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Monogram Pictures Corporation
Distributed: Monogram Pictures Corporation
October 12, 1946
Production: Mid- to late June 1946
Copyright: Monogram Pictures Corporation: September 29, 1946;
LP656
Sound: Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording
Film: Black and white
Running Time: 66 minutes
Production
Code Administration Certificate Number: 11824
Source: Based on character created by Earl Derr Biggers.
Producer: James S. Burkett
Director: Terry Morse
Assistant Director: Wesley Barry
Screenplay: Miriam Kissenger
Director of Photography: William Sickner
Technical Director: Dave Milton
Supervising
Film Editor: Richard Currier
Editor: William Austin
Musical Director: Edward J. Kay
Recording: Tom Lambert
Makeup:
Harry Ross
Production Manager: Glenn Cook
CAST:
Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan
Gloria Warren: Rona Simmonds
Victor Sen Young:
Jimmy Chan
Rick Vallin: Tao Erickson
Joseph Crehan: Captain Black
Willie Best: Chattanooga Brown
John Harmon:
Freddie Kirk
Bruce Edwards: Harold Mayfair
Dick Elliot: P.T. Burke
Joe Allen, Jr.: George Brace
Amira Moustafa:
Laura Erickson
Tristam Coffin: Scott Pearson
Alan Douglas: Mrs. Whipple (alias for Joseph Murdock)
Selmer Jackson:
Ship's Doctor
Dudley Dickerson: Big Ben
Rito Punay: Pete
Elaine Lange: Cynthia Martin
Emmett Vogan: Professor
Henry Martin
Leslie Dennison: Reverend Whipple (alias for Theodore M. Lane)
Jerry Groves: Polynesian (not credited)
Kit
Carson: Seaman (not credited)
Mavis Russell: Freddie Kirk's Assistant (not credited)
Don McCracken: Junior Officer (not
credited)
On a foggy night on board the ship Newcastle, bound for Samoa and Australia, undercover
agent Scott Pearson tells detective Charlie Chan that he is being sent to Samoa to investigate the sudden appearance of money
and artworks stolen from Philippine banks during the Japanese invasion.
Later, while the passengers gather in the
salon for a ceremony to celebrate the crossing of the equator, Pearson is stabbed in the back and killed. After warning the
other passengers to stay where they are, Chan and Captain Black examine Pearson's room and discover that it has been searched.
Black reassures Chan that Pearson's portfolio is in his office safe. Chan notices that Pearson's documents mention a man named
Lane, but do not identify him.
Chan questions the ship's passengers, who include Freddie Kirk, an exhibition knife-thrower,
P. T. Burke, a trader in cotton goods, Professor Henry Martin, an ichthyologist, Henry's wife, Cynthia, Tao Erickson, a half-Polynesian
who owns a restaurant on Samoa, Tao's Polynesian wife, Laura, missionaries Rev. and Mrs. Whipple, and Rona Simmonds, an English
tourist who is in love with the ship's purser, George Brace.
After he dismisses most of the passengers, Chan speaks
privately to Rona and George, and, while advising them to speak the truth, asks them to identify Lane. However, George insists
that they have nothing to reveal.
Later, the detective sets a trap to catch the killer, but, although an attempt is
made on Chan's life, the killer avoids discovery. Jimmy Chan checks the knife that was used to kill Pearson for fingerprints,
but finds none. Chan then learns that Burke and Kirk are blackmailing Rona.
The Newcastle docks in Samoa, and
Charlie has twenty-four hours to solve the murder before the ship departs for Australia. Chan's number three son, Tommy, sends
him a coded telegram explaining that Rona's father was an Australian who was stranded in Manila during the war with valuable
art objects, and that Rona is now searching for them. Chan discovers that Rona is traveling under papers that were falsified
by Brace, and that is why Burke is blackmailing her. Chan questions, Burke, but the latter is suddenly killed by a thrown
knife before he can reveal anything.
CONCLUSION:
Meanwhile, Jimmy
and his assistant, Chattanooga Brown, stumble upon money that is hidden in Professor Martin's fish museum that is located
near the Erickson's restaurant. After Kirk is killed, the rest of the suspects converge on the museum. Chan learns that Whipple
is the head of the gang, which includes the Erickson's, Burke, and Kirk, and which had planned to sell the stolen artworks.
