- Charlie Chan is an agent of the U.S. government assigned to investigate the mysterious death of an inventor.
- A scientist working on an important new invention which will protect Allied shipping from U-boat torpedoes has been assigned Secret Service security protection. Amazingly, despite the fact that his laboratory and experiments are located on the upper floor of his Washington mansion, he decides to host a cocktail party for friends on the first floor. Even though several of his guests are foreign nationals with shadowy pasts, he refuses to allow his bodyguards to attend because their presence might offend them. When he is killed by unknown means before joining them, the resultant summary investigation includes Honolulu detective Charlie Chan and children Tommy and Iris, later joined by Birmingham Brown, the chauffeur of one of the guests. When a preliminary autopsy reveals the scientist was electrocuted, Charlie and his associates must decide which of the suspects and red herrings is the guilty party.—Gabe Taverney (duke1029@aol.com)
- Synopsis - Charlie Chan in the Secret Service, created July 1943 and released 2-14-44 Scientist George Melton is conducting his experiments in torpedo prevention while his two Secret Service bodyguards, Inspector Jones and Agent Lewis, ask about the nature of the bombs displayed above his lab bench. He says they are all models, except one, pointing to a bomb with a cross on it. The bodyguards follow him to the lab door, they watch him fold his invention plans up, placing it in his coat-pocket-wallet, and tuck it into his suit coat. He explains he is having a cocktail party downstairs in his home and doesn't want them around. They each protest, for it is their job to watch over the invention plans he carries. He tells them, you guard the outside, and in the lab, otherwise, leave me be with my guests. George Melton summarily dismisses the agents because his invited guests would not harm him nor steal his plans; do you think I invite my country's enemies to cocktails?
George Melton descends the stairs in his stately home, while an eye through a door is shown following his steps. Melton opens a large closet door to apparently hang up his laboratory coat, pulling the string for the closet light switch, he falls to the floor. The bodyguards remain up in the lab while the stranger with the peering eyeball watches Melton fall. A woman's scream prompts the men to descend the stairs to Melton's body lying near the closet. Inspector Jones checks the coat-wallet for vital papers he was carrying, while people have gathered around, and Birmingham Brown is trying to avoid the entire scene, carefully moving across the recess of the room. Agent Lewis asks where he is going, and his response is anywhere, I have an important date. Lewis replies, I'll say you have. Birmingham says he is on an errand for Mrs. Winters, the agent responds you stay here. Jones says he is dead and the plans are missing. The group watching the body all look like suspects, but shocked; Mrs. Winters inquiries, did you say Mr. Melton was dead? She has her fur stole draped over one arm of her coat and her hat on her head. The agents ask Mrs. Hargue, Melton's housekeeper, if anyone is upstairs. She says no one; everybody in the house is here in plain sight. Inspector Jones has Lewis look around and asks everybody to go in the living room, please, as Birmingham gives a wide-eyed look toward them, and then enters the living room. A man stops short of the living room entrance and questions Jones' authority. The response is Jones carries a Presidential warrant, showing his credential to the gentleman. Jones dials the phone in the foyer after closing the living doors.
The phone was made to the Secret Service office, in which we see Charlie Chan, informing someone by his desk phone he expecting son and daughter. When they arrive, send them to his office immediately. Charlie is summoned on the intercom. Chan enters the room of his boss, Mr. Slade, who informs him George Melton, the man they have been guarding, is dead. Slade tells Charlie, Melton's invention would completely destroy the U-Boat menace. An outside agent at the front door of the Melton house assures Inspector Jones, the place is being guarded; the rule is no one exits the house without the proper credentials. Slade tells Charlie, Mr. Melton had the only copy of his torpedo plan on him, and it is missing; it is up to you to find those plans. Charlie suggests to Slade perhaps this might be the work of skillful spy Manlick. Charlie enters his office where his number three son Tommy and number two daughter Iris are waiting. He orders a cab, postponing their sightseeing trip, requesting they return to the hotel. They plan on finding where their father is going, as Charlie is seen leaving in a cab.
