- A treasure map in four pieces, the ghost of a hanged pirate, a talking parrot, and a ship full of red herrings complicate Charlie's search for a murderer on board a docked ship.
- Eccentic, elderly matron Patience Nodbury has a treasure map she's inherited from Black Hook, her pirate ancestor. To foil a mysterious thief who has tried to steal it, she divides it into four pieces, three of which she gives to fellow passengers booked to sail on the Suva Star, an old wooden sailing ship chartered for a treasure hunt on an offshore island. She is convinced that, according to family tradition, Black Hook will visit her before she dies. When the peg-legged "ghost" does just that, and she suffers a fatal heart attack, Charlie and Jimmy are faced with a boatload of red herrings including Bill Lydig, an escaped convict, Gene LaFarge, a certifiable neurotic accompanied by a personal psychiatrist, and the embittered Captain Kane, who was marooned on a deserted island by his ex-partner and vows revenge.—(duke1029@aol.com)
- Synopsis - Dead Men Tell, released 3-28-41 The sign reads buried treasure, dig for $60,000,000 on Cocos Island, join the treasure hunt cruise aboard the Suva Star. The ship is docked in port, Steve Daniels comes down the ramp, finding Captain Kane on the pier. Steve complains about Miss Patience Nodbury driving him crazy. The Captain says that problem is yours to sort out, the old lady insists calling off the hunt because she thinks one of us is a thief. The Captain adamantly states, that map is worth sixty million, furthermore, I refuse to meet any member of our party before we sail, an old superstition, I don't like people, I never meet anyone until we clear port. We sail with the morning tide, see that nobody else goes aboard that ship, and keep an eye out for Jimmy Chan, he has been trying to crash this cruise for a week. No coppers nor coppers' kids on my boat, as Jimmy is seen sneaking on board.
Jimmy lurks about the deck, ducking to avoid being noticed, hearing the call for help from a parrot in someone's room. Jimmy is grabbed by a stranger and dragged away. Patience Nodbury wanders down to the galley, looking for Captain Kane, encountering the Chinese cook clearing the table of dishes, when Charlie Chan walks in, excusing himself, identifying himself as Lieutenant Chan, Honolulu Police. You must be Charlie Chan. Charlie explains he is looking for number two son who has become number one problem. The advertisement of the treasure cruise, a missing toothbrush and pajamas indicate he is hiding on board this ship. I have come to return my son to his college books. The Captain picks up on the conversation as he descends the stairs, he pauses, as Miss Patience Nodbury introduces herself to Chan, informing him of not sailing tomorrow because someone broke into my hotel room today looking for my treasure map. They did not steal it, for I was much too clever for them. Nodbury informs Chan she divided the map into four parts, keeping one, sending the other pieces to three members of our party and knowing their identity by myself alone. As the Captain listens from the stairs, Patience concludes when we reach the island, the map will be reassembled. Chan inquires, the person trying to steal the map was a member of the cruise party? Yes, Patience Nodbury says she is convinced someone in the party is the thief. Charlie looks about the cabin, most curious objects for a treasure cruise, notes Chan, making mention of the ship's décor. Miss Nodbury states that recently the Captain used the ship as a museum, specializing in piracy. She shows Charlie an ancient instrument of torture known as the iron maiden. Chan spots a picture of a pirate named Nodbury, noting Patience has the same last name. She introduces the man as her grandfather, Captain Black Hook. My grandfather made the map I found and I am not ashamed of him. She talks to the picture, hanged for murder over one-hundred years ago, teaching Charlie of her ancestry. Every time a Nodbury dies, Black Hook comes for the person to escort us into the other world. First you hear the tap of his wooden leg, then the scratch of his hook on the door. Chan comments, man has learned much who has learned to die. Someone rings the ship's bell, Chan excuses himself to get permission to look for stowaway. Patience insists she must go to bed. She departs, the Captain ascends the stairs as Chan wishes her goodnight. Music is heard by both Patience and Charlie going their separate ways, and the sounds of ship-horns in the harbor.
