The Shanghai Chest * (1948, Roland Winters, Mantan Moreland, Victor Sen Yung, Tim Ryan) – Classic Movie Review 9061

Director William Beaudine’s 1948 low-budget Monogram Studios series thriller The Shanghai Chest is a just passable Charlie Chan entry, starring Roland Winters in his third film as Asian-American detective Charlie Chan probing killings apparently committed by an executed murderer whose fingerprints are found at three murder sites.

Just passable it may be, with a reasonable mystery story, however, old Chinese proverb say: too many old Chinese proverbs make boring film. Winters is weak as Charlie Chan, and the comic relief of his sidekicks Birmingham Brown and Tommy Chan strains patience and good humour. To be fair, they might have been considered quite funny at the time. Charlie Chan’s once witty aphorisms are reduced to poorly imagined dialogue such as: ‘Surprised detective might just as well clutch iron ball and jump in lake’ or ‘Man who have gun either afraid or have guilty conscience.’.

Also in the cast are Mantan Moreland as Birmingham Brown, Victor Sen Yung as Tommy Chan, Tim Ryan as Police Lt. Mike Ruark, Deannie Best, Tristram Coffin, John Alvin, Russell Hicks, Pierre Watkin, Philip Van Zandt, Milton Parsons, Olaf Hytten, Erville Alderson, George Eldredge as Police Sgt. Pat Finley and Willie Best.

A Shanghai Chest is never seen or mentioned in the film.

It is the first of three appearances in the series as Police Lt. Mike Ruark of Tim Ryan, the husband of Irene Ryan (Granny in TV’s The Beverly Hillbillies).

The Shanghai Chest is directed by William Beaudine, runs 65 minutes, is made and released by Monogram Pictures, is written by W Scott Darling (screenplay) and Sam Newman (original story and screenplay) , is shot by William A Sickner, is produced by James S Burkett and is scored by Edward J Kay (musical director), and designed by Dave Milton (art director). It is shot at Monogram Studios.

The 44th of 47 Charlie Chan movies, it follows Docks of New Orleans (1948) and is followed by The Golden Eye (1948).

Roland Winters made his debut as Charlie Chan in The Chinese Ring (1947), starring in six movies. He took over as Charlie Chan after cancer-stricken Sidney Toler’s final film, The Trap (1946).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9061

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com