Really Surprised!

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Captivating movie !

Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

Review - Murder Over New York One of the best from Sidney Toler out the Fox Studios by far, due to an excellent story holding the actual identities of the guilty until the very end, with plenty of red-herrings, trickery present to prove the guilty parties, exceptional acting from the cast members, recognizing one supporting member, i.e. Donald MacBride as Inspector Vance. Actually there were other cast members, uncredited Shemp Howard, with a funny bit, deserves mention. Unique features included twenty-one uncredited cast members, along with the thirteen credited cast members, not including the star, Sidney Toler. This was a large cast compared to later Charlie Chan movies, and it worked well, everyone figuring into the story. Marjorie Weaver as Patricia Shaw was a welcome cast member in her second of two Charlie Chan movies, each from 1940, as was Joan Valerie playing June Preston, as the only blond. The movie is a good watch seeing how each character plays an important part in the ultimate apprehension of the guilty, both killer and accomplice. Careful study of the players as the plot moves along provides insight of the way Charlie Chan captures the killer-ringleader and nabs the accomplice first. His loyalty to his friend, Inspector Drake keeps him in New York, solving the case, with help from a few people furnishing evidence or clues for the quest to go forward to conclusion. His friend Drake is killed in an apartment during a party with several guests, and the killer was amongst them at the party. Charlie Chan learned from his late friend, a prime suspect was known to be involved in sabotage, but he was not found as yet, as was the man's wife. She is found through help from a party guest providing her address where Charlie visits to learn of her actual status and any insight he can learn of her missing ringleader husband. Her life is endangered while Charlie and the NYPD Inspector question her. The host of the party is found dead in his apartment where the party occurred. The prime suspect's valet is murdered just before an attempt was made on his wife, two bullet holes through a police headquarters' window. From the assistance of a few more people Charlie creates a ruse to force the guilty parties out into the open before there was any further bloodshed. Watch for all the clues to be presented as the case comes to a conclusion. There were no unnecessary scenes throughout the show, despite Charlie having help from son Jimmy.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is full of clever sayings in Murder in New York, from 1940. Also starring is Sen Yung as Jimmy Chan. They make a delightful team. Jimmy shows up unexpectedly while Charlie is in New York to attend a conference. He and a friend of his want to attend the World's Fair.It's not long before both Chans are on a case, when a friend of Charlie's, a detective, is murdered. Soon they're in the midst of the investigation of a sabotage ring, people being killed by poison gas pellets, an airplane crash, and plenty of suspects. The police ask Charlie to stick around and help. I don't think he gets to his conference, and Jimmy doesn't see the World's Fair, at least not yet.Donald McBride, Ricardo Cortez, Kane Richmond, Robert Lowery, Marjorie Weaver, and Joan Valerie are all featured.It's a fair mystery, enlivened by Charlie's witty dialogue. Frankly, any one of these films that has something to do with the war basically have similar plots: sabotage, missing formulas, spies, that type of thing.Sidney Toler is in good form. I have to say I prefer Warner Oland, who seemed to exhibit more energy and was more upbeat. Toler's humor comes from his sardonic line delivery and good chemistry with the actors. Both brought something special to the role.Whether the story is bad, good, confusing, whatever, with stereotypes abounding, somehow these films are always enjoyable.

This is my fourth review of a Charlie Chan movie in series chronological order on these consecutive days. This is also my first comment of one I've seen previously though it's been about 24 years since then, so I didn't remember much of it. In this one, the Honolulu detective is investigating an espionage ring that was initially tracked by a former Scotland Yard acquaintance who has turned up missing in the Big Apple...This is the best of the Chan entries I've seen so far in current memory with every clue being connected (though, of course, if I look at them at closer examination, there could still be some holes though I can't think of any right now). And "No. 2 Son" Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) is somewhat of a help when he first identifies the poison that results in some murders early on, though, of course, he blunders a little later. Among the returning supporting cast from the last Chan film-Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum-are blonde Joan Valerie as June Preston and Stanley Blystone, who's brother John G. helmed a lost Chan one called Charlie Chan's Chance, as a fingerprint expert. Nice intrigue especially with an exciting climax aboard a bomber plane. Oh, and watch for a certain Stooge at a police line up...

taking into consideration the Chan films that would follow, this isn't bad. Plenty of stereotypes beginning with the Black man in the beginning and when the police captain orders that "every Hindu in town" by rounded-up. A parade of stereotypical characters enter the scene including Shemp of the Three Stooges. Charlie seems to move quickly around the city going from Sutton Pl. to the W. Village in a flash.The ending is silly. An obvious toy airplane is used as it climbs through the sky and then nose dives. Ed Wood couldn't have done it better. The final scene is absurd as the murderer will obviously incriminate himself in his attempt to quiet the one person who knows his identity. Overall, it is worth watching.