Our Weekly Chat/Film Viewing: "Castle in the Desert" (8PM, EDT)
“Man without enemies like dog without fleas.” – Charlie Chan
We move along on our year-long tour through the Charlie Chan film series with “Castle in the Desert.” Poisonings at Mandery Castle, located in California’s forbidding Mojave Desert, bring Charlie Chan and Number One son, Jimmy in to investigate! Will they survive the arrows of fate?
Please join us in our Chat Room which is located at our Charlie Chan Family Home: www.charliechan.info, and use any of the “Chat Room” links to join us. We begin with arrivals and greetings at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and we roll our personal copies of our film exactly 15 minutes later (8:15).
Even if you cannot access a copy of the above-noted film, please do join us anyway, as you will NOT be left out of our ongoing chat and festivities. Also, as is our custom, newcomers are offered the seat of honor at our humble table. Many of our films, such as this week’s entry, may be found available for viewing through such outlets as YouTube, etc. HAPPY NEWS…this week’s film, “Castle in the desert,” IS available at YouTube! Here is the address:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQS80mziA5c
FILM NOTES: Although an August 15, 1941 ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item stated that John Larkin would write the screenplay for this film based on an original story by producer Ralph Dietrich, no other contemporary source confirms Dietrich's contributions to the picture as a writer. According to a studio press release and another ‘Hollywood Reporter’ news item, Janis Carter was originally cast as Brenda Hartford. The Variety review erroneously lists the film's running time as 51 minutes. “Castle in the Desert” was the last Charlie Chan film produced by Twentieth Century-Fox. After Sidney Toler obtained the film rights to the character from the widow of Earl Derr Biggers, he continued to make Chan films at Monogram Pictures.
NEXT WEEK: (July 28) we will be sharing “Charlie Chan in the Secret Service” with Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan, Benson Fong as Tommy Chan, Marianne Qwon as Iris Chan, and Mantan Moreland as Birmingham Brown!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!: To our own GS, who AN OUR Weekly Chat sessions so masterfully while I was on the road with my family over the past three weeks!
“THE RETURN OF CHARLIE CHAN” ON DVD: If you are interested in purchasing a clear, clean copy of “The Return of Charlie Chan” (Universal – 1971) a made-for-TV movie starring Ross Martin as Charlie Chan, I can recommend a version which you will find at: http://www.ioffer.com/i/the-return-of-charlie-chan-ross-martin-dvd-504052734. It lists for $14.99 which includes postage/handling. However, you may make a lower offer!
As always, please take care, have a pleasant Monday, and let’s all get together for an evening of celebration and of fun and sharing as we watch “Castle in the Desert.”