Chan eyes a stranger on deck, clearly a man with slight mustache, trench coat, hat, lighting a cigarette, Chan inquires if he is Mr. Daniels. The man goes into a room, closing the door without a response. Charlie questions him through the door for the whereabouts of the Captain or Mr. Daniels. The stranger draws his pistol, telling Charlie, they have gone ashore, try the office. Patience Nodbury examines the map piece while in her room, smiling, she tries to decide where to hide the map, as footsteps are heard. A silhouette of a hooked-hand-figure walks on deck with a wooden leg, stopping at a door to scratch something on the door of number two cabin. Entering, it is Miss Nodbury speaking to the hooked-figure, you have come for me Black Hook, referring to the ancestral hundred-year-old pirate. I am not afraid, clutching her heart, she falls to the floor, the map still in her hand, never touched by the pirate. The pirate gathers the map with his hook.
Steve Daniels comes on board with Charlie explaining the only ones on board are Miss Nodbury and the Chinese cook. Charlie is convinced a gentleman is in a cabin Daniels doesn't know about, since Chan saw the man enter quite recently. Daniels knocks on the door, entering, Steve greets Bill Lydig, in pajamas, reading in his bed. Daniels introduces Chan to Bill Lydig, they shake hands, where French cuffs show under Bill's pajama top; Chan sees the shirt cuff. Charlie was under the impression the famous newspaperman had died six months ago. Bill says that was his brother Phil, who worked on the same paper. Daniels thought the cabin was empty, not seeing Lydig come aboard, Chan wished the cabin be checked for occupancy, explaining the intrusion. Daniels apprises Chan that he has not known Mr. Lydig long, Lydig contacted Miss Nodbury yesterday and I signed up this afternoon. Jed Thomasson comes up the runway, greets Daniels, says he was left word by him to come aboard tonight. Daniels insists the request was not his. An introduction by Daniels to Chan and Jed Thomasson is granted, Jed is a rare coin businessman from Baltimore. Chan recalls Jed Thomasson as a famous magician.
There is a scream from a female voice, the three men hurry to the scene, a woman heard noises coming from a nearby ancient coffin. Charlie opens the chest to find a tied and bound Jimmy Chan. The woman says Steve left a message at the hotel to come aboard at once. Daniels denies that message as well. Jimmy lets Charlie know of the man with the wooden leg aboard, he was hit over the head and put in the box. Jimmy also heard music. Chan says it is from an ocarina, an ancient wind instrument used by pirates. Kate Ransome is the woman. Chan inquirers if her arrival was unobserved. Nobody around, so I came aboard, she says. Miss Nodbury did not respond to screams of Miss Ransome, please check in her cabin. Chan to Daniels, Kate is girlfriend? He replies, she is on the expedition, so wish me luck, as Chan determines Kate was a typist, based on condition of her fingertips.
Kate calls for Steve, as she sees Patience's body on her cabin floor. They all view her body, some presuming it was natural causes, she saw a ghost, became frightened. Lydig listens to the group talk from outside on some stairs. It was Lydig ducking into his room when Chan first questioned if he was Daniels. Lydig is more identifiable now, out of bed and moving around the ship, eavesdropping. Charlie explains Nodbury feared robbery, she divided map into four pieces, her delay to sailing was to catch the thief. Call police, this is homicide, orders Chan to Daniels. Dead men tell much, Chan espouses, lady saw pirate ancestor tonight in this room. Kate adds, the ghost of Black Hook is the pirate. The hook was used to scratch on the door to summon that member to join ancestors. Prints of peg leg are visible in carpet, scratches on door are freshly made, fragment of artificial beard left on floor, Lydig listens to the group as evidence of the intruder is discussed. Jimmy states it was murder. His conclusion comes from the deliberate attempt to scare Miss Nodbury.
Voices are heard, the group is entering the cabin of Mr. Parks, actor, and Laura Thursday, newlyweds. Jimmy's accuses Parks of wearing the disguise, when Parks explains the hair Jimmy found is for his toupee. Charlie recognizes Parks as a movie star, which explains the make-up kit Jimmy found with the hair-piece. Also, wonders if Parks has wooden leg; he shows his legs are real, anything more will require a warrant. Charlie is satisfied Parks did not kill Patience. Chan catches the sound of a moan from an unknown source, he descends some stairs to the ship's hold, where he moves about seeing a hanging diving suit, eventually discovering the moans were from the parrot, knocking the mask of the pirate. He notes the head has an eyepatch, a hook-hand is there and a wooden peg leg; the parrot flies up to the main deck.
Daniels has been listening as Chan was below, investigating; he describes Steve with excessive curiosity. People are leaving, Charlie says nobody leaves until they have permission from police. Charlie directs Jimmy to call police from dock. Lydig encounters Jimmy, and just when he is ready to club him, he witnesses LaFarge peering at them from above. The two venture to the dock, where Lydig is forced to toss the belaying pin in the water, telling Jimmy it was a flying fish. Jimmy follows the foot prints in the soft ground because they include a peg leg, while Lydig promises to call the police.