Chan exits the cab as an agent opens the driveway gate, another agent along the walk to the house acknowledges him, and finally, Charlie is greeted at the front door by Sergeant Billings, an old friend from Hawaii and the USMC. The sergeant is now guarding dead people, he tells Chan, rather than being with his fighting outfit, he opens the door for Charlie. Charlie greets the Medical Examiner-Doctor, bends to examine the body. Birmingham Brown tries to make another exit, but is cut short by Lewis, pointing him back to the living room. Charlie inquiries with the doctor, asking for the cause of death. A superficial exam revealed no cause, except perhaps a natural one. Chan requests the autopsy results as soon as available. The doctor says he will have the boys remove the body right away. Charlie greets the Inspector, shakes his hand, glad to see you again Jonesy, he says. They are standing in the foyer, Jones says he searched everyone and took statements from them all, handing Charlie the statement notes. Housekeeper Hargue tries to go upstairs, Chan tells her please, do not go upstairs. Jones says, he and Lewis have been searching downstairs for Melton's plans, he had it on him when he came downstairs and died. The Inspector tells Chan, the Arranto's plan on leaving for California tomorrow. Charlie tells him, no one leaves until the case is solved satisfactorily. The person looking through a peephole is watching the two detectives. Charlie tells the Inspector, while part in the closet, it appears that Mr. Melton came here to this spot and died. Jones said they searched the closet but found nothing. Charlie pulls the light's string to shut it off. Jones closes the closet door, the whole time they are watched by the unknown eye. Mrs. Winters opens the living room door, sees Charlie and the Inspector, frantically giggles, and re-enters the living room. Jones explains the nervous type is Mrs. Winters, she came for cocktails and got hysterics. Inez Arranto and Luis Vega happen upon the detectives, reverse course, and return to the room. Jones informs Charlie Vega is a war refugee, now a salesman, the woman is the sister of Paul Arranto. Jones points out the pictures on the wall of George Melton, Yale baseball and Glee Club. Lewis brings Chan the found Melton plans from the living room. He shows him the book he found the plans in on the bookcase shelf. Charlie tells the bodyguards the suspects will remain. Dead man's actions call urgently for an explanation of how he can walk around after he is dead.
Iris and Tommy Chan greet Sergeant Billings at the door, he allows them to look around outside only. Charlie has the suspects all in the living room. He is listening to Mrs. Winters talk about her dog at home needing to be fed. Birmingham says he will attend to the dog. Chan questions Birmingham, asking if he is chauffeur for Mrs. Winters? Why are you here? Birmingham explains he brought a Statue of Liberty model. Mrs. Winters claims she made it herself, as a present for Inez, as a going away gift. He meets with indignation in varying degrees from the other suspects as he goes around the room speaking with them. Wheelchair bound Paul Arranto would rather speak for his sister and his aid, Peter Laska. Charlie corrects Paul, he would like each person to speak for them self. David Blake is belligerent to being questioned, and Chan returns the volley with a quote to Blake. Chan asks Mrs. Hargue, you were in pantry when Mr. Melton was found? Yes sir, when I heard the scream I ran into the hall and saw Miss Arranto kneeling aside Melton. She seemed to be searching his pocket. Charlie points out to Paul Arranto that he seems to silence everyone. Charlie asks who was first to discover body? He gets multiple replies to the affirmative, asking if anyone else would like to nominate self as discoverer of body? Birmingham finishes someone's drink at the bar. Luis Vega, with his cigar, is totally uncooperative, telling Charlie he was in the den when Mr. Melton came down the stairs. Chan returns with, when alibi pushed at me, I always suspect motive in woodpile. Mrs. Winters, Chan asks, when you heard scream you ran out into hall? Not at first, I was putrefied!
Charlie performs a demonstration, asking Mr. Lewis to take book from bookcase. Lewis takes a book from the right side of case with his right hand. Chan asks selected guests to pick a book from the shelf. Each willing guest uses their controlling side or favored hand to grasp a book from a like side as their controlling hand. Mrs. Winters used her left hand to grab a book from the left side of the bookcase, she appears startled, dropping the book, saying after all I am left-handed. The others used their right hand to pick a book from the right-hand side of the bookcase. Chan says Mr. Melton was left-handed. Mrs. Hargue says Mr. Melton was left handed. Furthermore, based upon the picture of the Yale baseball team inscription in the hallway, the picture is inscribed with the nickname port-side, or a left-handed ballplayer. Paul Arranto asks Chan what this has to do with the bookcase. Chan answers, strange that Mr. Melton would place document in bookcase, stranger that Melton placed the document in the right side of bookcase and strangest still, that a dead man lying in the hall was able to reach the bookcase at all. Also, if one would follow the directions on the found plans, you would find they are as dangerous as an unloaded toy pistol, according to Charlie; document is very poor forgery.
