then having a chair rigged to a high voltage wire that will eliminate Chan when the detective participates in the radio broadcast. McBirney's henchman talks the dimwitted night watchman Willie into throwing the switch at exactly 8:20 P.M., but plans go awry when von Brom insists on switching seats with Chan. Von Brom dies, but not by electrocution; he's the victim of a poisoned dart, delivered by a makeshift blowgun, and carrying Tonga poison used by Dayak headhunters of Borneo - huh?
The film gradually introduces the usual cast of colorful characters and suspects, notably Mrs. Joe Rock (Hilda Vaughn), out to avenge her husband's execution, Dr. Cream's suspicious assistant Lily Latimer (Joan Valerie), Crime League radio host Tom Agnew (Ted Osborne), and radio engineer Edwards (Harold Goodwin). Victor Sen Yung is also on board, taking a break from his law school studies to assist "Pop" as Number #2 Son Jimmy.
As far as Chan mysteries go, this one is entertaining enough, but upon close examination reveals a number of elements that weren't very well thought out, the first of which is criminal McBirney's escape from authorities at the beginning of the film. Then, when he forces Dr. Cream to give him a new face, it's done with Cream's assistant and the night watchman present to know of the details. One would think a criminal mastermind would be a little more discreet. The Dayak tonga poison ruse comes way out of left field as a murder tool, but no more so than the ultimate revelation of the murderer - it's Butcher Dagan, believed to have been dead for many years! It was Dagan who framed Rock for murder, and presumably had a lookalike pumped with thirteen bullets by McBirney - how'd he do that? Now he's turned up as the unassuming radio engineer Edwards to exact his own revenge on Dr. von Brom and McBirney, the films's two victims, and the only parties who might conceivably reveal his identity - other than the ever perceptive Charlie Chan.
It's interesting that unlucky number thirteen carries more than passing significance in the movie. As mentioned earlier, thirteen was the number of bullets fired by McBirney into supposed victim Dagan; and the airing of the Crime League's radio broadcast of the Rock Case was the thirteenth episode of that series. And one more - it's mentioned that Charlie Chan's offspring still number thirteen, although that will change as soon as Monogram Studios takes over the Chan series from Twentieth Century Fox after four more Fox films.
"Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum" moves along at a brisk sixty three minute pace and presents a lot of information to the viewer; keeping a scorecard helps. It does entertain, though one may have to overlook some of the inconsistencies mentioned earlier. But in the end, as Charlie Chan himself would say - "Justice, like virtue, brings it's own reward."
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4. Charlie Chan in Murder Over New York (1940)
On his way to a police convention in New York, Charlie Chan runs into an old friend from Scotland Yard, Hugh Drake. Drake, now employed by military intelligence, is hot on the heels of a saboteur named Paul Narvo. Drake asks Chan to pay him a visit while he's in New York to talk over his case. Chan makes the visit only to find that his colleague has been murdered.
It pains me to admit that I don't really care for Murder Over New York as much as most other fans seem to. Part of the problem is the whole WWII spy angle. I've never much cared for this type of plot when watching a Chan film. I'd much rather see my favorite film detectives solving murders than chasing spies.
Beyond my issues with the plot, I've always had a real problem the solution to the case. There is no way that the audience could hope to play along with Chan and come up with a solution. The movie cheats far too much. There is information known only to Chan that comes up after the killer is identified. All I ask is that movies of this type play fair.
Iit's probably obvious that even with the problems I have with the film, I still enjoy it. I mean it's still Charlie Chan after all. Sidney Toler is as enjoyable as ever. Victor Sen Yung is as good, if not better (meaning less annoying), than in some of the previous installments. The rest of the cast is more than serviceable with a fun cameo from Shemp Howard. Like all the other Chan films, this one looks much better than it should. The cinematography is solid. Finally, considering all the problems I pointed out that I have with Murder Over New York, it's a bit odd that I've probably seen it more than any other Charlie Chan film. That's got to count for something.
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5. Charlie Chan in Dead Men Tell (1941)
Patience Nodbury has a treasure map worth $60,000,000 that has been handed down from her pirate ancestor `Black Hook.' Someone has already tried to steal it and she cuts it into four, sending three pieces to other members of the Cocoas Island Treasure Hunt Cruise. As Charlie Chan arrives on the sailing ship Suva Star, Patience meets her long-departed ancestor (complete with peg leg and hook for a hand) and she succumbs from a weak heart. `Trouble like first love, teach many lessons.'
