CHARLIE CHAN CARRIES ON

BY

EARL DERR BIGGERS

CONTINUITY & DIALOGUE BY PHILIP KLEIN & BARRY CONNORS

CAMERAMAN: GEORGE SCHNEIDERMAN

SOUND: GEORGE P. COSTELLO

ART DIRECTOR: JOE WRIGHT

COSTUMES: SOPHIE WACHNER

FILM EDITOR: AL DE GAETANO

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: SAM WURTZEL

DIRECTOR: HAMILTON MACFADDEN

CHARACTERS

CAST

Adaptation & Dialogue
By
PHILIP KLEIN
and
BARRY CONNERS

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT
Dated: December 23, 1930

"SCOTLAND YARD"

DISOLVE TO INTERIOR INSPECTOR HAYLEY'S OFFICE as Duff enters, removing his dripping hat and ulster.

CLOSE SHOT -- INSERT -- Charlie Chan at the right. Mrs. Chan at the left, and between them ten children, ranging from a boy of eighteen to a baby of two -- the three youngest in Chinese dress. All wear happy smiles.

Duff turns photo over. In bold hand-writing is the inscription: "Each man thinks his own cuckoos better than next man's nightingales. Charles Chan"

The girl, unresisting, still sobbing, covers face with hands, as they lead her gently away. Almost at door she stops and speaks.

They lead her to the door.

Duff examines key.

DUFF: Strangled with this.

Duff takes the bag, opens it -- pours part of the contents into his hand. It is filled with small round pebbles, which Duff examines closely.

Kent, Manager of Hotel, and Dr. Lofton, enter from hall.

Duff eyes him. He continues excitedly.

He stops at the surprised look on Lofton's face.

LOFTON: This is odd! I have a strap identically like that on one of my bags.

DUFF: Will you get it, please?

LOFTON: Gladly, Inspector.

DUFF: Have you assembled the members of your party in the drawing room?

LOFTON: Some of them are out, but I've gotten most of them together.

DUFF: Thank you, Dr. Lofton.

Lofton exits.

Duff turns to Kent.

He turns to door and with pass-key unlocks it. He stands aside as Duff goes into Honywood's room.

CAMERA FOLLOWS WITH DUFF. Room 29 is much smaller than room 28. There is a sense of mustiness about it, the windows being tightly closed.

Duff goes to window, tries to open it, but cannot.

He takes out notebook -- glances around room -- makes memorandum. He notices half-packed Gladstone bag. As he bends over it --

SOUND OF KEY BEING INSERTED IN LOCK.

Walter Honywood enters room - a dissipated looking man in late thirties.

DUFF: Come in, Mr. Honywood.

An expression of alarm appears on Honywood's face, at seeing Duff in his room.

Sit down, please. You know what's happened, of course?

Honywood nods.

Honywood takes out cigarette and holds lighter to it. His hand trembles violently, he looks up -- sees Duff watching him.

Honywood makes an effort to pull himself together, and exits. Duff re-enters room 28, where finger-print expert and Hayley are still working.

Duff starts from room. At door the excited Lofton almost bumps into him.

Lofton exits.

CUT TO:

THE LOUNGE

Members of the party are assembled, including Max and Sadie Minchin.

The lounge is done in red plush and walnut decorations. There are book-cases of dusty volumes -- old sporting prints. Outside, the sun has pierced through the fog, and is casting weird light into the room, illuminating the faces of the Lofton party. Max Minchin, who has made himself the center of interest in group, addresses them.

MAX: The first thing to remember if anybody here done it, don't say nothin' until you seen a lawyer.

SADIE: Come on, Maxie, it's no use nursing a grouch, nobody's accusin' you.

MAX: Patrol your own beat, I'm takin' no info from a skirt!

MRS. LUCE: What language is he speaking?