The Whipples are then revealed to be Lane and his valet, Joseph Murdock, who was dressed as a woman. Murdock, the murderer,
had shot knives at his victims from a special gun and was thus able to escape detection.
NOTE: The film's working title was Hot
Money. The title card reads, Charlie Chan in "Dangerous Money". Hollywood Reporter news items add the following
information about the production: Prior to his appearance in this film, Rick Vallen served a term in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Restaurateur "Don the Beachcomber" gave technical advice on the South Sea Islands.
Adapted from: AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CATALOG - Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American
Feature Films, 1911-1960
CHARLIE CHAN'S APHORISMS:
Problems rarely wait for clearing weather.
There is old saying: "Good wife's place
should be at mate's elbow in time of trouble."
Tiger going away from village is never feared.
Guilty mind
sometimes pinch worse than ancient boot of torture.
Hasty man could also drink tea with fork.
In phraseology
of Euclid, X over Y equal proposition still unsolved.
Each country's dance most beautiful dance in that particular
country.
Kangaroo reaches destination also by leaps and bounds.
Good hunter never break twig under foot.
OTHER WORTHY STATEMENTS:
Five
mile swim mere stroll for terrified Kanaka. (to Captain Black regarding "Pete" who had jumped overboard in fear of his
life)
Little showman evidently afraid death hangs over his head. (to Captain Black regarding
Freddie Kirk)
FILM NOTES:
PROBABLE DATE: Summer 1946
DURATION: Three days
LOCATIONS: Aboard the S.S.
Newcastle in the South Pacific and Pago Pago, American Samoa
THE HOME PORT OF THE S.S. NEWCASTLE: San Francisco (as determined by the "S.F."
seen on the life preservers)
THE FAMOUS U.S. HIGHWAY MENTIONED
BY CHATTANOOGA BROWN: Route 66
CHARLIE CHAN'S PLANNED DESTINATION
AND HIS REASON FOR SAILING THERE: "...commitments in Sydney, Australia..."
THE NAME OF THE COMPANY REPRESENTED
BY P.T. BURKE: All-American Cotton Mills
ACCORDING TO HAROLD MAYFAIR, THE
ORGANIZATION TO WHICH PROFESSOR HENRY MARTIN BELONGED: "...the International Society of Icthyologists."
THE STATED LENGTH OF TIME
THAT HAROLD MAYFAIR HAD BEEN PROFESSOR MARTIN'S ASSISTANT: "Two years."
ACCORDING TO DR. MARTIN, THE LENGTH OF TIME SINCE HE ESTABLISHED HIS ICTHYOLGICAL MUSEUM IN PAGO
PAGO: "...six years ago."
ACCORDING TO TAO ERICKSON, HIS HOME: "I have lived in Pago all my life."
TAO ERICKSON'S STATED PROFESSION AND PURPOSE OF HIS TRIP: "I'm a trader.
Just back from Honolulu - buying trip.")
THE STATED DESTINATION AND PURPOSE
OF ROSA SIMMONS' TRIP: "I'm going to Apia [Western Samoa] - the Robert Lewis Stevenson shrine.")
THE DESTINATIONS AS MENTIONED
BY FREDDIE KIRK: "I'm bound for Wellington (New Zealand), Sydney (Australia), change ships in Suva (Fiji)."
ACCORDING TO JIMMY CHAN, THE CHAN
PARTY'S CABIN ABOARD THE S.S. 'NEWCASTLE': "Cabin 8."
THE SHIP'S DOCTOR'S "DIAGNOSIS"
FOR CHATTANOOGA BROWN'S "AILMENT": "This is Hydrophobia Deformance. Prognosis: uncertain. Therapy indicates immediate
removal of the liver."
