The Magic of Chan

CHARLIE CHAN AT TREASURE ISLAND-1939-While flying from Hawaii to San Francisco the intrepid phony Asian detective (Sidney Toler) and number 2 son Jimmy (Sen Yung) investigate the murder of Chan's friend, a writer who just completed his new novel. A suspicious insurance agent (Douglass Dumbrille) steals the manuscript. After breaking the bad news to the writer's wife, CC is “kidnapped” by the SF police because their chief (Donald MacBride) is an old friend of his. He meets another old friend Pete Lewis (Douglas Fowley), a reporter who introduces Chan to The Great Rhadini (Cesar Romero), a famous magician/illusionist who's mind reading assistant is Lewis' girlfriend Eve Cairo (Pauline Moore). Through them Chan learns about Dr. Zodiac, a magician/guru who seems to be involved in some recent murders (including the writer who received a mysterious radiogram that mentioned Scorpio). The trio decide visit the doc at his headquarters. After a seance like demonstration he threatens them with a gun and they leave. Zodiac talks in a deep voice (Gerald Mohr) and looks like someone in disguise. Later Eve gives an exhibition of her psychic powers and kind of convinces Chan they are real. After investigating and the discovery that Dr. Z is wearing a disguise, Rhadini challenges Dr. Z to a contest which he accepts. An elaborate stage show is performed and eventually after another murder the real identity of  Dr. Zodiac is revealed. He'd gathered much info on people who came to him for a reading and was using blackmail. 

One of three Chan mysteries Norman Foster directed. He also made 5 in the MR. MOTO series. In 1943 he'd work with Orson Welles on JOURNEY INTO FEAR and IT'S ALL TRUE. 

The one up: CHARLIE CHAN IN THE CITY OF DARKNESS.

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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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