CUT TO:

LOBBY OF BROOME'S HOTEL

Dr. Lofton has joined Duff. As they move down lobby in direction of lounge, a dignified man enters from one of he side corridors. He is distinguished in appearance -- has a shock of snow-white hair. Lofton stops him as he passes.

Tait stirs; starts breathing heavily as he comes to. Duff indicates that they had better get him out of there. Together they carry him into a little coffee room leading from lobby, and place him on a couch.

He starts from room as Martin comes in. Duff stops him. Martin is a servant with a rather blank face - much younger than Eben. He is obviously nervous.

Duff starts from the coffee room and gets into lounge. He closes door behind him - walks to center of room, addresses those awaiting him.

DUFF: Allow me to introduce myself. Inspector Duff of Scotland Yard.

The various members of the group look at him with anxious eyes. Duff turns to CAPTAIN RONALD KEANE, a man of about 38, with a hawk-like nose, well-dressed, and seemingly at ease. At Duff's look of inquiry, he introduces himself.

Duff turns to Mrs. Luce.

DUFF: And you?

Retired lady. She smiles widely and glances at Keane. Duff, getting the shaft, smiles.

Mrs. Luce nods.

You heard no sounds last night in the room where --

MRS. LUCE: Not last night - but - there was a row the night before.

Duff looks at her with interest. Mrs. Luce hesitates a moment, looking at Dr. Lofton.

Perhaps Dr. Lofton would like to tell you, himself.

Lofton rises, very ill at ease, as Duff turns to him.

Duff gives him a long look and makes note. He turns, looks in direction of small alcove. As Duff nods, a tall man in tweed suit, rises. He carries a heavy walking stick, and one leg is held rather stiffly as he limps toward Duff.

DUFF: Your name, sir,

ROSS: John Ross. I am a lumberman from Tacoma, Washington.

DUFF: Know anything about this murder?

ROSS: Not a thing, Inspector.

DUFF: You knew Drake, of course?

ROSS: Yes. Nice old fellow - got to know him pretty well on board ship. I liked him a lot.

DUFF: Been out this morning?

ROSS: Yes. I went for a walk.

DUFF: That will be all.

Duff makes a memorandum in book as Ross returns to alcove.

Mark Kennaway enters from coffee room.

MARK: Pardon me, Inspector. Mr. Tait has recovered.

Duff nods and turns to occupants of room.

DUFF: You will kindly wait here a moment.

CAMERA FOLLOWS WITH DUFF - as he enters coffee room.

Patrick Tait is sitting erect on couch, a glass of spirits in his hand, which Martin, the waiter, has just served him. As Martin passes Duff, he stops him.

Duff's eyes follow him for a moment, then he turns to Tait.

Tait looks at Mark.

He suddenly catches his left side. Mark steps forward quickly.

MARK: Inspector - please. This man is ill.

DUFF: I'm sorry. I apologize.

Tait bows acknowledgement.

Nevertheless, Mr. Tait - I intend to find out what it was that shocked a retired criminal lawyer into a heart attack.

Duff turns from him and re-enters the lounge.

CAMERA MOVES WITH DUFF - to where Eben, the old night watchman has been studying the faces of the men in the room. First, Lofton, then Ross, then -- suddenly he points. Duff has been watching him closely.

He is pointing at Keane, who sits up.

Duff makes memorandum in his book - then dismisses Eben. Suddenly he wheels on Honywood.

Just one thing more, Mr. Honywood.

Honywood starts violently as Duff approaches him. Duff holds out small chamois bag filled with pebbles. He pours a few into his hand for Honywood's inspection.

Duff returns bag and pebbles to pocket. Honywood stops to pick up cigarette he has dropped on carpet.

Duff turns to the Minchins, his eyes lighting with interest.

Elmer Benbow, short, stout -- Germanic ancestry, enters, followed by Mrs. Benbow. He carries a small motion picture camera. Going to Duff he takes his hand -- shakes it enthusiastically.

