Charlie Chan Goes Agatha Christie

Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan.

While Warner Oland is my favorite Charlie Chan, I still enjoy many of Sidney Toler's outings as Earl Derr Biggers' Hawaiian police detective. One of Toler's best entries in the long-running film series is Castle in the Desert.

Like many Chan movies, the setting plays a critical role in the plot. The "castle" in Castle in the Desert turns out be an isolated $20 million mansion in the Mojave Desert with no electricity and no phone. It's owned by Paul Manderley, a wealthy recluse who wears a scarf over half of his face, and his wife Lucy. She is a descendant of the Borgias and, as if that wasn't bad enough, her brother stood trial for murder by poison.

In the film's opening scene, a genealogist named Professor Gleason arrives at the Manderleys' estate. He barely has time to meet his hosts and drink a cocktail before collapsing to the floor--the apparent victim of poison! Shortly thereafter, Charlie Chan receives a typed letter from Mrs. Manderley stating that her life is danger. When Charlie goes to investigate, his No. 2 son Jimmy Chan--who is on leave from military service--follows his "Pop."

Sidney Toler, Victor Sen Young, and Douglas Dumbrille.

Released in 1942, Castle in the Desert shares several similarities with Agatha Christie's classic whodunit And Then There Were None. The most notable is the isolated setting that prevents suspects from leaving. In Christie's novel, the suspects are stranded on an island. In Castle in the Desert, someone steals the distributor cap from the only automobile--thus stranding everyone at the Manderleys' desert estate. Interestingly, 1974's Ten Little Indians, an adaptation of Christie's novel, changes the novel's setting to the desert (though an Iranian desert instead of the Mojave).

Veteran villain Henry Daniell.

Unlike some of Oland's Chan films, the cast of Castle in the Desert doesn't feature any future stars like Rita Hayworth and Ray Milland. However, it does have villain extraordinaire Henry Daniell as on one of the suspects. But he's too obvious to be the murderer...or is he?

As occasionally happens in older films, there are a couple of lines about Chan's ethnicity that might elicit a groan from modern audiences. For example, when Charlie arrives in the closest town to the Manderleys' castle, someone asks if he is a chop suey salesman. Later, a guest assumes Charlie must be a servant at the house.

The Charlie Chan films aren't for all tastes, but they are among the best of the "B" movies mysteries. The quality gradually declined during Toler's run and the Roland Winters movies are best avoided. Castle in the Desert is an above average Toler outing and chock full of Chan proverbs, with my fave being: "Man without enemies like dog without fleas." Well said, Charlie.

The 5 Best "B" Movie Detectives

When it comes to celluloid detectives, some of the best ones hail from "B" film series of the 1930s and 1940s. Shown theatrically before a "major motion picture," some of these series gradually established their own fan bases. Their popularity grew significantly when they appeared frequently on local television stations in the 1960s and 1970s. My picks for five best "B' movie detectives:

1. Sherlock Holmes.  Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce first appeared as Holmes & Watson in the 20th Century-Fox "A" productions of The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (both 1939). Three years years later, Universal launched a low-budget series of twelve Holmes films, set in contemporary London, with the same stars. Despite a handful of lackluster entries (e.g., Pursuit to Algiers), the overall quality is above-average, with the standouts being the clever, atmospheric Scarlet Claw (1944) and 1945's compelling The House of Fear. Fans are also fond of the train-set Terror By Night and the creepy Pearl of Death. Few directors got more out of a low production budget than Roy William Neill.

Toler (far right) as Charlie Chan.

2. Charlie Chan. Earl Derr Bigger's Chinese-American detective has been portrayed by several actors, but the most notable ones are Warner Oland and Sidney Toler. Both actors had long runs as Chan, with Oland making 15 films and Toler headlining 22. All of Oland films and Toler's first 11 were produced by 20th Century-Fox. When the studio decided to end the series, Toler boughts the film rights and the new (less costly) Chan mysteries were released by Monogram. The Chan films are admittedly inconsistent, with the comic relief provided by Charlie's No. 1 or No. 2 sons sometimes overpowering the mystery plots. Still, the series produced its share of snappy little gems like Charlie Chan at the Opera and Castle in the Desert. Plus, Oland and Toler were both delightful, especially when delivering wise sayings like: "Small things sometimes tell large story."

