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PROBABLE LOCATION:
Stratford District of London, England (Title
reads: "Stratford University - England") PROBABLE DATE: Late February 1957 (Based on the
performance opening date
of Monday, February 18 for "In a Dancing Mood" as seen on the poster outside of the theater where Janet Rushton performed.) DURATION:
2 days
SUMMARY:
At At
a performance that evening, Chan and Barry are in attendance as are Dr. Wellman and Derek.
During the intermission, Chan and Barry run into Derek with Barry encouraging Derek to take the opportunity to offer
an apology to Wellman. Seeking to do so, the situation grows ugly with Wellman
threatening to call the police. As Derek storms out, Chan muses, "Hot heads never
cool, just get more hot." Wellman meets with Janet backstage, handing her an
envelope containing his resignation from the university, should she decide to post it.
As the performance resumes, the theater doorman witnesses Derek fleeing after being seen crouching next to Wellman’s
lifeless body in the alley. The next
day, newspapers all point to Derek as the killer of Dr. Wellman. Chan agrees
to help prove the innocence of Barry's friend, to this end meeting with Inspector Rawlins, Janet, and Pearson to collect details
about the crime. Rawlins relates that the murder weapon was a circular instrument
that was about the size of a pencil. While searching the theater for clues, Barry
tells his father that he has found the murder weapon – a hatpin from a Japanese costume belonging to Janet. Banging on a set of bongos, Chan, seemingly indifferent, informs Barry, "No problem, case already solved." CONCLUSION: At that
night's performance, during the bongo solo, Chan finds Pearson backstage, suggesting that he is the guilty party, having killed
Wellman out of jealousy, committing the murder during the bongo solo which offered ample time during which to carry out the
deed. He was afraid that he was about to lose Janet as well as his position had
she left the theater for Don Wellman. Chan quickly pulls the murder weapon –
a hatpin - from Pearson’s coat. A struggle ensues with Barry coming to
his father's aid, overcoming Pearson. OF NOTE: Barry Chan (to his father): "Next week is
your birthday." (This would, from other evidence found in this film in the form of the opening
date of "In a Dancing Mood" at the theater where Janet Rushton performed. If the show offered by what Janet
Rushton called "a second-rate company" had a short, perhaps one-week run, this would place Charlie Chan's birthday
at either the end of the month of February or early March.)
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