Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)

Although he had been brought to the cinema and TV screens before (in 1926 and 1927) and since (until the 1981 movie misfire virtually buried him), the classic "Charlie Chan" film series officially ran between 1929 and 1949 and saw four actors portray the character of the famed Oriental sleuth. Thanks to the same American friend through whom I obtained one of the entries in the "Mr. Moto" series, I also own the entire "Charlie Chan" franchise and have already, watched, enjoyed and reviewed a handful of them in the past. Together with the more popular CHARLIE CHAN AT THE OPERA (1936; not least because of Boris Karloff's presence), the film under review is generally the best-regarded of the lot - both, in fact, are the only entries to rate a respectable ** in the esteemed "Leslie Halliwell Film Guide".Instead of Warner Oland and Karloff, here we have Sidney Toler (a Scotsman who inherited the role after Oland's untimely death and the one actor to slip into his investigating shoes the most – 22 times!) and Cesar Romero, plus a fine supporting cast that only adds to the fun: the ubiquitous Victor Sen Yung (as Chan's favourite, "No. 2" son), red-herring Douglass Dumbrille, reporter Douglas Fowley, police chief Donald MacBride, perennially-hungry waiter Wally Vernon, a little-seen Charles Halton, and ill-fated novelist Louis Jean Heydt. The film was directed by Norman Foster (his second of three Chans) who was more involved in the aforementioned concurrent "Mr. Moto" series, including the two entries I have watched from it so far.Toler's third stab at the role sees him land in San Francisco after waking up to the apparent suicide of his friend Heydt on the incoming flight (incidentally, I hazily recall these moments from a solitary Italian-TV broadcast of the film, along with others from the series, one Sunday morning during my childhood!). Suspecting unpleasant fellow traveler Dumbrille, Sen Yung clumsily follows him around while Toler is 'kidnapped' by MacBride's police. He is soon on the trail of the enigmatic occultist Dr. Zodiac who seems to have a stranglehold on much of the tourist resort's populace. Aiding him in unmasking the latter are rival Romero and pal Fowley…but, typically for these pulp thrillers, people and things are not to be taken at face value. Also involved in the broth are Dr. Zodiac's sinister Turkish attendant and an array of women who, however, often do more than just add local colour or provide eye candy. The plot wraps up with a lively finale depicting an eventful public challenge between prestidigitator Romero and the esoteric Dr. Zodiac.

A mind-numbingly simple murder mystery involving Sidney Toler, as Charlie Chan, investigating the killing of his best friend, Louis Jean Heydt, in San Francisco. I may be going mad but I kind of enjoyed it. Watching this cheap film after a day of coping with the usual stresses was like a long potation of cool beer from some microbrewery. There was an immediate, rather pleasant since of dizziness and a slight euphoria.Chan's friend Heydt is murdered aboard the China Clipper from Honolulu to the World's Fair on Treasure Island in San Francisco. Solemnly, Chan examines the body, finds a warning note from "Zodiac", and solemnly pockets the evidence and walks away with it to conduct his investigation. I don't think Chan bothers to tell his friendly colleagues in the SFPD but what the hell does it matter? The inquiry takes Chan and his son into a community of stage magicians and phony spiritualists. Toler as Chan is unfailingly polite, inquisitive, fatalistic, and filled with the wisdom of the East. "Man who find cat missing ought to skip General Tso chicken," or whatever.In the dark night club, the dark séance room, and the dark theater -- all the settings are dark, presumably to mask the tatty sets -- one murder follows upon another until, finally, all is revealed to the amazed assembly. It will come as a surprise.Cesar Romero is a legitimate illusionist, as magicians prefer to call themselves, and it's a little surprising to see some of the stage tricks revealed. Number Two Son is available to provide hysterical laughter as he dons a wig, a flat black hat, and a beard and apparently tries to pass himself off as a Lubavicher Rebbe. Donald MacBride is the cooperative Chief of Police. Douglass Dumbrille is an obvious suspect, if only because Douglass Dumbrille is ALWAYS an obvious suspect, even though he appears to be a genuine insurance investigator.Absolutely ludicrous. I think I'll buy the whole pack.

Maybe the best of the first three Sidney Toler Chans. Here, Chan investigates the killing of an author who was writing a mystery novel that exposed a fake psychic. Taking place at the San Francisco World's Fair at Treasure Island in 1939, Charlie and son Jimmy become assisted by a show magician named Rhadini (Cesar Romero), who himself has been trying put the finger on phony psychics, and who has been attempting to get a suspected Dr. Zodiac on his stage to try and unmask him. This effort benefits from the usual strong pairing of Toler and Yung, but also an added element of spookiness and the macabre through the séance and mind reading sequences featuring Dr. Zodiac. The wrap-up at the end is particularly well-realized and the killer's reveal is one of the most satisfactory surprises of the series. *** out of ****

"Charlie Chan at Treasure Island" is at the top of many Chan fan lists as their favorite; it certainly deserves that distinction. Even when the film gets creepy it's fun, as in the séance scene at the home of Dr. Zodiac.Charlie Chan's friend Paul Essex is an apparent suicide aboard a San Francisco bound plane flight. His suicide note - "Can't escape Zodiac, Good Bye my Love, Paul".Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is warned not to investigate: "Do not challenge the supernatural unless you are prepared to visit your ancestors." But investigate he does, and as usual we are introduced to a colorful cast of characters and suspects along the way. There's The Great Rhadini (Cesar Romero), who challenges other magicians and psychics, his mind reading assistant Eve Cairo (Pauline Moore), and insurance investigator Salsbury (Douglas Dumbrille). Aiding Charlie on the case are Number #2 Son Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) and Deputy Chief Kilvaine (Donald MacBride).Watch for a neat scene when Chan returns to the Zodiac home a second time - a black cat crosses his path.The twist to the story comes when we learn that Romero's character Rhadini is also Dr. Zodiac, blackmailing victims with secrets from their past. He even takes a knife to the shoulder during an on stage performance in an attempt to throw suspicion in a different direction. The film borrows from a Bela Lugosi trademark, piercing dark eyes attempting to overcome psychic Eve Cairo's thoughts while under Chan's influence to flush out the killer of Zodiac's Turkish servant.The film is set against the backdrop of the 1939 San Francisco World's Fair, Treasure Island being an attraction, along with the Century of Progress Exhibition. But as in most of the Charlie Chan films, the locale is secondary to the mystery, and this time it's a good one, with clever writing and just enough imagination to make you wonder whether mind reading might actually be real!