Duff stands at door as the group passes him. He watches them closely. Keane, with his sly face; Honywood, with an assumed nonchalance; Ross, with his frank manner and slight limp; Max Minchin, with his sullen slouch, followed by his be-jeweled wife; smiling Benbow and his mate; then Patrick Tait, now walking with a firm step.

While Duff watches them speculatively, Pamela Potter enters. She still shows evidence of grief, but is calm now, and wears an air of angry determination.

PAM: Is it true, Mr. Duff - that you think the crime was committed by some member of this party?

DUFF: I regret to say that I do.

PAM: In that case, I shall cable my mother and my aunt to come to London, and I shall continue with the tour.

DUFF: Do you think that is advisable?

PAM: Please don't try to dissuade me, Mr. Duff. I want to help find out who did this cowardly thing.

DUFF: And we, for our part, may need your assistance.

PAM: I might discover some clew - one of them might let something slip.

DUFF: Quite probable, indeed. I have a Chinese friend who used to say: "Only a very sly man can shoot off a cannon quietly."

Mark enters. He comes to Pam, stands for a moment before her - slowly offers his hand.

Duff and the two men move to the entrance of hotel. At door, Duff gives some instructions to Kent, the hotel manager. Kent signifies he understands.

CUT TO UPPER HALLWAY

Martin, the waiter, looks fearfully over his shoulder, takes two pieces of paper from his pocket, and tucks them under carpet on the floor.

CUTBACK TO STREET

As Duff reaches it, coming out of hotel. Benbow is standing on sidewalk.

BENBOW: Say, listen, Inspector -- just turn around and face me, will you?

Duff turns, sees Benbow smiling, with his motion picture camera leveled and ready for action.

Duff turns abruptly to enter his little green police car.

Sergeant Burke enters. There is a cheerful excited air about him.

BURKE: I think we've got something, Chief. The man says he's ready to talk.

DUFF: Bring him in.

Burke, in the open door, motions to someone without. Martin, the waiter from Broome's Hotel, enters, very frightened. Duff points to a chair.

Sit there, please.

Martin does so. Duff, rising, stands over him.

Where did you get all that money you've been spending? Don't tell me you were playing the races! Come on, the truth!

He jerks Martin to his feet.

MARTIN: You won't send me to prison, sir?

DUFF: I'm giving you one chance; where did you get that hundred pounds?

MARTIN: Mr. Honywood gave it to me.

DUFF: What for?

MARTIN: I'll tell you everything, sir. At ten o'clock that night I went upstairs with a cablegram for Mr. Drake. I knocked at his door --

DUFF: Then what?

MARTIN: Mr. Honywood opened it.

DUFF: Honywood in Drake's room?

MARTIN: Yes, sir. I gave him the envelope. He said: "You'll find Mr. Drake in my room. We have changed rooms for the night."

DISSOLVE TO:

CLOSE SHOT

Man's gray-gloved hands as they search bureau drawer. Articles are pulled out -- perhaps a bit of feminine lingerie -- then thrust back into drawer again.

DISOLVE TO:
Same hands opening black leather case. Reel of motion picture film is pulled out, then dropped back.

DISOLVE TO:

Trunk, hands take letter out of tray. Hands open letter, which reads:

INSERT:

"If anything happens to me, notify my wife, Sybil Conway, Palace Hotel, San Remo."

Hand crushes letter as if crushing a victim.

DISSOLVE TO:

Same pair of hands -- they fasten lifeless third hand on revolver with fingers engaging trigger. A faint wisp of smoke is issuing from barrel of gun.

DISSOLVE TO:

LOBBY of lounge of Hotel Excelsior Grande in Nice. Sun shines through windows overlooking terrace garden and Mediterranean.

Pam is holding animated conversation with bearded gendarme, resplendent in gold lace uniform. Dr. Lofton is with them.

GENDARME: You noticed nothing in his manner except nervousness?

PAM: Nothing. On the contrary, he seemed in good spirits.