Conway (left) and Sanders (right)
both played The Falcon.

3. The Falcon. Gay Lawrence, better known as The Falcon, was a gentleman detective in the same vein as The Saint. In fact, just to make matters confusing, George Sanders portrayed both characters in 1941. Sanders' Falcon films are modestly entertaining, with the most famous being The Falcon Takes Over, which is based on the Philip Marlowe novel Farewell, My Lovely. By 1942, Sanders was ready for bigger screen roles--though RKO wanted to keep The Falcon series going. So, in The Falcon's Brother, Gay Lawrence is killed and his brother Tom Lawrence takes over--the nifty part is that Tom Lawrence was played by Tom Conway, George Sanders' real-life brother. I've always liked Conway, a solid performer who got stuck in "B" films. He elevates most of his Falcon movies, though (again) sometimes the comic relief is overpowering. That's not the case with The Falcon and the Co-eds. Ignore the lame title--it's one of the finest "B" mysteries ever with a great coastal setting, a sharp plot, and comic relief provided delightfully by three young girls from a boarding school.

4. The Crime Doctor. Warner Baxter was one of the biggest stars of the late 1920s and 1930, winning an Oscar for In Old Arizona and headlining classics such as 42nd Street. Yet, by 1943, he was relegated to "B" films like the Crime Doctor series. Based on a hit radio show, 1943's Crime Doctor was about an amnesia victim who becomes a leading criminal psychologist--only to recover his memory and learn that he was a criminal. It's outlandish, but Baxter makes it work and he's solid throughout the series. Most of the entries are quite satisfying, with the best being The Millerson Case. It has Dr. Ordway vacationing in the Blue Ridge Mountains when a typhoid epidemic causes the town to be quarantined...and then a murder is committed.

5. The Lone Wolf. Louis Joseph Vance introduced Michael Lanyard--a jewel thief who became a private detective--to readers in 1914. Vance's book provided popular material for the movies and there were several Lone Wolf films between 1917 and 1939, including The Lone Wolf Returns with Melvyn Douglas in the title role. In the late 1930s, Columbia Pictures launched a "B" detective series with The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt, starring Warren William as Lanyard. Like Baxter, Williams was on the downside of a very successful screen career. He brought class and charm to the role, with very able assistance from the always amusing Eric Blore as his valet, beginning with the second entry, The Lone Wolf Strikes.

Honorable Mentions:  Peter Lorre as Mr. Moto and Chester Morris as Boston Blackie.

Spotlighting the Charlie Chan Collection on DVD

Warner Bros. and Turner Classic Movies is presenting the Charlie Chan Collection, a four-movie set of Chan's adventures during the Monogram Pictures era. Each film was previously unavailable on DVD.

Dark Alibi (1946): Following a bank robbery and the murder of a guard, a man with a criminal past is arrested. The man's fingerprints were discovered at the crime scene, and as this is considered definitive proof of his guilt, he is subsequently convicted and sentenced to death. Detective Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) overhears the man's daughter pleading with an attorney, as the final appeal has been denied, and he decides to take the case. Chan and his Number Three Son, Tommy (Benson Fong), and his chauffeur/assistant, Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland), set out to prove that the fingerprints were planted and that an innocent man is on Death Row.

Toler had starred in 11 Charlie Chan films produced by 20th Century Fox. After the studio dropped the series, Toler bought the screen rights and convinced Monogram Pictures to begin distributing the films, beginning with 1944's Charlie Chan in the Secret Service. The actor makes a fine Charlie Chan, and he plays the role with humor, flashing a jaunty smile when he's either caught someone in a lie or hears an expected response during questioning. Watching Chan's investigation is enjoyable, but it's more fun following Chan's son, Tommy, and Birmingham, and Fong and Moreland have good chemistry together. However, the film's highlight involves scenes with Moreland and Ben Carter. The two men had a vaudeville act together, and one of their routines, in which neither man can finish a sentence, is on display in Dark Alibi (which also makes an appearance in 1945's The Scarlet Clue). The sequences are a delight, especially with a flustered Tommy trying desperately to follow the two.

