Charlie Chan in Reno *** (1939, Sidney Toler, Ricardo Cortez, Phyllis Brooks) – Classic Movie Review 9050

Director Norman Foster’s 1939 comedy crime mystery thriller Charlie Chan in Reno again stars Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, who this time heads for Reno to clear innocent Hawaiian woman Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore), his old friend in Reno for a divorce, of a homicide charge, accused of murdering her husband’s new wife to be.

Charlie Chan in Reno is a breezy mystery with a fast pace and a fine turn from Toler as Charlie Chan, cutting a well-constructed path through Reno divorcées, bodies and suspects galore.

Also in the cast are Ricardo Cortez, Phyllis Brooks, Pauline Moore, Slim Summerville, Kane Richmond, Victor Sen Yung, Robert Lowery, Eddie Collins, Kay Linaker, Morgan Conway, Hamilton MacFadden, Iris Wong, Charles D Brown and Louise Henry.

Hamilton MacFadden, who plays a night clerk, directed three earlier big budget entries in the series: The Black Camel (1931), Charlie Chan Carries On (1931) and Charlie Chan’s Greatest Case (1933) , in addition to starting Charlie Chan in Paris (1935).

The 21st of 47 Charlie Chan movies, it follows Charlie Chan in Honolulu (1938) and is followed by Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939).

Charlie Chan in Reno is directed by Norman Foster, runs 70 minutes, is made and released by 20th Century Fox, is written by Frances Hyland, Albert Ray and Robert E Kent, is shot in black and white by Virgil Miller, is produced by John Stone and is scored by Samuel Kaylin.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9050

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