GENDARME: But Mademoiselle --

LOFTON: I scarcely expected you so soon!

DUFF: Expected me?

LOFTON: Walter Honywood killed himself in the grounds of this hotel last night.

Mrs. Luce has joined the group, and overheard Lofton's last remark.

Duff turns to the gendarme -- draws him aside from group.

DUFF: If you like, I'll take charge of this -- there was another murder in London, and I believe the two are connected.

CAMERA FOLLOWS AS THEY MOVE DOWN LOBBY

They pass a group in which are Tait, Mark, Ross and the Benbows. They all appear apprehensive as Duff passes them. As the two men near telephone booth, Duff pauses.

I'll report any progress.

Gendarme bows, exits. Duff enters booth. As he does so, Sadie and Max Minchin pass booth.

CUT TO:

INSIDE TELEPHONE BOOTH

He hangs up. As he comes out of booth he almost collides with Lofton.

DUFF: Doctor, you may leave for San Remo at 4:30 as you had planned. The party will not be detained here.

Lofton gives him a curious look as Duff walks away.

DISSOLVE TO:

PALACE HOTEL, SAN REMO

Sitting room of Sybil Conway.

She is a beautiful woman, attractively gowned.

They move from the room to hall, which is in semi-darkness. They step to the elevator and enter. It is a narrow cage-like contraption. Duff presses button -- slowly they begin to descend.

Suddenly there is a sharp explosion above their heads -- Duff gets the fleeting impression of a blurred form above, leaning over shaft. The woman at his side collapses. He is just in time to catch her in his arms. A small object hurtles through the air and lands at his feet. Duff tries to stop the car but cannot until it stops automatically at first floor. As he pulls the gates open,

CUT TO:

DARKENED HALLWAY -- FOURTH FLOOR

Mark Kennaway is rapping at door of a room.

MARK: Mr. Tait! Mr. Tait! -- Are you there?

Keane glides up to him.

CUT BACK TO:

FIRST FLOOR

Duff places Sybil Conway on a sofa -- opposite elevator. Pam and one or two other guests hide the body from view of the camera.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN

PLATFORM OF STATION AT SAN REMO

Pam laughs and extends her hand.

PAM: Goodbye, Inspector.

DUFF: Miss Potter, take care of yourself.

FADE IN:

ON A SERIES OF TRAVEL DISOLVES

Short FLASHES of Egypt, Pyramids.

DISSOLVE TO:

STREET IN HONGKONG

Showing Chinese shops, bazaars, members of Dr. Lofton's party walking about looking in shop windows, etc.

Benbow and wife turn to new scenes. Mrs. Luce smiles at Mark.

He walks away and enters a jewelry shop.

She goes to the shop Mark has entered, but near the door stops and saunters casually in apparently unaware of his presence. Near the door she meets Max and Sadie Minchin engaged in an argument.

Sadie, carrying a paste-board box about the size of a bushel basket, faces with angry glare, the equally angry Max.

He walks angrily out of the shop.

She angrily marches out after him.

At this moment, Chinese proprietor of shop approaches with tray of jewelry. Pam is immediately interested, and selects a beautiful string of jade.

PAM: How much is this?

CHINAMAN: Two hundred and eighty dollars.

Pam holds it up for Mark's inspection.

PAM: Beautiful, isn't it?

Mark nods, turns away -- it is too rich for his pocket. Pam picks up another piece of jewelry. As she does so, another Chinaman enters scene. Suddenly he breaks into an excited string of Chinese; points in direction of street, concludes his speech with the English words: JIM EVERHARD. Pam starts and looks in direction of street.

FROM HER ANGLE we see five members of Lofton party as they move past shop. In the group are Keane, Lofton, Tait, Ross and Benbow. Pam turns to Mark excitedly.

The Chinaman shrugs; indicates he doesn't understand. Pam rushes to door, followed by Mark. The party has moved about twenty yards away.