Iris and Tommy Chan are entering the house through a basement window, Tommy falls, hears Birmingham's voice, Jimmy and Birmingham wrestle in the dark, Chan turns on the light, Charlie sends Birmingham upstairs, the two Chans try to explain why they are in the house. They all come upstairs, first Charlie sends them to the hotel, but Vega says they could carry out the so-called important document, couldn't they? Charlie agrees, tells offspring to remain in pantry. David Blake asks Charlie as soon you find whatever is missing, can we go home? Chan replies, as soon as the genuine Melton document is found and his murderer, the others will be dismissed. People in Washington don't go about murdering, quips Mrs. Winters. Evidently there are a few which are present that have forgotten the rules. Arranto adds, surely you don't think one of us is guilty? Chan returns with difficulty now is to find someone present who could not be guilty. Charlie instructs a departing Lewis to have the coroner send the autopsy report by special messenger and give Mr. Slade the full report of case up until now. The eye watches Charlie as he closes the front door, he crouches to check the closet floor entryway, he hears something from the den, turns on the den light, looks around, he spots something on the upper hinge of the door, takes a finger sample and wipes it off, smiling. He sees the light switch cover is loose, he touches the light switch, the lights ceiling lights go out, the wall sconces stay on, he touches it again, all lights are on. He chastises his offspring with Birmingham standing near, he goes upstairs, soon followed by housekeeper Hargue. The offspring also head upstairs, Mrs. Hargue sees they are near, she enters a room, Iris and Tommy hide from her. Chan is sitting at desk, she hands him a knife Peter was carrying. She took it when he wasn't looking, she doesn't trust anyone with a thing like that, she tells Charlie, and I don't trust the people the people he works for either. Chan asks you do not trust the Arrantos? I won't say anything more, she answers, exiting the room. He tells Tommy he saw everything coming from mirror on wall, including Mrs. Hargue with a knife. Very strange woman, Mrs. Hargue, Chan tells his children. Charlie is reading Magnetic Properties of Electricity by Von Vegon.
Someone in the dark rigs the safe with a pistol, Luis Vega enters the bar-room, pours himself a drink, exits. Paul Arranto enters the bar-room, shuts off the light. Someone steps outside through the glass-paneled doors, security stops him, sends him back inside. Charlie notices the picture covering the safe is tilted, blames Tommy, and Iris said we did not touch it; Birmingham agrees, none of them touched the frame. Chan finds a safe behind a tilted wall picture, Lewis says he found no keys on Melton, Charlie has Tommy rehang picture. Jones, Lewis and Chan are outside, seen through glass-porch-doors, Lewis said someone tried to get out, Jones guesses it was Vega. Someone is pointing a pistol at the men from behind a draped doorway, Birmingham Brown enters the bar-room as the weapon is retracted. Brown goes to the bar, makes himself a drink, he brings it to his mouth, sees a gun from the curtains, he screams, drops his drink and ducks, as the gun is fired at the glass door. Chan comes in with Jones, asking Birmingham what happened. He says the shot came from behind the curtain. Charlie finds a handkerchief behind the curtain. Chan tells Jones the linen he found belongs to Inez Arranto; Miss Arranto does not smoke. Chan says the person who left the linen behind the drape is a very heavy smoker. None of the women smoke. Jones says the men are heavy smokers. Mrs. Winters enters, makes a ditsy comment, Charlie retorts, excuse please, very busy, have murderer to catch, they each exit in different directions. Charlie directs Iris Chan to remain outside of living room doors, keep a sharp eye on Paul Arranto. Charlie asks and gets the household keys from Mrs. Hargue, tries to open the wall safe, as Tommy, Jones and Birmingham stand near and the eye watches them, as well, with the key turning but the safe does not open. Chan tells the Inspector it is time for messenger from coroner to arrive; Jones said he will check on that. Paul Arranto wheels himself out of the living room, Iris Chan guards the living room door, asking, coming out? Paul says, why no, and returns inside the room.
