Charlie Chan in the secret service, was the first in the series to be made by poverty row studio Monogram Pictures and although I haven't see the earlier ones made by 20th Century Fox, I guess they have to be better than this, although having said that, despite a low budget, appalling dialogue, some very wooden acting and an awful lot of padding (even at barely an hour long) This isn't THAT bad.
A Scientist (John Elliott) is working on a new invention to protect Allied boats from German torpedoes and is given security by the Secret Service, but as he goes downstairs to meet his guests he is killed through an elaborate electrocution, so Chan arrives at his mansion along with nosy son and daughter to wade through all the suspects to find out which one killed him.
it also has Mantan Moreland as a stereotypical African American comic relief Chauffeur of the era which is rather distasteful over 65 years later who later appeared in further Chan Films and of course Sidney Toler looks as much Chinese as I do..
All in All a rather creaky Low budget B Movie which is still enjoyable mainly because of the enjoyable though stilted performances.
One goof though - when the man in the wheelchair finally stands up and walks, it seems no-one saw him standing next to the piano with the other suspects a few minutes earlier!
**1/2 out of *****
A Scientist (John Elliott) is working on a new invention to protect Allied boats from German torpedoes and is given security by the Secret Service, but as he goes downstairs to meet his guests he is killed through an elaborate electrocution, so Chan arrives at his mansion along with nosy son and daughter to wade through all the suspects to find out which one killed him.
it also has Mantan Moreland as a stereotypical African American comic relief Chauffeur of the era which is rather distasteful over 65 years later who later appeared in further Chan Films and of course Sidney Toler looks as much Chinese as I do..
All in All a rather creaky Low budget B Movie which is still enjoyable mainly because of the enjoyable though stilted performances.
One goof though - when the man in the wheelchair finally stands up and walks, it seems no-one saw him standing next to the piano with the other suspects a few minutes earlier!
**1/2 out of *****