Dangerous Money (1946): An agent of the Treasury Department is aboard a cruise ship bound for Samoa, working undercover to investigate "hot money" on the island. Fearing for his life, he asks for help from fellow passenger Charlie Chan (Toler). No sooner does Chan agree to take the case than the agent slumps over with a knife protruding from his back. While Chan's Number Two Son, Jimmy (Victor Sen Young), and chauffeur, Chattanooga Brown (Willie Best), try to discreetly secure the passengers' fingerprints, the detective questions the people on the ship, hoping to expose secrets, lies, and a murderer.

Perhaps the most significant trait of Dangerous Money is its wonderful setting on the cruise ship. Not only does it heighten suspense with a claustrophobic ambiance, but it creates paranoia among the passengers since it almost guarantees that a murderer is one of them. Even when the people make it to the island, the place seems so small that the tight atmosphere is retained. Although not as sprightly and animated as Fong and Moreland, Young and Best as Jimmy and Chattanooga are still lighthearted comic relief.

The Trap (1946): A variety troupe head to a beach resort for a month of relaxation. One of the performers, Marcia, blackmails Lois (who had lied about her age to join the troupe) into stealing a tin box of letters from another room. During the attempted theft, Lois is strangled to death, and upon discovery of her body, the others realize that Marcia has disappeared. One of the women, San Toy, suggests getting help from "the world's greatest detective," Jimmy Chan (Young). Soon after, Charlie Chan (Toler), along with his son and Birmingham (Moreland), joins the case, and encounters a great deal of people pointing fingers at one another.

This was Toler's final film, as he died shortly after its release. Reportedly, he was so ill during filming that he had trouble speaking his lines and even standing. But if such was the case, it hardly dampens his performance, as Toler's Chan was always methodically and deliberately slow in his speech and demeanor. Charlie Chan did, admittedly, tend to take a backseat in this film to Jimmy and Birmingham, who both shine in larger roles. Jimmy's scenes with his lady friend, San Toy, both of whom clearly share a mutual attraction, are a treat, and the two are good together. The Trap is probably the best film of the bunch, as there are quite a number of suspects, making it an entertaining affair when trying to unveil the killer.

The Chinese Ring (1947): A Chinese lady arrives at the house of Charlie Chan (Roland Winters), refuses to give her name, and hands a ring to Birmingham (Moreland) so that he can show it to the detective. While waiting, the woman is killed by a suspect unknown, utilizing an air rifle at a nearby window. Chan and Sgt. Davidson learn that the woman was Princess Mei Ling, and the only clue to her murderer's identity is a "Capt K" that she was able to write before she died. Chan's investigation leads to an acquisition of airplanes, vanishing money, and a masked killer desperately trying to cover his/her tracks.

Toler had starred in 11 films for Monogram before his death. The Chinese Ring is the Chan debut for Winters. His interpretation of the Chinese sleuth is intriguing, much more straightforward and serious than Toler. While it may be strange to see a non-Asian actor playing Charlie Chan, it's certainly more noticeable in The Chinese Ring, as much of the supporting cast is comprised of Chinese characters, refreshingly portrayed by Asian actors. It's unfortunate that both Jimmy and Birmingham have little to do in this film, but Warren Douglas as Sgt. Davidson and Louise Currie as Peggy Cartwright, a reporter, are paired together, and they provide some humor in their shared scenes. Winters would star in five additional Charlie Chan films before Monogram Pictures officially ended the series with Sky Dragon in 1949.

The DVD presentation of all four movies is crisp and, for the most part, clear of scratches. The audio is likewise exceptional, and the packaging is outstanding, with each film getting its own disc. The DVD collection is set for release tomorrow, June 8th, and will be available at TCM's website, as well as additional online retailers.