Truly Dreadful Film

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

A man playing chess is shot by an unknown hand. The dying man sweeps the chess pieces off the board–but leaves a bishop standing. A clue? Charlie Chan is eventually recruited to investigate, but he only has 48 hours before leaving town on government business. In that short time, his investigation leads to artsy figurines hidden in bread loaves, and opens secret compartments concealing diamonds in those same figurines. Sidney Toler is steady as always in this modest Chan mystery. Benson Fong is energetic as son Tommy Chan, and the father-son back-and- forth includes the usual amount of moderately amusing banter: Tommy Chan: "Pop, I got a case that will knock your hat off." Pop Chan: "Can remove hat without assistance, thank you." Joan Woodbury is sadly wasted as the murder victim's stepdaughter. You'd think Woodbury would add some zip to a picture like this, but unfortunately she's stuck as a helpless hand-wringer rather than the spunky fast-talker she so often played. However, Woodbury's blandness is nothing compared with that of her detective boyfriend (Weldon Heyburn), who simply has nothing interesting to say or do the whole picture. Poor guy! Thank goodness for Mantan Moreland, who livens up his scenes as taxi driver Birmingham Brown. Fong is also fun as the number three son (although he sure smiles a lot, even when he's just discovered a dead body). Overall, it's not much of a plot but the familiar lead characters are always watchable.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) investigates a murder that occurred inside a locked room. Another weak Monogram Chan film. At least Toler's suit fits better this time. Bug-eyed Mantan Moreland is back as stereotypical comic relief Birmingham Brown ("Every time I meet a Chan, I meets trouble."). Benson Fong is back as "Number Three Son" Tommy. He's still as dull as dishwater. The supporting cast is unimpressive, as it almost always was in these Monogram cheapies. Charlie is especially brusque and gruff in this one.The Fox films were so much better in every respect. I especially miss the great Charlie Chan aphorisms. Here we get crap like "Bull in china shop is gentle creature compared to detective who make pass at man wearing glasses." What does that even mean?? I've seen several reviewers calling this one of the better Monogram Chans. That's faint praise, I'm sure. It's pretty routine stuff, in my opinion. It suffers from the same drabness of the rest of the Monogram films. The same "I flubbed my lines but we can't do a second take" level of cheapness. The same lack of excitement or suspense. The same inclusion of forced corny comedy. Still, it's a Toler Chan film so it's watchable...but just barely.

Loosely based on novels by Earl Derr Biggers, 20th Century Fox's Charlie Chan series proved an audience favorite--but when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor the studio feared audiences would turn against its Asian hero. This was a miscalculation: actor Sidney Toler took the role to "poverty row" Monogram Studios, where he continued to portray the character in eleven more popular films made between 1944 and his death in 1947.20th Century Fox had regarded the Chan films as inexpensive "B" movies, but even so the studio took considerable care with them: the plots were often silly, but the pace was sharp, the dialogue witty, and the casts (which featured the likes of Bela Lugosi and Ray Milland) always expert. The result was a kindly charm which has stood the test of time. Monogram was a different matter: Chan films were "B" movies plain and simple. Little care was taken with scripts or cast and resulting films were flat, mediocre at best, virtually unwatchable at worst.Released in 1944, THE Chinese CAT finds Chan beset by son Tommy, who has promised the step-daughter of a murdered man assistance; they are joined in the investigation by cab driver Birmigham, who is not overeager to be reunited with the Chans given that murder tends to follow in their wake. Indeed, there will be three murders, stolen jewels, and a carnival fun house before the killers are captured. Like all the Monogram Chan films, the plot is trivial and the script even more so; unlike the worst of the Monogram Chan films, however, it does have the occasional touch of atmosphere and moves at a respectable pace.Sidney Toler gives a nice reprise of Charlie Chan in this film, but as usual in the Monogram Chan films Mantan Moreland (Birmingham) is the real scene stealer. Changing times have led us to look upon Moreland's brand of comedy as demeaning to African-Americans, but he was an expert actor and comic, and taken within the context of what was possible for a black actor in the 1940s his work has tremendous charm and innocence.Fans of the 20th Century Fox series are likely to find Monogram's Chan a significant disappointment and newcomers who like the Monogram films will probably consider them third-rate after encountering the Fox films. Like other Monogram Chan films, MEETING AT MIDNIGHT is best left to determined collectors. Three stars, and that's being generous.GFT, Amazon Reviewer

A man is shot in a locked room. The police are completely stumped and cannot solve the case. When a book is written that insinuates the wife was the murderer, the man's stepdaughter enlists the help of Charlie Chan to find the real killer. Chan is only in town for 48 hours, so he's got to be quick if he's to solve a six-month old murder.The Chinese Cat is one of the better of the Monogram Chan films. Sure, it's far from perfect, but I enjoy it each time I get the opportunity to watch. It's always fun to watch Chan investigate a crime scene while spitting out a few of the Chan style proverbs. Mantan Moreland is back as Birminham Brown and he has more than a few moments that bring at least a smile to my face. A few other things The Chinese Cat has in its favor include: a well paced plot, some trickery involving twins, and the fact that Number 3 son isn't as annoying as he is in some of the other Chan films. While I doubt the average movie fan would enjoy The Chinese Cat very much, fans of Chan will find something to enjoy.But, as with the other Monogram films, there are problems in The Chinese Cat that are hard to overlook. Monogram made these films with very little in the way of a budget and it shows. The sets look cheap, some of the acting is stilted, and action scenes have taken the place of Chan questioning suspects. The Fun House scenes are the perfect example of the budgetary limitations as characters walk past the same three sets over and over and over...