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Post by teleadm on May 11, 2017 17:42:21 GMT
Just a little side note about how many Torch Blane movies there are, there are 9 of them, made between 1937 and 1939 the first eight with Glenda Farrell, in the last (ninth) made Torchy was played by Jane Wyman. The first four made don't have the name Torchy in the titles (Smart Blonde 1937, Fly Away Baby 1937, The Adventurous Blonde 1937 and Blondes at Work 1938), and then the Torchy name got into the titles (in Panama 1938, Gets Her Man 1938, in Chinatown 1939, Runs for Mayor 1939 and Playing with Dynamite 1939). Fly Away Baby 1937 has also been renamed, probably for the TV market, to The Adventures of Torchy Blane.
A question to all the Charlie Chan fans here: Is any of the Charlie Chan movies based on the Earl Derr Biggers crime novels? Either more or less the whole novels, or just some parts of the plots, or were all written directly for the movies?
Has any one seen the other oriental detectives of the 1930s, Mr Moto and Mr Wong? I've only seen one of each, both out in public domain, Mr Moto was played by Peter Lorre, and Mr Wong by Boris Karloff.
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Post by mikef6 on May 11, 2017 18:02:40 GMT
Has any one seen the other oriental detectives of the 1930s, Mr Moto and Mr Wong? I've only seen one of each, both out in public domain, Mr Moto was played by Peter Lorre, and Mr Wong by Boris Karloff. Mr. Moto is more a spy than detective series and the stories more adventure than mystery. The casts frequently feature familiar faces in supporting roles, including Ricardo Cortez (Last Warning), Jean Hersholt (On Danger Island), Henry Wilcoxon, (Mysterious), and Leon Ames (Mysterious and On Danger Island). Moto can sometimes be ruthless as after a fight with an enemy on a ship, Moto picks him up, holds him over his head, and throws him overboard. The only “mystery” Moto is the third, “Mr. Moto’s Gamble.” This was already in production as a Charlie Chan when Warner Oland came down with his fatal illness. Scenes were reshot to accommodate Peter Lorre, but Keye Luke as number-one son remained in the picture to assist Moto. There are nine Mr. Moto films. Mr. Wong is a five movie series starring Boris Karloff as an Oxford educated, San Francisco dwelling Asian-American. The aim was, of course, for Monogram to compete with 20th Century Fox’s Charlie Chan films. It didn’t work, but seven years after the close of “Mr. Wong,” Monogram acquired the Chan series for itself. A postscript: there was a reboot of the Mr. Wong series, released in 1940, the same year as the last of Karloff’s two Wongs, that only lasted one movie. Keye Luke starred as Jimmy Wong, the next generation. (Of all the actors who floated through the Chan, Moto, and Wong movies, Keye Luke was the only person of Asian heritage to play an Asian lead. “Mr. Wong, Detective” (1938) introduces the Karloff character and the only other continuing actor, Grant Withers as homicide Det. Street, who is always blustering and accusing the wrong person. The mystery, itself, is a pretty good one but the budget is meager and production values are low, almost entirely confined to cramped studio sets. At least the first of the series is recommendable for fans of ‘30s and ‘40s mystery franchises. Note: Here is a treat for people who grew up watching TV in the 1950s. John Hamilton, who played Perry White, editor of The Daily Planet, in “The Adventures Of Superman” (1952-1958), has a small role as the man who hires Wong to look into his case. “The Fatal Hour” (1940) shows a decline in script quality in only the fourth Wong film. It runs barely over an hour and the sets are more confined than ever – and people don’t swing into action. Det. Street declares that he will not rest until he brings the killer to justice, but rarely gets up from behind his desk. Boris is, as always, perfect. One development of this movie is that they give Det. Street a love interest in a Torchy Blaine-ish fast-talking gal-reporter played by Marjorie Reynolds, another memory trip for people who grew up with ‘50s TV. After hearing the name “Marjorie Reynolds,” anyone in this category should have automatically started reciting the opening credits to “Life Of Riley” (“With Marjorie Reynolds as Peg, Tom D’Andrea as Gillis, Lugene Sanders as Babs, Wes Morgan as Junior and William Bendix as Riley”). Final footnote: the murderer is obvious from about half-way through.
