Charlie Chan in The Chinese Cat (1944)
1h 6m | PG-13
To solve the murder of a man shot in a locked room, Chan must wade through a Fun House, the writings of an unscrupulous author, and chess pieces.
Director: Phil Rosen
Studio: Monogram Pictures
Genre: Mystery, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Video: 720p
Cast
Sidney Toler
as Charlie Chan
Joan Woodbury
as Leah Manning
Mantan Moreland
as Birmingham Brown, Taxi Driver
Benson Fong
as Tommy Chan, #3 Son
Ian Keith
as Dr. Paul Recknik
Sam Flint
as Thomas P. Manning
Reviews
When millionaire "Manning" (Sam Flint) is found dead inside a locked room, the baffled police make no progress so pretty much abandon their efforts to apprehend the culprit. A while later, the victim's daughter "Leah" (Joan Woodbury) finds the case the subject of a book that levels some pretty unsavoury accusations, and so she enlists the talents of the sleuthing "Charlie Chan" (Sidney Toler) to get to the bottom of this most bamboozling of mysteries. This time it's number 3 son "Tommy" (Benson Fong) who helps out, alongside the rather chicken chauffeur "Birmingham Brown" (Mantan Moreland). Its an OK watch, with a bit of gentle comedy from time to time and a mystery that just about sustains interest for an hour. Toler isn't on his best form, his scathing put downs of his enthusiastic son and the over-played antics of his driver quickly wear thin, but there is some fun to be had at the end in the not so deserted "Fun House".