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The Charlie Chan Family Message Board

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The Charlie Chan Family Message Board
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First, I'm glad that Robbie is posting here because she has a great question that I would also like to see an answer to!

I also have a new item on my blog about Philo Vance that really is on the topic of Charlie Chan.

Our new girl, Lillian, pointed out that S.S. Van Dine listed the 20 rules of writing detective stories and that the Chan movie writers broke SEVERAL of them.

The list is too long for Lillian to have put on one post but I think you might have fun pitting your brains against the movie writers . . . and proving that you're as smart as the original detective writers like Van Dine and Earl Derr Biggers!

Virginia

Re: On Topic

Thank you, Virginia, for those words of welcome.

It seems to me that to some extent, comparing the
content of a book with that of a screenplay is not
really fair. An author can leave many details to
the reader's imagination, but a scriptwriter must
spell out every word and action in the exact way
they are to be carried out in the film. So one
could argue that it is unrealistic to expect a movie
script to follow a set of rules designed for books.

How do other members feel on this topic?

Robbie

Re: Re: On Topic

I have long enjoyed reading the books of movies I have seen. It's fun, especially when both book and movie are done well--each has its own merits to offer its audience.

What I have a problem with, be it book or movie writers, is when they hold out.

An example that I can mention here since it won't give a Chan ending away is the Holmesian Terror By Night.

It's a good mystery, well constructed, and Sherlock Holmes (Basil Rathbone) logically explains why and how he came to his conclusions. He then adds that he knew that Inspector MacDonald was a fake because he knew the REAL MacDonald.

That's a mild case but you can see what I mean about the writers holding out on the audience.

Virginia

Cheating writers

You are absolutely right, Virginia, in that the
rules for writing mysteries clearly state that there
must be no clue so concealed that a reader cannot find
it, with enough effort.

Robbie

Re: On Topic "cheats"

While I'm all for rules in some things, the rules by Vance seem a bit egotistic. He reminds me of the mystery writer in SLEUTH who is always comparing the concept of mystery writing with some noble past time.

Perhaps, more similar to Disney's pirate's code (more a guideline than actual rules), these rules are of interest. But if you read the first 15 (all I could find), you will realize such authors as Doyle and Christie break them from time to time.

As for the movies, even in non-Chan films, the writers and directors are more interested in making something entertaining than "fair". To paraphrase David Bowie in LABRYNTH, "you keep talking about what's fair. I wonder what are you basing this 'fairness' on."