Most of the rest of the film is set aboard the Suva Star (in port) where Charlie and his `favorite son' Jimmy set about to discover who would frighten a little old lady to death. The set is well constructed and presents an eerie location. Good camera work with lots of spooky shadows.
A good array of possible suspects includes George Reeves (later Superman on TV) and since the old sailing ship used to be a pirate museum, it provides an interesting array of props. Jimmy Chan provides good comic relief and spends a good deal of the film in the harbor having even walked the plank. When Jimmy offers to help guard and wants Charlie's gun, Pop responds with `Bullet from killer much easier to take than bullet from #2 son.' Milton Parsons skulks around as an interesting character that is trying to over come psychoses. A talking parrot `Gerdy' helps Chan unravel part of the mystery.
There are plenty of clues and they come fast, but this is the first Chan film that I have seen where the detective does not neatly wrap it up at the end and tell you what you should have seen or at least what he knew that you did not know. Unless the version I saw was cut (it might have been), Chan does not reveal how he knew the identity of the killer at the summation. But, there is one good clue and you might catch it.
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6. Charlie Chan in Rio (1941)
A woman under suspicion of murder is herself murdered.
This Charlie Chan film breezes along fairly quickly at just an hour in length, and is brought to conclusion in a straightforward manner. The characters under suspicion all have a hidden past - the murderer/murdered Lola Dean was once Lola Wagner, in love with Manuel Cardozo who wouldn't leave his wife, only to be dispatched by the jilted Lola. Indian mystic/psychic Alfredo Marana, ably portrayed by Victor Jory, turns out to be Alfredo Cardozo, brother of Manuel on a quest to avenge his brother. Lola's aide Helen Ashby, is really the wife of murdered Manuel, who also has an ax to grind. The red herring in the mix is Armando the butler - the butler couldn't have done it because he himself is murdered.
Sidney Toler comes across convincingly as he unravels the mystery, except when he puffs on the potentially drugged cigarette offered by psychic Marana - he sports the goofiest look ever. Harold Huber as Captain of Detectives is allowed to play it straight and effectively, unlike previous roles in the Chan series. Even Sen Yung isn't as bumbling in his role as Number #2 son, but he does have his moments.
All in all, the mystery is plausibly played out. It's interesting to note that the name of another detective of the era is mentioned not once but twice in the film, as the Mary Beth Hughes character Joan Reynolds brings up Bulldog Drummond's name (she wanted to kill Lola too!). This isn't one of the better Chan films; it would rate higher if not for the blackout scene when the butler is dispatched, an overdone device in the Chan series.
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7. Charlie Chan in Castle in the Desert (1942)
An ornate medieval castle in the Mojave desert is the location for this intriguing Charlie Chan mystery. A semi-recluse author is married to a beautiful descendant of the infamous Borgia family of poisoners, and the wife is suspected of doing away with her guests in the same fashion, with poisoned wine at the dinner table. Chan is called in to investigate the strange goings-on, with uninvited help from Number Two Son Jimmy Chan and an eccentric astrologer.
Some small town desert settings are cleverly used, in contrast with the imposing castle. The town of Mojave Wells looks like a leftover from the Old West days, with flat fronted buildings and prospectors with donkeys. Comedy is provided by the cantankerous hotel proprietor and his opportunistic brother in law. The grumpy hotel owner gets mad every time anything to do with Manderley Castle is mentioned, and assumes every Chinese man he sees must be a chop suey salesman. When Jimmy Chan arrives on the Twenties vintage bus, he is accosted by Madame Saturnia, amusingly played by the great Ethel Griffies. She and Jimmy travel the last few miles to the castle on foot, where Jimmy promptly falls into the dungeon, to be greeted with something less than enthusiasm by his father.
A cast of suspicious characters including a reserved butler, a sleazy lawyer, a slightly corrupt doctor and guests who keep dropping dead, all make for an entertaining old mystery, with plenty of atmosphere. Such stalwarts of old movies as sinister Henry Daniell and cadaverous Milton Parsons add color to a delightful cast. This movie is lots of fun for Charlie Chan enthusiasts; highly recommended.
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Have fun!
:cheers:
N.B.: I will be away till mid-May without any opportunity to release anything, so this is why this Saturday it's a bit more than usual.

SUBTITULOS en descarga directa y en srt cortesía de Papitu;