Pam turns back to door of the shop to question the Chinaman, but he has disappeared.

She hurries after the group. Mark follows. When she reaches a point about ten yards from them, she calls sharply:

PAM: Jim Everhard!

She waits to see who turns at the name. All five men do. Her trick has failed. But she tries to carry it through - looking from one to the other, she says:

They walk away, leaving the five men staring at one another.

CUT TO:

Mark and Pam hurrying down the street.

As they start off -

DISSOLVE TO

INTERIOR CABLE OFFICE NEARBY -

Pam takes cable blank, stands at a high desk directly in front of a stand lamp, and starts to write a cable.

Mark stands beside her. As he glances around, he sees a gloved hand holding a pistol around the jamb of the side door, the barrel aimed straight at Pam.

CUT TO

Mark - swiftly seizing Pam and whirling her out of range, just as the weapon is discharged shattering the lamp, before which Pam was standing.

Frightened, Mark holds her a moment, then releases her and runs to the door - looking up and down the street. He sees no one who might have made the attempt. He then turns back to her with a blank, worried face.

CHAN'S OFFICE POLICE STATION, HONOLULU.

Chan is seated at a table -- before him is Duff's brief case and papers. Duff is pacing the room, smoking his pipe.

Duff bends over the table and returns his papers to brief case. As he does so, a gloved hand holding a revolver is seen outlined against an open window overlooking back alley of police station. The gun is aimed directly at Duff, and is fired. Duff whirls, staggers a step or two in direction of window and lunges forward to floor. An instant later a small object is thrown through the window, lands on floor beside Duff's body.

Chan opens door of office, sees Duff lying on the floor, gives a startled exclamation - runs forward and bends over him.

Duff's face is pale as death. Quickly Chan feels pulse, then reaches up and presses button on desk. Again he bends over the prostrate figure of his friend.

At Duff's side, Chan's eyes come to rest on a replica of the three little Chinese monkeys. He picks them up, and as he looks at them, their significance as a threat dawns upon him. He puts them in his pocket.

The door opens -- a native Hawaiian policeman enters.

CHAN: Telephone for ambulance and surgeon at once, then ask the chief to come here. Quick!

Chan looks helplessly about, then his eyes take in the window and the misty darkness outside. On the table is Duff's open brief case. Some of the papers are still in the case, others are strewn about carelessly, scattered by the wind.

Chan quickly restores papers to case. As he does so, the Chief enters.

CHIEF: What's this, Charlie?

His eyes light on the prostrate figure of Duff.

Chan starts strapping up Duff's brief case.

Chan kneels beside Duff who stirs slightly.

There is an expression of increasing amazement on Chan's face, then Duff continues:

Which one is it - Charlie?

He relapses into unconsciousness.

CHAN: Take best care -- get to hospital -- send me wireless. If he wakes, tell him Charlie Chan carries on.

As Chan starts from office with Duff's brief case under his arm -

DISSOLVE TO:

Sadie and Max near small fruit stand. The vendor is absent. Max and Sadie are examining a box of avocados. Sadie's arms are so full of bundles she cannot use her hands.

Chan notes this conversation. Sadie, suddenly aware of Chan's nearness, nudges Max and nods toward Chan. Max, who has already picked up one of the avocados, and is about to take another, looks around at Chan.

Max puts avocados back on stand and goes aboard. Chan stands looking after them.

Mrs. Chan and Henry enter to him.

The boat is just about to sail; steward beats warning gong.

She holds up little travelling bag to him.

The deep whistle of the boat is heard. Chan turns toward gangplank and starts up. He waves to his family.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN

Chan and the Captain are walking along the deck the same night. The ship is on its way to San Francisco.

CAPTAIN: I have sent word to the party asking them to wait for you in the smoking room. I'm back of you, Charlie, I hope you get your man.

CHAN: You invent picture of very happy event. Thank you so much.