JIMMY CHAN'S CODE NAME:
"Chop suey 108"
CHATTANOOGA BROWN'S CODE NAME:
"Pork chop 711"
THE TITLE OF THE BOOK THAT PROFESSOR
MARTIN WAS READING: Fish
THE POLYNESIAN DANCE MENTIONED
BY MRS. ERICKSON TO CHARLIE CHAN: Siva-siva
THE CODED TEXT OF THE RADIOGRAM SENT TO CHARLIE CHAN
FROM SON TOMMY:
"RM. LIERACH NACH: ADROAB S.S. NEWCASTLE
SIMS SNOMMIS HERFAT SAW RANKEB NI RAILAUSTA
DANDERST NI LAMANI NO YAW OT TUNIED TASTES
FO RAEMCIA THIW ANMY BALVALVE TAR JOTBECS.
FI THURFER MOORINFATIN DEEDEN, TEL EM WONK
TEEMIMADILY."
THE TRANSLATED TEXT OF THE RADIOGRAM SENT TO CHARLIE
CHAN FROM SON TOMMY:
"MR. CHARLIE CHAN: ABOARD S.S. NEWCASTLE
MISS SIMMONS FATHER WAS BANKER IN AUSTRALIA
STRANDED IN MANILLA ON WAY TO UNITED STATES
OF AMERICA WITH MANY VALUABLE ART OBJECTS.
IF FURTHER INFORMATION NEEDED, LET ME KNOW
IMMEDIATELY."
THE NAME OF THE RADIOGRAM COMPANY:
Radiomarine Corporation of America
THE IDENTIFYING NOTATIONS AT THE TOP OF THE RADIOGRAM:
"10M 9X21 3-63-10 4XMO"
THE NAME OF THE INN IN PAGO PAGO
OWNED BY TAO ERICKSON: Mango Inn
TEXT OF THE NOTE PASSED FROM FREDDIE
KIRK TO RONA SIMMONS AT THE MANGO INN BAR:
"Meet us on veranda
in five minutes"
"BIG BEN'S" STATED SELLING PRICE
FOR A PAIR OF "LOADED" DICE: "$10, American money."
THE TYPE OF TURTLE THAT CAN BE
SEEN WITH CHATTANOOGA BROWN'S LOST FLASHLIGHT RESTING ON ITS SHELL: Box turtle (not found naturally in Samoa)
ACCORDING TO RONA SIMMONS, THE
FACTS REGARDING THE FIRST MISSING PAINTING DISCOVERED IN PROFESSOR MARTIN'S MUSEUM: "The Gauguin belongs to Mr.
Fitzmorris, the banker at Wellington (New Zealand)."
ACCORDING TO RONA SIMMONS, THE
IDENTITY OF THE MISSING MINIATURE DISCOVERED IN PROFESSOR MARTIN'S MUSEUM: "Mrs. Usher's miniature."
GLOSSARY:
Kanaka
- A South Sea Islander, especially one brought to Australia as a laborer in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Often
used disparagingly.
P.T. Burke: "You look for a Kanaka or a Melanesian..."
Kansas City bankroll - (slang) A term for
a roll of money that is actually a few real bills rolled around strips of cut newspaper fashioned to appear as a big roll
of money.
Jimmy Chan: "It's a Kansas City bankroll."
Gauguin (Paul
Gauguin) - (1848-1903) A French Post-impressionist painter who travelled to the South Seas to live and
work.
Rona Simmons: "The Gauguin belongs to Mr.
Fitzmorris, the banker at Wellington."
Melanesian - A member of any of
the indigenous peoples of Melanesia, a division of Oceania in the southwest Pacific Ocean comprising the islands northeast
of Australia and south of the equator. It includes the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, the Bismarck Archipelago,
various other island groups, and sometimes New Guinea.
P.T. Burke: "You look for a Kanaka or a Melanesian..."
pea-souper - A thick, heavy fog.
P.T. Burke: "Say, it's a regular pea-souper, ain't it?"
Vaudeville - Stage entertainment offering
a variety of short acts such as slapstick turns, song-and-dance routines, and juggling performances. A theatrical performance
of this kind; a variety show.
P.T. Burke: "Haven't seen that Vaudeville guy, have you?"
Wellington - The capital of New Zealand.
Freddie Kirk: "I'm bound for Wellington, Sydney, change ships in Suva."
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