Clevercell
Very disappointing...
Philippa
All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
csteidler
A foggy night: two old guys trail a suspect down to the docks. Charlie Chan quietly joins them and they board a boat, where they discover the dead body of the man they were following. Someone has stepped in his blood, leaving a bloody heel print—the scarlet clue. This entertaining series entry is set primarily in a tall office building that holds a radar laboratory on one floor and a radio studio just below it. The radio acting company get in on the mystery and one scene even takes place during a television broadcast. The murderer communicates using a teletype machine in one of the offices and also has installed a fiendish elevator trap door through which he drops his enemies. Sidney Toler's Chan is assisted once again by Benson Fong as number three son Tommy, whose grinning enthusiasm is silly but harmless enough. (Chan: "Come, we must investigate slight case of murder." Tommy: "Murder! Well, here I come!") Mantan Moreland also returns as chauffeur Birmingham Brown. The picture's highlights are a couple of great little exchanges between Moreland and comedian Ben Carter—their routine in which they interrupt and finish each other's thoughts is apparently borrowed from a stage show they did. The Moreland-Carter bits are brief buts lots of fun (and certainly better written and rehearsed than anything else in the picture). Overall this one isn't too bad—it has a few laughs and the plot keeps you guessing.
gridoon2018
"The Scarlet Clue" is a typically cheap Monogran production in underdressed sets, and it's mostly tedious, but there are some clever bits for mystery fans (even if, once again, the killer seems to be selected at random), and memorable use of a booby-trapped elevator. My favorite Chan line, in response to his son saying that he had an idea but it was gone: "maybe it could not stand solitary confinement!". ** out of 4.
Hitchcoc
Despite there being plot deficiencies all over the place, this is still fun. Once again, Charlie is called in because of goings on in the defense department. There is a murder early and the circumstances are confusing. It turns out there is some sort of central figure pulling strings as a group of gangsters carry out the instructions of this man. He communicates with a teletype machine so they don't recognize his voice. Anyway, it's the usual group of suspects, this time the cast of a radio show. We are also give a look at that new medium, television. Mantan Moreland and his vaudeville partner do their wonderful sketch where they finish each other's sentences. Tommy Chan is such a windbag and gets the full treatment from his father, although he does find some serious evidence. I liked this one quite a bit.
whpratt1
Some Hollywood studios decided to stop making Charlie Chan films and Sidney Toler decided to convince Monogram Pictures to accept his legal terms to make more Charlie Chan films with Toler as the star. In this series you will notice a drop in the quality of film that is made and how costs were cut to keep a low budget. Mantan Moreland, (Birmingham Brown) played a big role as the chauffeur for Charlie Chan and he was a great comic rolling his eyes and aways being scared to death along with Number 3 son of Charlie Chan, Tommy Chan, (Benson Fong). Charlie Chan investigates a television station and also a Government Radar Company and he tries to work with the police and Government agents to catch spies trying to steal secret plans and papers vital to the American Defense. Jack Norton, who usually plays in drunk in most films during the 1930's and 40's appears in this film and performs on a television show and gives a great supporting role to this film. Virginia Brissac, (Mrs. Marsh) plays the owner of this radio and television studio and is a rather grump and nasty elderly lady. Enjoy.
