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Black Magic/Meeting at Midnight

Monogram Pictures Corporation Distributed: Monogram Pictures Corporation,
September 9, 1944 Production: May 3 to mid-May 1944 Copyright: Monogram Pictures Corporation, July 15, 1944; LP12437
Sound: Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording Film: Black and White Length: 5,822 feet Running Time: 64-65
minutes Source: Suggested by Earl Derr Biggers' character
Producers: Phillip N. Krasne and James S. Burkett Director: Phil Rosen Assistant Director:
Bobby Ray Original Screenplay: George Callahan Director of Photography: Arthur Martinelli
Camera Operator: Dave Smith (not credited) Assistant: Monte Steadman (not credited)
Still Photography: Earl Crowley (not credited) Special Effects: M. B. Kinne (not credited) Art Director: Dave
Milton Film Editor: John Link Set Decorations: Al Greenwood Ward: Harry Bourne (not credited) Musical Director:
David Chudnow Musical Score: Alexander Lazlo Sound Recording: Max Hutchinson Production Manager: Dick L'Estrange
Script Girl: Marie Messinger (not credited) Props: Sammy Gordon and Ralph Martin (neither credited) Grip: Lew
Dow and George Booker (neither credited) Gaffer: Joe Wharton (not credited)
CAST (as credited):
Sidney Toler: Charlie Chan Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown Frances Chan: Frances Chan Joseph
Crehan: Sergeant Matthews Helen Beverley: Norma Duncan (alias Nancy Woods) Jacqueline deWit: Justine Bonner Geraldine
Wall: Harriett Green Ralph Peters: Rafferty Frank Jaquet: Paul Hamlin Edward Earle: Dawson Claudia Dell:
Vera Starkey Harry Depp: Charles Edwards Charles Jordan: Tom Starkey Richard Gordon: William Bonner
UNCREDITED CAST (alphabetical):
Darby Jones: Mr. Johnson
George Morrell: Man at Elevator
Dick Rush: Police Officer
Crane Whitley: Dr. [William] Bonner
SUMMARY:
While holding a séance at his home, psychic William Bonner asks for questions from those present.
After a voice asks, "What happened in London on the night of October 5th, 1935?" the lights are extinguished Bonner slumps
forward. When the lights are restored, it becomes apparent that the psychic has been murdered.
As Bonner's wife,
Justine, summons Sgt. Matthews of the homicide bureau, Bonner's assistants, Tom and Vera Starkey, who operate from a hidden
room, are panicky and wish to flee. Arriving on the scene, Matthews orders all of those present at the Bonner house,
including, Justine Bonner, Harriet Green, Paul Hamlin, Charles Edwards, Nancy Wood, and Frances Chan, Charlie Chan's daughter,
along with newly hired butler Birmingham Brown, to police headquarters for questioning. When the coroner notifies Matthews
that the murder bullet cannot be found in Bonner's body, the inspector coerces Chan, who is "on brief vacation from government
work," into joining the investigation, suggesting that he will have to hold his daughter, Frances, as a suspect.
After
studying the interviews with the suspects, Chan asks to speak with Nancy Woods, informing the inspector that she must be using
an alias because the monogram on her purse reads "ND." A conversation with the hotel clerk reveals that Nancy's real
name is Norma Duncan. When confronted with her lie, Norma claims that she had used the alias to infiltrate Bonner's
séance and prove that the psychic had driven her father to commit suicide.
Meanwhile, at the Bonner house, Mrs. Bonner
communicates to Tom and Vera through an intercom that is linked to their hidden room. When Frances, who has come to
visit Birmingham, overhears the conversation, she alerts her father. Hurrying to the house, Chan discovers the secret
room hidden behind a cabinet in the seance room.
After reassembling the suspects at police headquarters, Chan reveals
that Mr. Hamilton and Mrs. Green were both being blackmailed by Bonner, and that Mrs. Bonner had threatened to kill her husband
because of his infidelity. Chan then asks if anyone can identify the speaker at the seance who has asked the question
about London, however, no one offers any information.
Later, Norma Duncan sends Chan a message asking him to come
to her hotel, but when the detective enters her room, he finds her in a trance. Suddenly, the lights go out, a gun is fired,
and the assailant runs out the door. Awakened from her trance, Norma is unable to remember what happened to her.
Leaving Norma in the care of Rafferty, Matthew's assistant, Chan leaves to send a cable to Scotland Yard.
Later, at
the Bonner house, Frances and Birmingham overhear Mrs. Bonner asking her unseen assistants, Tom and Vera, for their help,
and Frances decides to follow her. Following her to the Berkeley building, Frances meets her father and Inspector Matthews
there and finds Mrs. Bonner's glove on the floor outside of an office door. Mrs. Bonner,
in a trance, ascends the rooftop of the building across the street. Standing on the rooftop of the building, Mrs. Bonner hears
a voice coaxing her to step over the edge.
After she plunges to her death, Chan notices a peculiar stain on her coat,
and takes it to be examined at a lab, where it discovered that the residue is that of a mind-altering drug that renders its
victims helpless. Chan is then given several pills that contain the antidote to the drug.
Announcing that Mrs.
Bonner had committed suicide out of remorse for murdering her husband, Matthews declares the case closed. Dissatisfied
with the sergeant's conclusion, Chan returns to search the room in front of which Mrs. Bonner's glove had been found. After
entering the room, Chan is attacked, manacled, drugged, and hypnotized by an unseen assailant who orders him to climb to the
rooftop of the adjacent building and jump. Having earlier swallowed one of the antidote pills (which has not yet taken
effect), Chan proceeds, still under the influence of the drug and hypnotic suggestion, to the other building and ascends to
the roof.
Meanwhile, becoming concerned when she is unable to locate her father, Frances notifies Rafferty.
