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CHARLIE CHAN IN RENO-1939- In “the biggest little city in the world” Mrs. Russell (Kay Linaker) runs a hotel for couples getting divorce. “This 1939. We're modern.”, says one character. The obnoxious Mrs. Bentley (Louise Henry) insults everyone and is asked by the owner to leave. She's killed instead and Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore; in CC IN HONOLULU the year before) is found over the body with blood on her hands. It just so happened Bentley was going to marry Mary's almost ex-husband Curtis (Kane Richmond; later in CC IN PANAMA). When Mary is arrested for the murder Curtis asks Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) for help. Rather dumbly, especially for him Chan wires son Jimmy (Sen Yung) in LA that he will visit him on his return trip. Naturally Jimmy sees this as an opportunity to help “Pop”. He borrows a friend's car and drives there. However on the way he falls victim to two phony hitchhikers who steal the car and Jimmy's clothes! He winds up in a police line up that Chan, the police chief (Charles Brown) and a dopey sheriff (Slim Summerville) are looking at. Chan investigates all the suspects including the owner Mrs. Russell, her hostess (Phyllis Brooks), an oily doctor (Ricardo Cortez; also in MR. MOTO'S LAST WARNING the same year), Birk (Robert Lowery; also in MR. MOTO IN DANGER ISLAND the same year)), a broke young man and Mr. Bentley (Morgan Conway; future Dick Tracy). An Asian maid (Iris Wong) (and Jimmy's love interest) helps out too. This was one of four Chan mysteries directed by Norman Foster who also found time to direct 6 “Mr. Moto” entries.

Next in the series: CHARLIE CHAN ON TREASURE ISLAND.

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Late James Whale

SINNERS IN PARADISE-1938-On a plane to China all the passengers have a story: Anne Wesson (Madge Evans), an unhappy wife trying to escape her jealous husband, Thelma Chase (Charlotte Wynters), an heiress trying to escape union troubles at her factory, a pompous senator (Gene Lockhart), two munitions rivals Brand (Morgan Conway, a future Dick Tracy) and Honeyman (Milburn Stone), an old woman (Nana Bryant), Malone (KING KONG's Bruce Cabot), a gangster known as The Torpedo, wise cracking Iris (Marion Martin) who's escaping a grand jury. Their plane crashes during a storm and only they survive along with the plane's steward Jessup (future western star Don “Red” Barry). 

They find refuge on a tropical island where the only inhabitant is Jim Taylor (John Boles), a loner who lives there with his Asian servant Ping (Willie Fung). He has a boat but won't let them use it because he has a secret of his own for being on the island and isn't exactly thrilled with his unscheduled guests. Later Taylor decides to let them go and get some peace but not all of them will fit in his boat, so some can go and some will have to wait. The munitions rivals can't wait to go and Taylor has to fight them off. Malone saves him. Taylor gets sweet on Thelma and asks her to stay. The munitions rivals hijack the boat (with Ping in it) and the old lady is shot. Taylor tries to remove the bullet but she dies before he can operate. It turns out Taylor was a doctor accused of killing a mobster: the old woman's son! Everyone goes native and some comic parts made me think of “Gilligan's Island”! 

This forgotten adventure/soap opera was directed by the great James Whale who made a few more films after this (THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK, GREEN HELL) but was basically on the downside of a once famous career. This was also one of the last film roles for the once popular top billed Madge Evans who retired from films after marrying author Sidney Kingsley (DEAD END). 

John Boles of course had worked previously with Whale on a film of his caled FRANKENSTEIN....

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CaveDog Calling Dick Tracy...

DICK TRACY-1937-This is the first film adaptation of Chester Gould’s famous comic strip detective. It’s actually a 15-chapter serial that was later condensed and re-released as a feature in the early ‘40’s. Ralph Byrd isn’t bad as the square jawed detective, trying to find out who’s behind “The Spider Murders” but most of the “classic” supporting characters from the strip are left out. He’s assisted by Fred Hamilton as Steve Lockwood, Smiley Burnette as Mike McGurk, Kay Hughes as Gwen Andrews and Lee Van Atta as Junior. The villainous Spider (who’s identity is kept secret till the final chapter) keeps Dick busy trying kill him, blow up bridges and even turning Tracy’s own brother against him and into a hypnotized slave! Like most serials it’s very far fetched and some of the acting is very bad. Former silent matinee idol Francis X Bushman appears as Chief Anderson. John Picorri is the hunchbacked mad scientist Moloch and Byron Foulger, Ray Bancroft and William Hopper also have roles.

Two more serials followed: DICK TRACY RETURNS and DICK TRACY’S G-MEN (both with Byrd, a busy character actor in other films until is untimely death in 1951 after filming a Dick Tracy TV series).

DICK TRACY-DETECTIVE-1945–Not to be confused with the above reviewed DICK TRACY from 1937 that was a feature condensation of the serial starring Ralph Byrd, this one has the inadequate Morgan Conway playing the comic strip detective. Lyle Latell (as Pat Patton) and Anne Jefferys (as Tess) are there. Junior too. This time Tracy is on the trail of Splitface (Mike Mazurki), a vicious murderer with a nice facial scar. It’s all right but Conway just isn’t “squared jawed” enough for the role. Director William Berke directed and/or produced nearly 100 pictures from the early ‘30’s till the late 1950’s (he was also an actor in silent films) including many Westerns and the “Jungle Jim” series. He died in 1958 at the age of 55.

DICK TRACY VS. CUEBALL-1946-Another installment of Chester Gould’s comic strip character, this time with the badly miscast Morgan Conway in the title role. Tracy and partner Pat Patton (Lyle Latell) are after a jewel thief and murderer Cueball (Dick Wessel with no hair). Not much happens in the mundane storyline but Ian Keith as Vitamin Flintheart is always good for a few laughs. Anne Jeffreys is Tess, Dick’s girlfriend who has a little more to do than usual. Esther Howard is Filthy Flora, a floozy bar owner and Douglas Walton is Percival Priceless, an antiques dealer. Also with the great Byron Foulger and the creepy Skelton Knaggs. Director Gordon Douglas later on made the giant ants epic THEM!, Bob Hope comedies, blaxpoltation and many other films. Screenwriter Robert Kent later wrote and/or produced many Edward Cahn movies.

DICK TRACY’S DILEMNA-1947-Second to last in the series (star Ralph Byrd died suddenly of a heart attack in 1951), it features Tracy and partner Pat Patton (Lyle Latell) on the trail of “The Claw” (Jack Lambert), a hook handed murderer and fur thief. Ian Keith as ham actor Vitamin Flintheart is a highlight. Kay Christopher doesn’t have much to do as Tess. Not much happens but The Claw’s death is fairly memorable. Sean McClory and Jason Robards Sr. have small roles. Journeyman director John Rawlins also made THE GREEN HORNET STRIKES AGAIN!, SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE VOICE OF TERROR and the last in the Tracy series, DICK TRACY MEETS GRUESOME (with Boris Karloff as the title villain). 

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