The Shanghai Cobra (1945)

Someone is attempting to steal radium stored in a bank. Death by cobra venom connects a number of murders. Charlie investigates.

Director:

Phil Karlson

Writers:

George Callahan (screenplay), George Wallace Sayre (screenplay),

Stars:

Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Benson Fong

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Sidney Toler	...	Charlie Chan
Mantan Moreland	...	Birmingham Brown
Benson Fong	...	Tommy Chan
James Cardwell	...	Ned Stewart
Joan Barclay	...	Paula Webb
Addison Richards	...	John Adams
Arthur Loft	...	Bradford Harris
Janet Warren	...	Record Machine Operator
Gene Roth	...	Morgan (as Gene Stutenroth)
Joe Devlin	...	Taylor
James Flavin	...	H.R. Jarvis
Roy Gordon	...	Walter Fletcher
Walter Fenner	...	Police Inspector Harry Davis

Storyline

When three employees of a bank are found murdered with cobra venom, Charlie Chan connects the homicides to a case he had worked in Shanghai in 1937. Even though he arrested the alleged murderer, whom later escaped from the police, Charlie wouldn't be able to recognize him because, at the time of his apprehension, his badly burned face and hands were swathed in bandages. Although Chan believes he is now involved with a gang that is stealing valuable radium from a bank vault, utilizing tunnels that connect to the area sewer system, his new identity remains a mystery. When a detective disguised as a bank guard is found dead in a tunnel by Birmingham, Charlie knows he's on the right track.

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Plot Keywords:

bank | tunnel | radium | bank vault | sewer | 

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Taglines:

Charlie Chan at his best in his most thrilling adventure!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Charlie Chan in the Shanghai Cobra

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

64 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The shots of the building Charlie exists and of him entering taxi cab #610 are from Charlie Chan in the Secret Service.

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Goofs

A building supposedly located in Washington, D.C. has the California state flag flying from its flagpole.

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Quotes

Charlie Chan: Cannot sell bearskin before shooting bear.

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Connections

Follows Charlie Chan at the Circus (1936)

User Reviews

Put the needle on the customer

Charlie's still working for the Federal Govt., and along with no. 3 son Tommy and the rather subdued Birmingham are trying to prevent a gang of crooks stealing some radium from an impenetrable bank vault. Who are also being tailed by a watchful someone who they framed 8 years before in Shanghai.

They all seem to spend a lot of time in that old friend, the gas chamber from the Jade Mask, this time masquerading as the sewers under the bank. But the key to this movie's implausible Monogram-plot is the very advanced jukebox in the diner which is manned via television by baddies 2 blocks away in the depths of the Monogram bank. Unsurprisingly Charlie solves everything.

All of the above probably makes it sounds utter tripe, but I've always liked this outing from the team, with a nice and dark nitrate atmosphere pervading throughout to compensate for the plot's definite shortcomings. Not so many smart ass one-liners as in other efforts, but none the worse for that! Sure, it's the usual cheap Monogram affair, but if you sat through it knowing that and didn't like it kiss that hour goodbye forever!