Murder Over New York (1940)

Director:

Harry Lachman

Writers:

Earl Derr Biggers (characters)
Lester Ziffren (writer)

Release Date:

13 December 1940 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

When Charlie's old friend from Scotland Yard is murdered when they attend a police convention in New York, Chan picks up the case he was working on.

Plot Keywords:

Convention | Detective | Butler | Saboteur | Father Son Relationship

Cast

Sidney Toler	...	Charlie Chan
Marjorie Weaver	...	Patricia Shaw
Robert Lowery	...	David Elliot
Ricardo Cortez	...	George Kirby
Donald MacBride	...	Insp. Vance
Melville Cooper	...	Herbert Fenton aka Snuffy
Joan Valerie	...	June Preston
Kane Richmond	...	Ralph Percy
Victor Sen Yung	...	Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung)
John Sutton	...	Richard Jeffery
Leyland Hodgson	...	Robert Boggs
Clarence Muse	...	Butler
Frederick Worlock	...	Hugh Drake
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Ramullah

Runtime:

65 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jimmy runs out to tarmac at the airport, to see his pop, Charlie Chan, he ends up standing facing him, with Hugh Drake between them. Then there's a studio shot where Jimmy is standing next to Charlie, not across from him, with Hugh Drake opposite.

Quotes:

Jimmy Chan: Come on, Pop. Let's get goin'!
Charlie Chan: Number Two get going to bed.
Jimmy Chan: Oh, but I'm not tired.
Charlie Chan: Fresh weed better than wilted rose.

Movie Connections:

Follows Charlie Chan in Shanghai (1935)

Bomber TR-4 Threatened!

In another pre-war sabotage warning, Sidney Toler (as Charlie Chan) protects America's military production while explaining: `One man with gun have more authority than whole army with no ammunition.' Fair series entry with only a slight chance that the viewer will be able to predict the guilty party. As in many of the early Chan films, key information known only to the detective is not revealed until after the solution is announced. On the other hand, there is at least one good clue that might point you in the right direction. `Wishful thinking sometimes lead to blind alley.'

Former Scotland Yard Inspector Hugh Drake is killed prior to sharing information that would lead to the identity of mastermind killer and saboteur Paul Narvo. Mrs. Narvo has escaped from her husband and fears he will kill her since she knows of his escapades. Just enough misdirection and alternative suspects to keep it interesting. Chan is `aided' by his `favorite son' Jimmy in identifying presence of poison gas `tetrogene' and in finding Drake's killer, Chan and the police prevent the loss of a bomber TR-4 (played by the Lockheed Loadstar which is in fact pressed into wartime service as both a bomber and cargo plane) while undergoing a test flight over New York.

Racial slurs re-introduced in this film – dialog should probably be cut when shown today since it adds nothing. Closing credits list Marjorie Weaver as playing the part of Patricia Shaw while in film she uses the alias Patria West and her Scotland Yard Criminal Investigation Bureau card shows her maiden name as Miriam Shaw.

Fair mystery best recommended only for those who want to see the entire series.