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Post by Nalkarj on May 11, 2017 18:10:05 GMT
A question to all the Charlie Chan fans here: Is any of the Charlie Chan movies based on the Earl Derr Biggers crime novels? Either more or less the whole novels, or just some parts of the plots, or were all written directly for the movies?Has any one seen the other oriental detectives of the 1930s, Mr Moto and Mr Wong? I've only seen one of each, both out in public domain, Mr Moto was played by Peter Lorre, and Mr Wong by Boris Karloff. Offhand... The Black Camel is based on Biggers's novel of the same name. The now sadly-lost Charlie Chan Carries On is also based on the same-named Biggers novel, as is the fortunately still-extant Spanish-language version, Eran Trece. I don't think any more are, at least of those that are still around, but CC's Murder Cruise borrows much of its plot from ...Carries On. mikef6 's response was first-class re: Mr. Moto and Mr. Wong. I've only seen one Mr. Wong picture (the first) in its entirety, and I've never seen a complete Moto. The one Wong I've seen, Mr. Wong, Detective, wasn't great, but it was decent, even good; Karloff was miscast for the lead, but he gives a fine, respectful performance. Mike said that the mystery is a fairly good one, and indeed it is: in fact, it improves on a already-clever plot point in Charlie Chan in Egypt. EDIT: Oh, I forgot: they're not in the series proper, but The House Without a Key ('26) and Behind That Curtain ('29) were also based on Biggers's original Chan novels.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on May 11, 2017 18:36:51 GMT
I feel I must point out that there was no camel to be seen in The Black Camel, but there was a rather cranky one in Behind That Curtain, strange.
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Post by Nalkarj on May 11, 2017 19:06:10 GMT
I feel I must point out that there was no camel to be seen in The Black Camel, but there was a rather cranky one in Behind That Curtain, strange. One of these days I'll have to take a look at Behind That Curtain, as I said, but with The Black Camel... Isn't the point that there's some old Chinese proverb about "the black camel of death" or something? Kinda like how death is "sleeping the big sleep" in Chandler's book? Or am I misremembering? Either way, there are a lot of camels in Charlie Chan in Egypt!
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Post by Doghouse6 on May 11, 2017 19:27:12 GMT
I feel I must point out that there was no camel to be seen in The Black Camel, but there was a rather cranky one in Behind That Curtain, strange. One of these days I'll have to take a look at Behind That Curtain, as I said, but with The Black Camel... Isn't the point that there's some old Chinese proverb about "the black camel of death" or something? Kinda like how death is "sleeping the big sleep" in Chandler's book? Or am I misremembering? Either way, there are a lot of camels in Charlie Chan in Egypt! "Death is a black camel that kneels unbidden at every gate."I must admit, the title doesn't evoke much that relates to the film, does it? If they'd been prescient, they might have saved it for ...In Egypt.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on May 11, 2017 21:33:17 GMT
I feel I must point out that there was no camel to be seen in The Black Camel, but there was a rather cranky one in Behind That Curtain, strange. One of these days I'll have to take a look at Behind That Curtain, as I said, but with The Black Camel... Isn't the point that there's some old Chinese proverb about "the black camel of death" or something? Kinda like how death is "sleeping the big sleep" in Chandler's book? Or am I misremembering? Either way, there are a lot of camels in Charlie Chan in Egypt! Looking forward to when I chronologically reach that camelpalooza, Charlie Chan in Egypt.
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Post by Nalkarj on Sept 20, 2017 18:09:12 GMT
Oh, sure, if only for Lorre. It has its curiosity value as well (Nelson makes a decidedly un-Bond-ian, and rather emotional, Bond). And 52 minutes doesn't require much of an investment. Apologies for bumping this thread, folks, but I just (last night) took a look at the Climax! "Casino Royale," Doghouse6, and rather enjoyed it, even if it was a very abbreviated and minor adaptation of the book. I wasn't all that fond of Barry Nelson's "Jimmy" Bond, but it was less the emotionalism--or even the Americanness--that threw me than it was the dullness. I just didn't think he played the character well. Even so, Lorre was as good as usual, and the whole thing was good fun. Making Bond American (and, thus, Leiter British) is somewhat forgivable, as the books hadn't yet achieved popularity (that took JFK and his fondness for From Russia with Love), but I found the conflation of René Mathis and Vesper Lynd very confusing. Granted that Mathis could be excised from the plot because of time constraints, but then why not just keep Vesper as Vesper? It seems a strange choice.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Sept 21, 2017 13:11:38 GMT
I seem to have dropped poor Mr. Chan in favor of other things lately, next week I have some "staycation" days, will surely visit him again then. Charlie Chan in London is up next, chronologically.