Jimmy goes into the Red Eye bar, meets up with Captain Kane with Gertie, the parrot, he mentions Miss Nodbury died, presumably murder. The Captain figures he had better return to his ship, he whispers something to the barkeep, and exits the saloon. Jimmy perches on the stair landing, eavesdropping to a couple's conversation about Miss Nodbury. Jimmy meets up with the barkeep, ordering him out an exit into the water. Jimmy returns to the ship, finds Charlie in the main room with the invited guests. Jimmy heard this man and woman talk, and he thinks they had something to do with the murder. He looks up to the same couple seated nearby, there they are. Daniels explains Dr. Anne Bonney and Gene LaFarge are there as members of the expedition. Jimmy accuses them of the murder. Dr. Bonney is there to treat LaFarge, her work is in psychoanalyst working with his anxiety neurosis, a fear of facing unpleasant situations with an impulse to run away from trouble. Gene LaFarge utters to Chan that he saw Miss Nodbury lying on the floor, thinking she had fainted, she was dead, it was heart failure, to be proved with an autopsy. I later saw Lydig ready to strike Jimmy Chan with a belaying pin; the pin was dropped in the water when he saw LaFarge watching. Jimmy listens to Lydig query if he tried to hit him with a pin. Jimmy answers, why no, you said it was a fish. Charlie suggests fish wiggle into dry clothing. Jimmy leaves the room, Chan quizzes LaFarge if Miss Nodbury confided her portion of map to you.
My theory is the person who desires the secret of the treasure map would kill for it, therefore, all those who possess map fragments face danger of death. Daniels pipes up saying the time to worry about that is when the police say she was murdered; Kate agrees. Chan seriously states, it may be too late. Chan suggests all holders of the map pieces turn them over to Charlie for protection. Laura states Miss Nodbury did not want the map put together until we anchored off Cocos Island. Laura Thursday relinquishes her piece of the map and as Charlie holds the fragment Lydig looks at the exchange, questioning if it is the real McCoy? Jed Thomasson gives Chan his, and again Lydig is standing right behind Chan, but with eyes on Thomasson as the exchange is made. Chan holds the map-piece up to the other fragment, authenticating it by saying also McCoy. Music is heard by everyone present. Kate screams at the sight of a person dressed as the pirate, complete with peg leg, comes down the steps, entering the room, and Charlie turns off the lights. Charlie has his gun drawn, lights are turned back on, the mask is withdrawn, it is Jimmy trying to expose Daniels, finding the costume under some clothing in his room, where he went to get dry clothes. Jimmy leaves to change his wardrobe and the ocarina resumes for all to hear.
Charlie instructs Daniels to be the guide finding the room where the music is originating. It comes from the Chinese cook, Wu Mei, playing the instrument alone in the galley. The Captain watches through the louvered door, with Chan and the cook conversing, Mei in Chinese and stating he is alone, playing for his own enjoyment. When the two leave the galley, Wu Mei knocks on the louvered door, the Captain comes forward to listen to the conversation. Charlie comments to Daniels, as they come forward on the ship, two entrances to the main cabin give the killer two roads for escape. Chan knocks on Thomasson's cabin door, no there is no answer, as Jimmy distracts them, showing his clothes, which are from Daniels' wardrobe. He finds a map-piece in the coat pocket. Daniels says he was never given any of the three fragments, someone must have planted it. Chan declares now there is one piece missing, but he checks his pockets, correction, the other two pieces he had are missing. Charlie had his pocket picked when the lights were out in the main cabin.
LaFarge calls for help in the dark galley, as Thomasson recognizes the voice. LaFarge claims he was robbed; someone put a hand into the pocket where he keeps his map. Chan beseeches Thomasson to go ashore and notify police; he leaves to comply with the Chan request. Daniels wonders aloud, if anyone has seen Kate, she was not on deck when we were there. LaFarge said he saw her reading a magazine when he left her. Galley hand Wu Mei crouches, watches and listens when Chan spies a cloth protruding from a museum piece, the iron maiden with rubber spikes inside. Charlie opens it to find Kate, alive, but fainted. Water for Kate revives her, Laura assures Steve she will be alright, while Charlie picks up the magazine showing a picture of Bill Lydig, caption reading escaped San Quentin Prison, convicted murderer and bank robber. Chan inquires with Kate if her loss of unconsciousness had to do with discovery of escaped murderer sitting in same cabin. Yes, she says, Lydig grabbed her when they were all gathered together. He was aware she knew his true identity from the magazine article, when he put his hand over her mouth, taking her away as she fainted. Daniels claims he had never seen Lydig until this afternoon. When he said he was a reporter, I had no reason to doubt him. Chan probes, was Mr. Lydig a friend of Captain Kane? Daniels is sure he is not. Dr. Anne educates Charlie that none of us have never seen Captain Kane.
