Our Monday Evening Chat/Film Viewing: "The Jade Mask"
FROM CHARLIE CHAN: "Murder know no law of "relativity."
THIS WEEK Charlie Chan is called on to investigate the murder of an eccentric scientist who has worked on a chemical formula for turning wood into a super hard material. Chan, working with Number Four Son, Edward and assistant Birmingham Brown, soon finds that there is much more to this case, including more deaths, than was first apparent!
As is our custom, we begin arriving at 7:30 Eastern Time, we will be sharing, before our featured presentation, an “extra” in the form of a vintage Charlie Chan continuing radio drama! Following our “extra,” we will collectively run our feature at 8:15!
OUR PRESENTATIONS:
1. “The Baffling Murder of Colonel Willoughby,“ (part 3) radio program (1936; Runtime: 14:13)
2. “The Jade Mask” (1944; Runtime: 69 minutes)
FEATURE SUMMARY: Charlie Chan is assigned by the government to investigate the murder of Harper, an eccentric scientist who had been experimenting with a formula that could turn wood into a substance as hard as steel. Chan, with Number Four Son, Edward and Birmingham Brown in tow finds himself in a strange mansion that is teeming with an odd assortment of suspects, virtually all having a possible motive to do away with Harper. Several additional murders occur as the detective closes in on his quarry.
FILM NOTES: The working title of this film was “Mystery Mansion.” The title card on the print reads: “Charlie Chan in ‘The Jade Mask.’" Early ‘Hollywood Reporter’ production charts include Russell Simpson in the cast, but it is unlikely that he appeared in the released film. The ‘Variety’ review mistakenly identifies Edwin Luke's role as Tommy in the accompanying list of credits. Edwin Luke, who played Edward Chan in this picture, was the younger brother of actor Keye Luke, who had previously played son Lee Chan in numerous films in this series.
TIME: We begin with arrivals and greetings at 7:30 EASTERN TIME. Then, we share our “extra,” which will be followed at exactly 8:15 (EDT) when we share our featured presentation “The Jade Mask.”
LOCATION: Our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room, which is accessed at http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html.
IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FEATURE: Often our features can be found available online. GOOD NEWS! Our feature for this week, “The Jade Mask,” is available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcTtjoSMkDQ&t=1883s. Also, our “extra” can be found at: http://podbay.fm/show/288425504/e/1244009280?autostart=1
NEXT WEEK: “The Scarlet Clue” starring Sidney Toler, and we continue with a new episode of our Charlie Chan radio drama, “The Baffling Murder of Colonel Willoughby.”
PLEASE accept this invitation share part of your Monday evening with us as we view together, enjoy, and comment on “The Jade Mask.”