Together they hurry to the Berkeley building where they find that Chan has gone to the building across the street. As they
see Chan tottering on the ledge of the roof, the antidote suddenly begins to work and he comes out of his trance just as Rafferty
and Frances are about to grab hold of him. When Rafferty hands Chan the response from Scotland Yard, Chan reconvenes
a seance at the Bonner house.
CONCLUSION:
That night, Chan exposes
Tom and Vera and their secret room and then challenges the séance participants to answer a series of word association questions.
Suddenly, the lights go out and a silent shot is fired. As the lights are turned back on, a small hole can be seen in
the back of the chair in which Chan had been seated, the detective having moved during the blackout. Chan then produces
the cable from Scotland Yard imparting the information that on October 5, 1935, Chardo the Great, a well-known magician, had
been gravely injured in an automobile accident. The detective continues, stating that Chardo's wife, Justine, had run
away with his assistant, Bonner. After undergoing plastic surgery to alter his appearance, Chardo was determined to
make Justine and Bonner pay for their betrayal.
Blood is seen to be dripping from the hole in the chair that had been
occupied by Chan, to which the detective deduces that a similar bullet, made of frozen blood, was used to kill William Bonner,
thus explaining why no bullet was found in Bonner's body.
Addressing Hamlin as Chardo, Chan seizes the cigar case
which contains the hidden spring gun that was used to kill Bonner.
NOTES: The working titles of this film were
Murder Chamber and Charlie Chan in the Murder Chamber. It was also reviewed as Charlie Chan in Black
Magic. The film was later reissued as Meeting at Midnight, probably
so as to avoid confusion following the 1949 release of the Orson Wells film also titled Black Magic. Although
a Hollywood Reporter news item lists Trevor Bardette in the cast, his participation in the completed film has not
been confirmed.
Adapted from: AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CATALOG - Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American
Feature Films, 1911-1960
CHARLIE CHAN'S APHORISMS:
Spirits cannot kill.
Shady business do not make for sunny life.
New toot out of old horn.
Spirits always have very long way to come.
OTHER WORTHY STATEMENTS:
"Beauty of Chan family" also have brains - very fine combination.
(To Sgt. Matthews regarding daughter Frances)
(Frances: "Oh, Pop! You say I have brains, then you make me
sit around and twiddle my thumbs!") Twiddling thumbs at hotel keep pretty nose out of trouble.
Return to your home, Miss Duncan, for the present, and try to forget the past. (To Norma Duncan refering to her father's suicide)
Very "low spirits" in Bonner seances - all come from basement. (To
Frances while searching the Bonners' basement and finding the source of the "supernatural" happenings)
(Frances: "Wait till the folks back home see me - I'll knock their eyes out.") You are,
perhaps, pugilist?
(Frances: "I bought a crownless hat, and a backless dress, and some toeless
shoes.") Stores have no clothes which are complete?
(Frances: "You know,
Pop, I got an idea about this Bonner case.") Water on brain now leaking, huh?
THE WIT AND WISDOM OF BIRMINGHAM BROWN:
"Still here...but not for long!" (upon failing
to magically disappear after seeing a séance "apparition" and hurrying from the room)
__________
Sgt. Matthews: "Now, how are you gonna shoot a man with a bullet without
usin' a bullet?"
"Spooks."
__________
Sgt. Matthews: "Brown, you've been involved in three murder cases
already."
"It ain't my fault, mister, it's the law. Always somebody
taken' me down the hall, then, sompin' goes 'clang!,' then I'm in jail again, by mistake."
Sgt. Matthews: "Mistake? Maybe the other cases were mistakes, but
what about the Bonner Murder?"
"Commissioner, that was a strictly private murder,
to which I was not invited."
__________
Frances: "Who do you think killed Mr. Bonner?"
"Spooks."
Frances: "Silly, they can't hurt anyone."
"No? But how come they're scarin' me
to death?"
__________
"I got gremlins gallopin' up and down my spine!"
__________
(to himself) "Come on, get
hold of yourself, man. A scrambled egg has got more spirit than you!"
__________
Charlie Chan: "Are you about to leave?"
"Mr. Chan, I've been about to leave ever since I arrived here!"
__________
Charlie Chan: "You do not like being legal bloodhound?"
"I just can't be one, Mr. Chan, I'm too anemic; I'm practically
pale."
__________
"You know, after bein' here [Dr. Bonner's house] I could have an elegant time in a cemetery readin' tombstones at midnight."
__________
(after hearing Charlie Chan's voice from a hidden speaker in the séance
room) "Mr. Chan, if you is dead, stay wherever you are!"
__________
Frances: "Here she [Mrs. Bonner] comes!"
"Here I go!"
__________
Frances: "Chasing murderers is exciting, isn't it?"
"It's the easiest way of bein' scared to death I know
of."
__________
"Where troubles go, I ain't chasin' them."
__________
(after feeling energized by taking his vitamins) "Now let them spooks come on! Shut my mouth! If y'all heard me,
I was only kiddin'!"
__________
Police Officer (seeing Birmingham futilely snapping his fingers to
disappear): "You can't make anything disappear by snapping your fingers."
"No? Well, how come every time I snap my fingers
and say, 'Come seven!,' my money disappears?"
__________
(on encountering a trick skeleton and hearing Charlie Chan's voice
through a speaker) "Ooh, Mr. Chan, you sure did lose some
weight!"
FILM NOTES:
PROBABLE DATE: Spring 1944,
probably late March to mid-April, as Mr. Johnson tells Birmingham Brown that the moaning they are hearing is probably
someone "moaning about their income tax."
DURATION: Three days
POSSIBLE LOCATION:
Berkeley, California (Frances Chan tells Sgt. Matthews that her father is staying at the Shattuck Hotel, a well-known hotel
in Berkeley, California. Also, the "Berkeley Building" plays a role in the film.)
THE SIGN SEEN OUTSIDE OF THE BONNERS' HOUSE:

THE COVER
OF THE BOOK GIVEN TO BIRMINGHAM BROWN BY MR. JOHNSON:

THE "SPIRIT" CONTACTED AT THE
SEANCE: Mrs. Edwards
MRS. EDWARDS' FIRST NAME: Gertrude
CHARLES EDWARDS' "PET
NAME" FOR HIS LATE WIFE: "Gert"
THE QUESTION ASKED BY THE VOICE DURING THE SEANCE:
"What happened in London the night of October 5th, 1935?"
THE ADDRESS OF THE
BONNER HOUSE ACCORDING TO SGT. MATTHEWS: "349 Dexter Street."
THE HOMICIDE
OFFICERS AS REQUESTED BY SGT. MATTHEWS: "...Smith and McCarthy."
THE NAME OF CHARLIE
CHAN'S HOTEL: Shattuck Hotel
CHARLIE CHAN'S HOTEL ROOM NUMBER AT THE SHATTUCK HOTEL:
832
SOME OF THE TOYS THAT CHARLIE CHAN WAS PACKING TO TAKE TO HONOLULU TO HIS
CHILDREN: Dancing puppet, toy bear, stuffed cloth doll, Mexican jumping beans, noise maker.
CHARLIE CHAN'S TRAVEL PLANS: "I am leaving
tomorrow for Hawaii..."
THE REASON FOR CHARLIE
CHAN'S PLANNED TRIP TO VISIT HIS FAMILY IN HONOLULU: "Am on brief vacation from government work."
THE NAME OF THE PERSON
CONTACTED BY SGT. MATTHEWS AT THE CORONER'S OFFICE: Peters
ACCORDING TO SGT. MATTHEWS,
THE NUMBER OF MURDER CASES THAT BIRMINGHAM BROWN HAD BEEN INVOLVED THUS FAR: "...three murder cases
already."
SGT. MATTHEWS' SHOE
SIZE: 9 1/2 (although he should wear size 11)
THE NAME OF NANCY
DUNCAN'S APARTMENT BUILDING: The Brockton Apartments
THE NAME AND INFORMATION AS
PROVIDED BY NANCY DUNCAN REGARDING HER LATE FATHER: "My father was Charles Duncan, a civil engineer."
INFORMATION AS ADDED BY SGT.
MATTHEWS REGARDING NANCY DUNCAN'S LATE FATHER: "He committed suicide a year ago."
THE NOTE FOUND BY CHARLIE CHAN WITH NANCY DUNCAN:

THE LOCATION OF MRS.
BONNER'S OFFICE AND CHARLES EDWARDS' MAGICIANS SUPPLY: The Berkeley Building
THE NOTE FROM
DAWSON TO CHARLIE CHAN:

THE NUMBER OF MRS.
BONNER'S OFFICE AT THE BERKELEY BUILDING: 722
THE NUMBER OF CHARLES EDWARDS' OFFICE AT
THE BERKELEY BUILDING: 726
THE SIGN ON THE DOOR OF CHARLES EDWARDS' OFFICE:
"Charles Edwards inc. Magicians Supplies"
THE NAME OF THE DRUG
USED TO HELP INDUCE AN HYPNOTIC STATE: Menasgerol (also referred to as "mesmerol" by the murderer)
MR.
DAWSON'S DESCRIPTION OF THE EFFECTS OF MENASGEROL: "It's a derivitive of of the powerful shock drug."
ACCORDING TO MR. DAWSON, THE EFFECTS OF MENASGEROL:
"A few minutes after taking it, there would seem to be no effects whatever. But, actually, the drug leaves a person
with no mental or physical resistance."
ACCORDING TO MR. DAWSON,
THE LENGTH OF TIME NEEDED FOR THE ANTIDOTE TO MENASGEROL TO TAKE EFFECT: "...10 to 15 minutes."
THE
NUMBER OF THE ROOM AT THE BERKELEY BUILDING WHERE CHARLIE CHAN WAS HYPNOTIZED: 720 (accessed through room 722)
THE TIME ON CHARLIE CHAN'S WATCH WHEN HE WAS HYPNOTIZED: 10:14 a.m.
THE NAME AND LOCATION OF THE BUILDING WHERE MRS. BONNER JUMPED TO HER DEATH
WHILE HYPNOTIZED AND WHERE CHARLIE CHAN ALMOST DID THE SAME: Chalmar (?) Building (located
accross the street from the Berkeley Building)
THE ACTUAL NAME AND LOCATION OF THE BUILDING USED AS THE "CHALMAR BUILDING" AS
SEEN ON THE "CHALMAR BUILDING" DIRECTORY NEAR IN THE ELEVATOR SCENE WHICH READS: "HENNE BULIDING DIRECTORY": Henne Building, 122 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles.

THE HENNE BUILDING: Built 1896-1877. The photograph below was taken
circa 1915.

THE APPROXIMATE TIME
THAT RAFFERTY AND FRANCES CHAN NOTE THAT CHARLIE CHAN had been in mrs. bonner's office: 10:30 a.m.
THE "WORD ASSOCIATION TEST" ADMINISTERED
TO COLLECTED SUSPECTS BY CHARLIE CHAN:
Chan: (to Edwards) "Magician."
Edwards: "Supplies."
Chan: (to Edwards) "5:18."
Edwards: "Train."
Chan: (to Norma Duncan) "Bonner."
Norma: "Dead."
Chan: (to Norma Duncan) "Revenge?"
Norma: "No."
Chan: (to Paul Hamlin) "Magician."
Hamlin: "Trickster."
Chan: (to Paul Hamlin) "October."
Hamlin: "Month."
Chan: (to Harriett Green) "Bullet."
Harriett: "Gun."
Chan: (to Harriett Green) "London."
Harriett: "City."
Chan: (to Norma Duncan) "1935."
Norma: "Year."
Chan: (to Paul Hamlin) "London."
Hamlin: "England."
Chan: (to Charles Edwards) "Cigar."
Edwards: "Cold."
Chan: (to Charles Edwards) "Case."
Edwards: "Icy."
THE LENGTH OF CHARDO'S
STAY IN THE HOSPITAL FOLLOWING HIS AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN LONDON IN 1935: One year
GLOSSARY:
cablegram - A telegram sent
by trans-oceanic cable.
Charlie Chan: "Cablegram report from Scotland Yard."
dime novel - A melodramatic novel of romance
or adventure, usually in paperback.
Sgt. Matthews: "That's dime novel stuff."
dry up - (Informal) Cease talking.
Black magic/Meeting at Midnight - Tom Starkey: "Now, dry up
on the dramatics!"
gremlins - (1)
Imaginary gnomelike creatures to whom mechanical problems, especially in aircraft, are attributed. (2)
Makers of mischief.
Birmingham Brown: "I got gremlins gallopin' up and down my spine."
Shattuck Hotel - A
landmark hotel located in Berkeley, California, that opened in 1910.
Black Magic/Meeting at Midnight - Frances Chan (answering Sgt. Matthews
at to where her father is staying): "At the Shattuck Hotel."


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