Jimmy goes above and watches Gene LaFarge walk a straight line with his eyes closed saying to Jimmy it makes him calm his nerves when he gets agitated. Jimmy finds LaFarge's behavior interesting, asking to be blindfolded, claiming he can do it too. LaFarge blindfolds him, makes a gangplank for Jimmy to walk over the water. He gets to the end of the plank, removes the blindfold, panics when looking below at the water, and plunges into the drink. LaFarge leaves, someone dressed in hat and coat, carrying a duffel bag, is seen on deck by Jimmy. Chan and Daniels pull Jimmy out of the water after he yells for help. Jimmy claims the stranger on deck was Black Hook. Charlie notes when visiting the ship's hold, the hatch was open, now it is closed. Daniels comments the crew normally handles the hold cover, but they are not aboard yet.
The three enter the ship's hold, Daniels finds the light switch, Charlie has lit lantern as they move about the area. Dr. Anne Bonney walks out from the dark, saying she was looking for her trunk. Daniels says they have not been delivered yet. Charlie happens upon the body of Bill Lydig, stuffed in a ship's glass container, presumably suffocated; LaFarge quips dead men tell no tales. Gene apologizes to Jimmy for leaving him to drown, admitting he always wanted to do that to someone. LaFarge saw no one, including Black Hook. Dr. Bonney seriously ponders why anyone would put Lydig in that awful thing; it is insane. Chan thinks it was an act to direct suspicion toward person of unsound mind. Dr. Bonney mentions to Chan does he suspect the killer is one of us? Jed Thomasson comes into the hold, he called the police, they are on the way., also, the police said Lydig never phoned them. Jimmy accuses Jed of not calling the police. Charlie says he will check with the police himself to be certain they were called, suggesting everyone here stay with Jimmy in main cabin.
Charlie listens to the words, you die and left me to die, outside the sail loft. It is Gertie, the parrot, as he looks inside spotting the Captain. He walks in, spotted by the Captain, approaches the desk, introduces himself to Captain Kane as Lieutenant Chan. No need for weapon seen in the hand of the seafarer. Mysterious Captain who avoids his passengers have secret reason for behavior. He answers that is my business. Chan responds with two murders make it police business, Lydig was the second victim. Chan continues, wise bird imitated his owner's words spoken in private. The talking bird repeats your threat to hated one, you die as you leave me to die and you are pleased to hear enemy reply, help, let me out of here. Explain possession of ticket on board night plane for Panama, also charter papers for fast yacht, both in fictitious names. The Captain grabs the paper, covering them on the desk, saying they are not mine, but they are proof of what he is planning to do, I found them in the cabin. Chan demands, whose cabin, please? Zane says he doesn't name names; I'll handle it my way. Zane continues, we were partners once, partners for the treasure of Peru, we got to Cocos, finding what no other treasure had ever found. They were markers buried in the sand, human skulls buried, but we didn't know how to read them. LaFarge watches them both, at a safe distance in the room. Zane confesses, greed does funny things to people, my ex-partner wanted to hog all the gold, so he left me there marooned without water in that burning sun, and I would have died if a whaler hadn't picked me up. He went to get big money in order to make a real search. He doesn't know I am alive, we both go by different names now. Chan interjects to Kane, you remain absent from ship to hide your identity from the man who deserted you. Kane says when he got the Nodbury charter, I let him know about the cruise, and he jumped at the chance. He's here now. Chan makes mention the Captain makes no move to kill your enemy. Kane comes back with I will handle it my way; I will leave him on that island to starve, the way he left me. Chan demands the name of the person desiring the map, he is the evident killer. Kane refuses and leaves. A door above is heard closing, Dr, Anne is seen above, too. Charlie calls police station, the homicide desk sergeant confirms Thomasson called for you, Charlie; Inspector Vesey is on his way. Chan encounters Parks and Laura together, Parks confirming to Chan, he has been on Cocos Island. Chan adds, the person I seek once lived on island of treasure, Chan enlightens the couple. Parks takes offense of the reference but Jimmy interrupts the conversation.