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Post by Nalkarj on Jan 20, 2021 16:19:48 GMT
Wow, it’s been three years, already?! What happened? Just wondering if anyone would be interested in changing their list of rankings, if anyone new wants to chime in, or just to talk about old Charlie. We haven’t talked about him in a while, and I don’t want him to feel forgotten! My list of favorites hasn’t changed much (though I still have yet to see many of the Toler Monograms and all of the Winters entries): 1. Charlie Chan at Treasure Island2. Charlie Chan in Egypt3. Charlie Chan in Paris4. Charlie Chan at the Opera5. Charlie Chan at the Race Track 6. Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum7. Black Magic ( Meeting at Midnight) 8. Charlie Chan’s Secret9. Castle in the Desert 10. The Black Camel
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Post by Prime etc. on Jan 20, 2021 17:16:23 GMT
Charlie Chain in Paris! Especially for the actress who should have been the lead.
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Post by teleadm on Jan 20, 2021 18:31:56 GMT
In these past years I've seen one Charlie Chan. My first with Sidney Toler, a few months ago.
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Post by Nalkarj on Jan 20, 2021 18:38:26 GMT
In these past years I've seen one Charlie Chan. My first with Sidney Toler, a few months ago. Treasure Island? What did you think?
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Post by Nalkarj on Jan 20, 2021 18:49:10 GMT
Charlie Chain in Paris! Especially for the actress who should have been the lead. Ruth Peterson! Heh, I was reading a now-20-year-old (!) forum where a couple of film critics posted, and poster “freddybastion” pointed her out. Yeah, she’s only in CC in Paris for about two seconds, but in those two seconds she’s really cute.
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Post by teleadm on Jan 20, 2021 18:51:46 GMT
In these past years I've seen one Charlie Chan. My first with Sidney Toler, a few months ago. Treasure Island? What did you think? Yes, it's Treasure Island, and I liked it. It's said to be one of the best of the Toler Chan's so I thought I would give it a chance.
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Post by Prime etc. on Jan 20, 2021 18:58:16 GMT
Ruth Peterson! Heh, I was reading a now-20-year-old (!) forum where a couple of film critics posted, and poster “freddybastion” pointed her out. Yeah, she’s only in CC in Paris for about two seconds, but in those two seconds she’s really cute. It's a good example of how an unknown someone's charisma can really show through instantly. I only watched it because you brought it up here--but it's true. It shows how important good casting is--easy to take for granted.
I am curious about Mr Wong though. I did watch the first Think Fast Mr Moto. I want to watch the Henry Silva one too.
I should get some more Charlie Chans.
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Post by Prime etc. on Jan 20, 2021 18:59:46 GMT
I came up with my own Charlie Chan saying.
Friend who advises you treat itchy back with burning stick not missed when going on long vacation.
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Post by Lebowskidoo 🦞 on Jan 21, 2021 14:13:57 GMT
This thread reminded me I stalled in my Chan watching. I was enjoying them, but I'm easily distracted by other things. Sometime this week I need to pick up the ball and start running again by watching Charlie Chan in Paris (1935), the next in the series.
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Post by Nalkarj on Jan 21, 2021 15:57:26 GMT
This thread reminded me I stalled in my Chan watching. I was enjoying them, but I'm easily distracted by other things. Sometime this week I need to pick up the ball and start running again by watching Charlie Chan in Paris (1935), the next in the series. No worries, Lebowskidoo! Hope you enjoy Paris… It’s one of my favorites in the series and (IMO) a huge improvement on London.
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Post by BATouttaheck on Jan 24, 2021 0:54:42 GMT
Wow, it’s been three years, already?! What happened?not much ....
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