We have two days to go on our FINAL for our continuing poll to find the most popular Birmingham Brown film in the Chan series. At the moment, "Black Magic" is in the lead. Please take a moment to cast your vote at our Entrance page!
Thanks Rush, I didn't even know that you had a poll going, I usually go right to this message board and don't think to visit all your other great attractions.
Actually I really liked Moreland in "Dark Alibi".
Recently I caught a Mike Shayne movie on TCM ("Dressed to Kill" - not the Sherlock Holmes "Dressed to Kill"), and both Moreland and his partner Ben Carter were in it. Carter looked different enough as a younger man, and I didn't spot him right off, even though he and Moreland had a dance number together.
Other Chan regulars in this Shayne movie were Parsons, McFadden, and Henry Daniell, as well as Virginia Brissac (whom I did not recognize right off).
My husband Jerry likes Moreland a great deal and likes most all of his early B&W movies....
Personally, I found the Mantan Moreland's polls confusing. There wasn't enough of an explaination about what Mr. Moreland does in each of his Chan films.
As for his best performance in a Charlie Chan film, I have to agree with Diana. In most of the Chan films, Mr. Moreland has a few moments to do his comic bits, but in "Dark Alibi," he is at his funniest. Mr. Moreland is comfortable with his fellow performers and he is relaxed with the script, and he really lets it rip with his comedy scenes. He lights up the screen in "Dark Alibi."
It is unfortunate that "Dark Alibi" is missing from the poll.
In her posting, Diana makes a good point. She, and I suspect other members, were unaware that a Moreland poll was happening. During the holiday season, people may have been busy with other things and won't paying attention to the Moreland polls.
If I were you, I would through out the poll results, re-think a better way of presenting this [good] idea, and then try it again. I would select specific memorable scenes of Mr. Moreland, not the films themselves. After all, aren't we talking about his performances in the films?
Beyond that, I think we can all agree that Mantan Moreland was a truly wonderful performer. When the Monogram scripts were weak, Mr. Moreland brighten up the pictures.
With apologies to all who missed out on the previous three groups of "Birmingham" Chan movies, the ones you saw in this "final" poll were the winners from the previous polls. (Please take a look at our past poll results to view these groups.) As for explanations for Mantan Moreland's performances in each of the films in each of the polls leading up to this final grouping, there is not enough room on the available poll ware to do more than list the film titles. If one had seen any or many of the Chan films where Birmingham Brown appeared, it was hoped that that that would be enough to have a favorie from among each group (3) leading to this final phase.
Again, I am very sorry about any confusion. In the future, I will be sure to remind everyone of our monthly poll questions through our Message Board.