Convinced the killer has been caught, in comes all the ship's guests, with Steve Daniels, Jimmy's suspect. Inspector Vesey is informing Charlie he has a compliment for Jimmy for the work he has done capturing the killer. Vesey advises Daniels of his motive. He was afraid Miss Nodbury would cancel the cruise, forcing the return of the money you collected and spent. You wanted the map to keep the prize money for yourself. Kane watches the proceedings at a distance. LaFarge confesses to Charlie, he lied about someone stealing the map. I was afraid, I hid it in Daniels' coat so it wouldn't be taken, thinking it would be safe there for a few hours. LaFarge continues his explanation of claiming a robbery because if everyone knows I don't have a map, nobody would attack me. Chan apprises everyone, there are three missing pieces of the map need to be found. Vesey orders everyone to provide their statements, directing the Sergeant to proceed collecting the information. Kane continues to observe the suspects return to the ship, knowing his ex-partner is still amongst the people coming aboard. He also knows Daniels from prior meetings earlier, and he likely knows Steve is not guilty of the murders.
Vesey directs the policeman with the checklist to let everyone come off the ship, but Vesey also orders to check them as they depart. Mr. and Mrs. Thursday, Jed Thomasson, check with police as departing. LaFarge watches as Charlie fills Jimmy in, now is the time to set a trap for real murderer. Charlie has the map fragment the real killer needs, an innocent man, meaning Daniels, is in jail, as Charlie sets himself up as bait for the killer. Chan leaves Jimmy a whistle to summon him when he detects Charlie's signal.
LaFarge and Dr. Bonney appear after the Chans have moved away. Dr, Bonney nods to Gene LaFarge, as Gene catches up to Charlie. LaFarge says he is lost, trying to find his way out of the shipyard. Chan mentions a policeman on the dock will escort you to gate. Follow me, says Chan, I am going that way. LaFarge wishes his map fragment from Chan. Eagerness for return of map is most excessive, Chan counters. Charlie says his inside pocket is like vault in bank. Charlie questions if LaFarge had previously been to sea. His response is yes, why do you ask? Chan answers decisively, the killer who seeks the map is a person familiar with the sea, and through the Black Hook costume, the opportunity is there to commit both crimes without observation, and the person could be either a man or a woman. Dr. Bonney follows the two men.
Jimmy is perched on crates in the shipyard, waiting for the signal from his father. A person in the Black Hook costume approaches Jimmy, as his eyes widen from hearing the sound of the peg leg on the wharf. The masqueraded person moves toward Jimmy, who backs up into the drink. The fake pirate leaves, as Jimmy yells for his father. Chan to LaFarge, you have no idea who the killer is? LaFarge retorts, you are not accusing me. The wooden leg sound moves toward the men, Chan signals Jimmy. Jimmy's whistle is full of water and cannot alert anyone, while the hook-hand is on the detective's shoulder, now in plain sight of Chan and LaFarge. Chan comments, allow me to present the long-sought killer. I have been expecting you, Mr. Thomasson, ripping the pirate mask away from his face. Thomasson demands the rest of the map from Charlie. Chan accuses him of causing the death of Miss Nodbury and Mr. Lydig. Jed shouts, and I am not stopping there, give me the rest of the map, holding a gun on Chan. Chan reaches in his pocket for a piece of paper, handing it to him, who retorts, do you know what dead men tell? What you two know you're going to take to the bottom of the harbor. Lydig picked your pocket in the dark to get the two pieces of the map, that is why he died, now I've got the four pieces. Thomasson orders them over to the edge. He raises his arm to knock out Chan, but Captain Kane grabs his gun away from him, grasping the one free hand and the hook-hand, lecturing him, you marooned me on that island without water, left me to die in that blazing sun, I swore I would get you for that. Please Captain Kane, Chan has his gun drawn, ordering Kane to give up Thomasson, he is my prisoner, the law will maroon him in death cell of San Quentin for his final sentence. Vesey shows up, Chan states this the self-confessed murderer, maps are in his pocket. LaFarge requests his map back, but Chan counters, map is safe in Inspector's pocket. Charlie promises he will remove menace to navigation, referring to his wet son, again.
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