A mind-numbingly simple murder mystery involving Sidney Toler, as Charlie Chan, investigating the killing of his best friend, Louis Jean Heydt, in San Francisco. I may be going mad but I kind of enjoyed it. Watching this cheap film after a day of coping with the usual stresses was like a long potation of cool beer from some microbrewery. There was an immediate, rather pleasant since of dizziness and a slight euphoria.
Chan's friend Heydt is murdered aboard the China Clipper from Honolulu to the World's Fair on Treasure Island in San Francisco. Solemnly, Chan examines the body, finds a warning note from "Zodiac", and solemnly pockets the evidence and walks away with it to conduct his investigation. I don't think Chan bothers to tell his friendly colleagues in the SFPD but what the hell does it matter? The inquiry takes Chan and his son into a community of stage magicians and phony spiritualists. Toler as Chan is unfailingly polite, inquisitive, fatalistic, and filled with the wisdom of the East. "Man who find cat missing ought to skip General Tso chicken," or whatever.
In the dark night club, the dark séance room, and the dark theater -- all the settings are dark, presumably to mask the tatty sets -- one murder follows upon another until, finally, all is revealed to the amazed assembly. It will come as a surprise.
Cesar Romero is a legitimate illusionist, as magicians prefer to call themselves, and it's a little surprising to see some of the stage tricks revealed. Number Two Son is available to provide hysterical laughter as he dons a wig, a flat black hat, and a beard and apparently tries to pass himself off as a Lubavicher Rebbe. Donald MacBride is the cooperative Chief of Police. Douglass Dumbrille is an obvious suspect, if only because Douglass Dumbrille is ALWAYS an obvious suspect, even though he appears to be a genuine insurance investigator.
Absolutely ludicrous. I think I'll buy the whole pack.
Chan's friend Heydt is murdered aboard the China Clipper from Honolulu to the World's Fair on Treasure Island in San Francisco. Solemnly, Chan examines the body, finds a warning note from "Zodiac", and solemnly pockets the evidence and walks away with it to conduct his investigation. I don't think Chan bothers to tell his friendly colleagues in the SFPD but what the hell does it matter? The inquiry takes Chan and his son into a community of stage magicians and phony spiritualists. Toler as Chan is unfailingly polite, inquisitive, fatalistic, and filled with the wisdom of the East. "Man who find cat missing ought to skip General Tso chicken," or whatever.
In the dark night club, the dark séance room, and the dark theater -- all the settings are dark, presumably to mask the tatty sets -- one murder follows upon another until, finally, all is revealed to the amazed assembly. It will come as a surprise.
Cesar Romero is a legitimate illusionist, as magicians prefer to call themselves, and it's a little surprising to see some of the stage tricks revealed. Number Two Son is available to provide hysterical laughter as he dons a wig, a flat black hat, and a beard and apparently tries to pass himself off as a Lubavicher Rebbe. Donald MacBride is the cooperative Chief of Police. Douglass Dumbrille is an obvious suspect, if only because Douglass Dumbrille is ALWAYS an obvious suspect, even though he appears to be a genuine insurance investigator.
Absolutely ludicrous. I think I'll buy the whole pack.