OUR CCF MONDAY EVENING CHAT AND FILM VIEWING FOR August 3: “Black Magic” ("Meeting at Midnight
FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Spirits always have very long way to come.”
GREETINGS! We move along our path through the Charlie Chan film series this week as Charlie Chan needs to take on a murder case in order to officially clear daughter Frances who was present during the mysterious death of psychic Br. Bonner.
OUR CHAT ROOM: Our Chat Room can be accessed the same way that we accessed by going to our “Chat Room” link at charliechan.info, or use this direct link: http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html
THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATIONS: “Black Magic”/”Meeting at Midnight” (1944; 65 minutes) along with our “extra,” the FIFTH episode of “Secret Agent X-9” with Keye Luke! (1945; 20 minutes).
FEATURE SUMMARY: A murder occurs during a séance conducted by a fraudulent medium. Birmingham Brown, who happens to be on the premises when the killing occurs as is Charlie Chan's daughter, Frances. Chan finds himself entangled in a dangerous web as he follows the killer's trail of death in a case that has its origins a decade in the past.
FEATURE NOTES: The working titles of this film were “Murder Chamber” and “Charlie Chan in the Murder Chamber.” It was also reviewed as “Charlie Chan in Black Magic.” The film was later reissued as “Meeting at Midnight,” probably so as to avoid confusion following the 1949 release of the Orson Wells film also titled “Black Magic.” Although a ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item lists Trevor Bardette in the cast, his participation in the completed film has not been confirmed.
TRIVIA: Although Charlie Chan's daughters appeared with him in previous films (including “Charlie Chan in Honolulu” (1938) and “Charlie Chan at the Circus” (1936), and “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service” (1944), this is the only film in which a daughter (Frances) plays the SOLE assistant role usually done by one of Chan's sons (Lee, Jimmy, Tommy).
TERM OF THE WEEK: Shattuck Hotel - A landmark hotel located in Berkeley, California, that opened in 1910.
Black Magic/Meeting at Midnight - Frances Chan (answering Sgt. Matthews at to where her father is staying): "At the Shattuck Hotel."
LOCATION: Our Charlie Chan Family Chat Room, which is accessed at http://www.charliechan.info/id17.html.
IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILM: Often our features can be found online. Fortunately, OUR FEATURE IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, so please use the link provided at our Chat Room.
OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our August 2020 POLL, found as you scroll down our Entrance Page (http://www.charliechan.info/index.html)!
CAST (as credited):
Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown
Frances Chan: Frances Chan
Joseph Crehan: Sergeant Matthews
Helen Beverley: Norma Duncan (alias Nancy Woods)
Jacqueline deWit: Justine Bonner
Geraldine Wall: Harriett Green
Ralph Peters: Rafferty
Frank Jaquet: Paul Hamlin
Edward Earle: Dawson
Claudia Dell: Vera Starkey
Harry Depp: Charles Edwards
Charles Jordan: Tom Starkey
Richard Gordon: William Bonner
UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):
Darby Jones: Mr. Johnson
George Morrell: Man at Elevator
Dick Rush: Police Officer
Crane Whitley: Dr. Bonner
OUR JULY POLL RESULT:
QUESTION: Which would you choose as the better "prison movie" in the Charlie Chan series?
Charlie Chan in London 59%
Dark Alibi 41%
Please cast your vote in our AUGUST Poll!
DO YOU HAVE A POLL QUESTION? Please feel free to suggest a Monthly Poll question! Send your ideas to: charliechanfamily@lyahoo.com.
OUR CCF CHAT ARCHIVE: Please take a look at our growing collection of CCF Chat Texts from previous years and this year: http://www.charliechan.info/id630.html
NEXT WEEK: Please join us on Monday, August 3 as we share “Black Magic” also known as “The Jade Mask”!
AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: Continuing strongly in 2020, great blog site, The Postman on Holiday, offered by our own Charlie Chan and Earl Derr Biggers expert, Lou Armagno which is: "A place to explore all things surrounding Detective Charlie Chan, his creator Earl Derr Biggers, and their connection with Hawaii, Cleveland, and mystery fiction." Updated each month, it can be found at this address: The Postman on Holiday!
SO, PLEASE JOIN US as we watch and share “Black Magic.”
