Murder Over New York (1940)

When Charlie's old friend from Scotland Yard is murdered when they attend a police convention in New York, Chan picks up the case he was working on.

Director:

Harry Lachman

Writers:

Lester Ziffren (original screen play), Earl Derr Biggers (based on: the character "Charlie Chan" created by)

Stars:

Sidney Toler, Marjorie Weaver, Robert Lowery

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sidney Toler	...	Charlie Chan
Marjorie Weaver	...	Patricia Shaw
Robert Lowery	...	David Elliott
Ricardo Cortez	...	George Kirby
Donald MacBride	...	Inspector Vance
Melville Cooper	...	Herbert Fenton
Joan Valerie	...	June Preston
Kane Richmond	...	Ralph Percy
Victor Sen Yung	...	Jimmy Chan (as Sen Yung)
John Sutton	...	Richard Jeffery
Leyland Hodgson	...	Boggs
Clarence Muse	...	Butler
Frederick Worlock	...	Hugh Drake
Lal Chand Mehra	...	Ramullah

Storyline

Coincidence like ancient egg, leave unpleasant odour. Canary unlike faithful dog, do not die from sympathy. Number 2 son very promising detective, promise very much, deliver very little. Nut easy to crack if nut empty. Number 2 son like interest on mortgage, impossible to escape. Fresh weed better than wilted rose. Happy solution never see light if truth kept in dark. One man with gun have more authority than whole army with no ammunition. Door of opportunity swing both ways. Wishful thinking sometimes lead to blind alley. Same leopard can hide beneath different spots. Confidence of son like courage of small boy at dentist, most evident after tooth extracted.

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Plot Keywords:

convention | detective | telegram | father son relationship | airport | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

Charlie Chan in Murder Over New York

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

65 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The aircraft used towards the end is a Lockheed Model 10, similar to that flown by Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan on their last flight. This one has had its NC registration number obliterated, and it appears at one time that it may have been used as a military trainer since it seems to have a gun turret mounting ring installed aft of the cockpit and ahead of the cabin door.

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Goofs

Seemingly an hour or so after Drake's body is discovered in his apartment, Charlie gets a toxicology report over the telephone from the city morgue naming the specific poison that was in his body.

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Quotes

Charlie Chan: One man with gun have more authority than whole army without ammunition.

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Connections

Follows Charlie Chan on Broadway (1937)

User Reviews

Pretty nifty

This film is about a deadly poison that is contained in small glass globes that is used to kill. This is apparently done to hide an espionage ring intent on stealing plans for a new American bomber. Now much of this plot was repeated in other Chan films, THE JADE MASK and THE DOCKS OF NEW ORLEANS. Additionally, it was first used in MR. WONG, DETECTIVE--all had the exploding glass globes--a plot element that obviously has been overused. It was interesting in MURDER OVER NEW YORK, but by these later films it was rather passé.

Fortunately, the rest of the film was fresh and the plot worked out very well--with a nifty conclusion where, of course, the culprit reveals himself. However, no plane could fly the way this one did--especially in 1940. Such extreme dives and rapid ascents were pretty silly out of this already obsolete plane.

By the way, in a small role as a porter you'll see Frank Coghlan Jr.--the same actor who played Billy Batson in the CAPTAIN MARVEL serial. According to IMDb, Mr. Coughlan is 93 years old and retired from the film industry.