Docks of New Orleans (1948)

After the partners in the LaFontaine Chemical Co. sign a legal agreement leaving their share to the surviving partner(s), two of them are murdered.

Director:

Derwin Abrahams

Writers:

Earl Derr Biggers (characters), Scott Darling (original screenplay) (as W. Scott Darling)

Stars:

Roland Winters, Virginia Dale, Mantan Moreland

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Roland Winters	...	Charlie Chan
Virginia Dale	...	Rene Blanchette
Mantan Moreland	...	Birmingham Brown
John Gallaudet	...	Capt. Pete McNalley
Victor Sen Yung	...	Tommy Chan (as Victor Sen Young)
Carol Forman	...	Nita Aguirre
Douglas Fowley	...	Grock
Harry Hayden	...	Oscar Swenstrom
Howard Negley	...	Andre Pereaux
Stanley Andrews	...	Theodore Von Scherbe
Emmett Vogan	...	Henri Castanaro
Boyd Irwin	...	Simon LaFontanne
Rory Mallinson	...	Thompson
George J. Lewis	...	Police Sgt. Dansiger

Storyline

The LaFontanne Chemical Company is shipping out a load of we're not sure what, disguised as something entirely different. Mr. Pereaux and Mr. Grock don't want that shipment to ever arrive anywhere, and they and a man named Aquirre mean to stop it at any cost. The ship's owner, Mr. Fontanne, smells a large rat and calls Chan in on the case, since the famous detective is in New Orleans because, well, because he felt like being in New Orleans, I guess. Chan gets what facts there are from LaFontanne, who is promply set upon by a gang who attempt to kidnap him, but fail. Mr. LaFontanne's partners come up with some insurance; just by chance they tell him, a partnership agreement (why they would have been running a company all this time without one is another large mystery which will not be solved) that bestows upon the living partners the portion owned by a deceased partner. Then the guy who invented the formula for the poison gas that the company is making but who was, in his opinion, ...

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Plot Keywords:

poison gas | new orleans louisiana | husband wife relationship | father son relationship | smuggling | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 March 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

Charlie Chan in Docks of New Orleans

Company Credits

Production Co:

Monogram Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

64 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Only film of Haywood Jones.

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Goofs

The sound of Jimmy's violin is heard for a second on the soundtrack after he stops playing.

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Quotes

Birmingham Brown: Mr. Chan, you oughta have all the credit for solvin' this case.
Charlie Chan: [Sardonically] Well, after dinner is over, heh-heh, who cares about spoon?
Tommy Chan: Let's pack and go back to San Francisco, Pop.
Charlie Chan: Yes, wherever one is not, that's where heart is.

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Connections

Follows The Chinese Ring (1947)

User Reviews

I Know the Tomato but Who Are These Other Guys

This is one of the Roland Winters episodes. He is really weak as Chan. Of all the non- Asians who played Charlie, he is the least Asian appearing of all. He delivers lines poorly and is, frankly, boring. This is another episode about international terror. Apparently, some guys are trying to kill masses of people by producing a kind of poison gas. Once again, while everyone is in a room, a guy goes into his office and dies mysteriously. There is something to do with radio tubes and high frequency sound. It's a good idea, but the way everything unfolds is so far fetched. Another weakness is how little Mantan and Tommy are utilized. Since Chan is so lame, these guys are normally the fun. Winters seems to have no chemistry with these guys. One can see the series gasping for air as we move to the last episodes.