FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Wise man has said, ‘Beware of spider who invite fly into parlor.’”

GREETINGS! As the skies over Europe darken and the world powers are increasingly at odds, Charlie Chan meets in Paris with a group commemorating the end of the last great conflict twenty years before…

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 PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan in City in Darkness” (1939; 69 minutes); along with our “extra,” a Charlie Chan radio mystery, “The Landini Murder Case: The Heir”. (1936; 15 minutes).

FEATURE INTRODUCTION: Charlie Chan is in Paris attending the twentieth anniversary gathering of members of the Intelligence Service, who have come together in that city to mark the occasion. There, as the City of Light is darkened by the gathering clouds of impending war, he investigates the murder of a munitions manufacturer who was supplying arms to the enemy.

FEATURE NOTES: “Charlie Chan in City in Darkness” begins with newsreel-like footage featuring actual European leaders of the moment, including Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Edward Benes (then president of Czechoslovakia), and Neville Chamberlain, then prime Minister of Great Britain, who became famous for his "Peace for Our Time" statement based on the dubious outcome of the Munich Conference which figures at the end of the film via Charlie Chan’s ominous warning.

CAST (as credited):

Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Lynn Bari: Marie Dubon (also known as Madame Madero)
Richard Clark: Tony Madero
Harold Huber: Marcel [Spivak]
Pedro de Cordoba: Antoine
Dorothy Tree: Charlotte Ronnell
C. Henry Gordon: Prefect of Police [J. Romaine]
Douglas Drumbrille: [B.] Petroff
Noel Madison: Belescu
Leo Carroll: Louis Santelle
Lon Chaney, Jr.: Pierre
Louis Mercier: ["Gentleman"] Max
George Davis: Alex
Barbara Leonard: Lola
Adrienne d'Ambricourt: Landlady
Frederik Vogeding: Captain [Holtz]
Gino Corrado: Cafe Owner

UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):

Edvard Benes: Himself (archive footage)
Eugene Borden: Gendarme
Neville Chamberlain: Himself (archive footage)
André Cheron: Robed Man in Hallway
Ann Codee: Complainant at Police Headquarters
Albert Conti: Travel Agency Manager
Gino Corrado: Wine Cellar Proprietor
Jean De Briac: Puppeteer
Jean Del Val: Taxicab Driver
Fred Farrell
Harry Fleishmann: Baptiste
Constant Franke: Officer
Arno Frey: Pilot
John George: Victor the Gyp
Helen Giere
Adolph Hitler: Himself (archive footage)
Paul Irving: Doctor
Jeanne Lafayette: French Girl
Michael Mark: Mechanic
Alphonse Martell: Gendarme
Alberto Morin: Clerk
Benito Mussolini: Himself (archive footage)
Nita Pike: Telephone Operator
Albert Pollet: Taxicab Driver
Frank Puglia: Gendarme at Steamship Office
Joseph Romantini: Gendarme
Rolfe Sedan: Hotel Manager
Tom Seidel: Philip
Lester Sharpe: Market Man
George Sorel: Plainclothes Officer
Larry Steers: Man Leaving Paris
Jaques Vanaire: Gendarme
Veola Vonn: French Girl
Poppty Wilde: One of Petroff's Girlfriends
Marek Windheim: Taxicab Driver
FOR COMPLETE INFORMATION ON OUR FEATURE: Please go to http://www.charliechan.info/id39.html


TRIVIA: The advice given by the butler, Antoine, to his soldier son concerns having rhubarb pills available. Rhubarb was used primarily for digestive complaints including constipation and diarrhea which were among major complaints by World War I survivors, Antoine having served in the Great War. (From: IMDb)

THIS WEEK’S TERM: Croix de Guerre - with Palms - A French military decoration for bravery in combat. A bronze palm is added for those cited at the army level.

Marcel Spivak: "We will get the Croix de Guerre - with palms!"

THIS WEEK’S IMAGE: At the airport, Marcel Spivak and Charlie Chan react to a tragic moment.



For a viewing of more than 500 images from ALL films in the Charlie Chan series and MORE, please visit our Gallery: http://www.charliechan.info/id448.html

IF YOU LACK A COPY OF OUR FILM: Often our features can be found online. Continued JOY! “Charlie Chan in City in Darkness” IS AVAILABLE online! You may access it above at “THIS WEEK’S PRESENTATION” and also at our Chat Room as a link.

OUR MONTHLY POLL: Please take a moment to cast your vote in our APRIL 2021 POLL, right here: May 2021 Poll

OUR APRIL POLL RESULT:

QUESTION: Do you think a Charlie Chan film could be made today?

Yes 75%

No 25%

DO YOU HAVE A POLL QUESTION? You are invited 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/id830.html

NEXT WEEK: “Charlie Chan in Panama”

OUR CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY NEWSLETTER for this year!

This is our third annual Charlie Chan Family Newsletter! It contains the work of a number of Charlie Chan Family members and friends. Thank you so much to Lou Armagno, aka, HonoluLou, who has put together and published yet another masterpiece! Please use this link to access this year's newsletter which covers the year 2020. Please enjoy!

AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: AND… DON’T MISS THIS GREAT CHARLIE CHAN BLOG!: A great blog site, The Postman on Holiday, is 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: www.thepostmanonholiday.com

SO, REMEMBER, PLEASE JOIN US for this week’s feature, “Charlie Chan in City in Darkness.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH…

Sincerely,

Rush Glick