OUR CCF MONDAY EVENING CHAT FOR May 6, 2024: “Charlie Chan in Reno
CHAT NUMBER: 1,254
FROM CHARLIE CHAN: “Praise in any language very sweet.”
THIS WEEK: We share “Charlie Chan in Reno,” as we follow Charlie Chan to “The Biggest Little City in the World,” in an adventure involving divorce, duplicity, drama, and DEATH!
OUR CHAT ROOM: Go to our “Chat Room” page, and, at the bottom of that page, click on the “Charlie Chan Family Chat Room ENTRANCE” link. You may then enter as a “Guest,” choosing the name you wish to use.
OUR PRESENTATION: “Charlie Chan in Reno” (1939; 70 minutes) Yes, this film IS available online for those who lack a personal copy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcGJCA_pmfM
FEATURE SUMMARY: Mary Whitman has gone to Reno seeking a divorce from her husband, Curtis. While there, she is arrested on suspicion of murdering a fellow guest at her hotel, an establishment that specializes in accommodating individuals who are awaiting finalized divorces. There are many others at the hotel who harbor strong feelings against the victim. At the request of Mary’s estranged husband who is a friend of Charlie Chan, the detective travels from his home in Honolulu to solve the murder.
FILM NOTES: The working title of this picture was “Death Makes a Decree,” as it was based on the story of the same name by Philip Wylie. According to materials contained at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Paul Perez wrote a version of the screenplay in December 1938, but his name does not appear in the final credits. In the Call Bureau Cast Service lists, Sheriff Fletcher’s name was originally Foster. Mrs. Russell was named Alice Williamson, and Choy Wong was named Sung Li. According to reviews in Hollywood Reporter and ‘Motion Picture Herald,’ at the time that this picture was produced, this was the most expensive production in the Chan series.
THIS WEEK’S EXTRAS: Our weekly “extras” are offered to provide enhanced background information for our featured film, hopefully enriching our viewers’ appreciation of each film’s place in actual history, culture, and context.
EXTRA #1: Reno And The Divorce Trade Part 1 of 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gtue-IvmhI
Running time: 9:09
EXTRA #2: Reno And The Divorce Trade Part 2 of 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBAHpGG9fcw
Running time: 8:18
OUR MESSAGE BOARD: Please consider visiting our Message Board. Feel free to add a message to a post or begin a conversation…or state a thought! Our Message Board has been there for YOU since 2004!
AS ALWAYS, WE BEGIN OUR EVENING at 7:30 Eastern Time with a 45-minute block of time for arrivals and greetings, and the sharing of an extra…or two...or even three…or more! (please see above). Then, at precisely 8:15 ET, we begin running our feature film simultaneously starting our personal or online copies of this week’s feature!
AT OUR BULLETIN BOARD: THE CHARLIE CHAN FAMILY HOME 2023 NEWSLETTER is available for your enjoyment at our “Bulletin Board” and “Study” (under the “Charlie Chan” category) at our Charlie Chan Family Home!
OUR MAY POLL can be accessed at our Entry Page, Bulletin Board, or directly at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DML59FY
PAST POLL RESULTS: https://charliechan.org/past-monthly-poll-results/
NEXT WEEK: “Charlie Chan at Treasure Island”
SO… Please join us as we join together this week to share “Charlie Chan in Reno.”
Re: OUR CCF MONDAY EVENING CHAT FOR May 6, 2024: “Charlie Chan in Reno
Sorry for the late comment. This film has an "Easter Egg" such as that term is used. The story is based on the Philip Wylie story "Death Makes a Decree" which was serialized in 1939. To that end the "Easter Egg" occurs in the scene where Slim Summerville "Tombstone" is sitting reading a magazine. The issue he is reading happens to be the Liberty magazine issue where the first installment of "Death Makes Decree" was published.
Re: OUR CCF MONDAY EVENING CHAT FOR May 6, 2024: “Charlie Chan in Reno
Dear Henry,
Thank you for supplying the interesting tidbits regarding "Charlie Chan in Reno" and the story that provided the basis for the plot, "Death Makes a Decree." It's always fascinating to come across some of the details that can be found "behind the scenes"!
