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Re: RE: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

Dear Stephan,

Although it would have made for a very imaginative weapon, I cannot recall anything that would serve to connect your childhood recollection with any scene in a Charlie Chan film. In "Dangerous Money," there is a murder weapon that shoots a dagger with deadly accuracy, but it has nothing to do with an umbrella. This is the closest thing I can personally think of that comes anyway near to something such as you describe.

Perhaps someone else can think of some other scene or weapon...

Sincerely,
Rush Glick

Re: Re: RE: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

There was an early entry of The Bowery Boys series , that used that murder weapon , I've got it in my collection , but can't remember the title off the top of my head. I will research , time permitting & post back with the title , year , etc ...

Re: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

It might have been a Bowery Boys film instead! These were two series I loved a lot and I might have conflated two different films. And I might have even have watched them on the same day (such "matinee fare" quite often showed up together on Saturday mornings and afternoons or Sundays).

My recollection includes a lot of close ups shoes and feet walking and the tip of the umbrella and then something protrudes from the tip and is stabbed into the leg of the victim. I seem to remember a train station or a some other travel station (boat, plane, bus) and a hotel or apartment door (victim comes to door and is stabbed).

Anyway, thanks for the help and maybe I am in the wrong forum!

Re: Re: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

Forum not withstanding ... The film in question I now believe to be Jinx Money from 1948 ... early entry for the Bowery Boys , when they were still in the style of the East Side Kids , with more mystery , not just out & out slapsthick comedies. I must thank my good pal Rhadini @ CCMB for prompting me with the title & year of the film , as I've just not had the time to re-visit that extensive segment of my collection. Anyway hope this solves it for you.

Re: Re: Re: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

Yes, I think it does. Someone on a Bowery Boys message board prompted me with the memory of "also had Sidney Sheldon (he meant Leonard Sheldon) and Sach keeps seeing umbrella-man". I looked that up on line and found a description that seems to fit at the NY Times.

If this umbrella killer had a hidden device in his umbrella, it would seem to fit. It also fits with what I now read about the plot, which is more of a murder mystery as per your description and my mis-remembering it as a Charlie Chan film (I was probably about 6 or 7 when I saw this back in early 1960's). It also seems to fit with the basic plot about someone being killed and robbed after leaving a card game because I remember the sequence and close up shots of feet and the umbrella following someone and that fits with someone leaving a game with his winnings.

I apologize to the venerable Charlie Chan Family for bringing in these ruffians from the Lower East Side into these hallowed halls.

Re: Re: RE: Chan film with umbrella as weapon?

Thanks, Rush. It may be that I have conflated another film with a Charlie Chan film.

Other things I remember about the film I am trying to remember is a bunch of close up shots of walking shoes and pants and someone being followed. I remember a train station or ship port and also a hotel doorway and the victim being stabbed in the leg, maybe the knee. I am not sure about the poison, but it would seem to fit with being stabbed in the leg.

Is there any poison as weapon where victims were injected in the leg? And the more I think of if the images, the more I seem to remember that it was like a hypo from the cane or umbrella.

Since I have found a source for all exisiting Charlie Chan films and have just ordered the Warner Oland 12 film set and next I will get the Sidney Toler set. I think it will be on one of those, if it is anywhere.

Anyway, thanks again for trying.