Charlie cautiously enters the laboratory with Tommy and Birmingham. Charlie tries a few switches, lighting the fixtures around the lab. Chan finds the desk lamp with the devil-like mask is sensitive to movement, it moves as Brown moves. Chan discovers the photo-electric cell behind its glass eyes controls its movement; shutting it off, it remains stationary when Brown moves. Birmingham secures himself in one of Melton's experimental chambers. Iris Chan ties a curtain rope to Paul Arranto's wheelchair, while she hides herself in the adjoining room. A person is seen wearing a hat and overcoat, shutting off the lights in a hallway, while a hand is shown shutting off the lights in the laboratory, with Tommy and Charlie looking toward the switch area in the dark. The person shooting has a flashlight, dressed in an overcoat, shoots several times at Charlie, after he throws book at the shooter. The bomb on the upper rack is detonated and several more shots are fired at Chan. Tommy falls from the upper lab area, missing the steps, they rescue Birmingham, together all three-leave lab unhurt. Charlie and Tommy encounter David Blake, Tommy pats him for a gun, gives his father an all clear on Blake. Charlie tells Blake someone shot at him, Blake says he heard shots, heading this way when someone hit me. Chan says to Blake explanation too perfect to be true, downstairs please. Luis Vega in a chair, enters the living room, with everyone except Mr. Arranto, who wheels himself in with a sandwich he prepared while in the pantry, entering the living room. Charlie chastises Iris, I told you to watch Mr. Arranto. Iris claims she thought he was anchored to her rope. Her father shows it is tied to another chair.
Jones hands Charlie the coroner's autopsy report. Charlie informs Jones for second time tonight he was the target of a killer. Someone left this room tonight and tried to kill me and number three son. Charlie tells Paul Arranto with an analogy doubting his innocence by making a sandwich. Chan demonstrates to all suspects how Mr. Melton died. He opened closet door, stood on the metal threshold, pulled the chain and he is dead. Melton was electrocuted. The murderer knew people who die of electricity have no marks upon their body to indicate cause of death. Blake asks Chan, if the coroner could not diagnose electrocution, how could you? Tacks on heel of shoe conduct electricity. Photograph from autopsy showed tiny burns on feet of victim. Vega tells Charlie you turned on the light and nothing happened to you. Birmingham please turn off light in closet. Mr. Vega is asked to turn on light as Chan stands near switch. Vega hesitates, then harshly tells Chan to conduct his own experiments. Charlie tells the assembled group, the murderer wished to kill only one man, Mr. Melton. Chan hooks the wooden pole to the light chain, asks Brown to pull the rod when he says pull. Chan instructs the group, murderer-controlled electricity from this switch in living room. The switch is harmless, but switch panel is loose at top. Through the crack in living room door, the murderer watched Melton descend the stairs, open the closet door, then he pressed loose panel, Brown pulls rod and flash occurs from the light fixture. Faces of the suspects are shown as the demonstration concludes. Chan goes to Paul, asking do you need a refreshment? I could use a drink, he wearily answers, Jones grabs his wheelchair, escorting him to the bar, the others follow, Mr. Vega is stopped by Chan. He asks Luis if he was planning to leave for California tomorrow with the Arrantos. Yes, he answers. So sorry, replies Chan, must detain you.
The group has reassembled in the living room. Vega is on the couch, opposite Mrs. Winters. Chan asks him, do you carry gun? No, is the answer. Being refugee from Europe, do you know many people from Germany? Jones is standing next to Charlie, when he questions Vega if he knows someone named Manlick. He says no. Jones says maybe your name is Manlick. Your last name is really Vega? He replies yes. Could not possibly be von Vegan? No is the answer from Luis. Chan quotes scientific who's who in Germany shows your picture as Phillipe von Vegan. You are no salesman, you are celebrated author and electrical engineer. Chan says murderer now seated on divan. Mrs. Winters reacts to the accusation, springing up, saying that's a lie. She walks across the room. Luis asks Chan, you are accusing me of murder? Chan retorts, you are electrical engineer; murderer always chooses the weapon he knows best. Luis Vega denies the accusation, a click sound is heard, as Luis breaks a new cigar in his hand, he slumps in the divan, with his head on the arm rest, dead. Tommy sees the hole in the back of his suit coat, this guy is dead. Tommy asks where the gun is, you would have a gun to make a hole like that. Chan stipulates, killer discovered of George Melton, now which one of you killed Luis Vega?
David Blake denies killing anyone. Peter Laska denies knowing Vega. Jones asks Mrs. Arranto to step toward him. Jones squeezes her arm, forcing her to confess, when up from the wheelchair bounds Paul Arranto. Jones and Chan apologize, it was Charlie's idea to prove Paul could walk. Paul says he was in an accident some months ago, recovered, but remained in the chair to see which of his political enemies would do if they believed he would not enter politics again. Sister Inez Arranto swears he is telling the truth. The Chans and Jones go behind a curtain in another room, Charlie tells Jones, he already knows where the gun is, a strong suspicion of who the killer is, but without proof on how the trigger was pulled, he cannot accuse anyone. Mrs. Hargue is behind the curtain with another key she found on the piano. She has no idea what lock it fits. Charlie tells Jones torpedo plans are still missing, have one more place to look, if plans are not there, will expose Vega murderer and have guilty person lead me to missing document. Charlie tries the new key in the wall-safe-lock, while Tommy tries to tell him something, the pistol in the safe fires, firing bullet, missing Chan. Jones enters, asks what happened, Chan answers, third and final attempt on my life; Chan adds, wall safe is also a murder trap. Charlie announces to the remaining suspects gathered in the living room, in ten minutes, I will arrest murderer of Luis Vega.
Tommy sits on couch at Charlie's insistence, Charlie says murder gun staring at us like clock trying to hide face behind hands. He removes a spring-loaded pistol from display on the wall, his nose to the barrel produces a smile on his face, Charlie says spring-gun is noiseless, replacing it with loading one bullet into his own revolver, and placing that gun up on the display. He summons and questions Peter Laska about where he was standing when Melton came down the stairs. Next to the bar, responds Laska. Chan claims you had a view of everyone in the room, yet you did not see Mr. Vega. Luis Vega killed Mr. Melton, then he came down the hall and through that door. You have gun permit, where is gun? Laska replies, it is in my room. Chan says you did not leave the gun in the pantry to shoot at me? Jones walks in with a gun, checking the cylinder, recently fired four times. Jones says he found it in the pantry, Chan adds, it was same gun used on me in the pantry. Laska insists he never used that gun. Chan adamantly infers Laska left the gun in the pantry for Vega to use on Mr. Melton. When Vega was ready to confess, you killed him. Laska denies the entire event. Chan orders the arrest of Peter Laska for the murder of Luis Vega. Jones escorts Laska away.
David Blake comments to Charlie, we were all in this room, I don't see how Peter could have killed Vega. Chan directs the group to follow, he will show how Vega was killed. Noiseless spring-loaded gun was displayed on the fireplace wall. Vega's books, one in particular, gave me the insight, the relationship between magnetism and electricity. A magnet fired that gun. When magnet was activated, gun pulled against trigger and fired itself. Mrs. Winters is poised watching Chan's speech and demonstration, on arm resting on the back of a chair. Iris asks, where is the magnet? Chan continues saying magnet is directly in line with gun. This is electromagnet and murder weapon, as Charlie points to the object attached above a lamp sitting on a table directly in line with gun. Chan demonstrates the magnetic attachment by placing a letter opener on the lamp's rounded fixture. Peter was nowhere near the table when Vega was killed. I don't see how he could have done it, insists Paul, Peter stood right beside me at the piano. Chan agrees with the assertion, all of you were at the piano when the murder occurred, therefore, piano is instrument operating the magnet. Chan walks to the piano and tells the group, everyone was watching Vega while at the piano, switch that operates magnet is located here at the piano. Charlie sits on the piano bench. He demonstrates firing his gun on the fireplace wall by flipping the switch near the base of the piano. The gun fires at the divan where Vega was sitting. Chan says that is how Vega was killed. Mrs. Winters asks Charlie if we can all go now, Chan responds everyone may go now; Mrs. Winters has her fur over arm walking away.
She heads toward the other room and Laska appears, blocking her way, she heads back toward the other room, with Jones blocking the way. Mrs. Winters asks, what is the meaning of this? Chan replies, we have finally caught the real murderer of von Vegan. Charlie concludes, saying the only person able to operate switch was seated at time of murder. Peter Laska was standing. You, Mrs. Winters, were the only one seated at the piano. You were working with von Vegan, and thinking he might confess, you killed him, as Charlie wrestles the Statue of Liberty souvenir from under Winters stole. He cracks it open to find the original torpedo plans inside the statue, the final proof of guilt. You are under arrest Fraulein Manlick, Jones hauls her away. Charlie apologizes to Laska, I had to pick on you in order to catch real criminal. Perfectly alright, Laska says Mr. Jones told me about it. Chan says he is grateful to everyone for their cooperation. Brown asks Charlie if Mrs. Winters was doing all the murders? Charlie nods, as Birmingham heads to the phone, calling the employment agency asking for a job with the defense department. When they say he will need an availability ticket from his last employer, he responds oh, oh, Mrs. Winters was his last employer.
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By what name was Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944) officially released in India in English?
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