The Age of Commercialism

Redundant and unnecessary.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

"The Scarlet Clue" is a typically cheap Monogran production in underdressed sets, and it's mostly tedious, but there are some clever bits for mystery fans (even if, once again, the killer seems to be selected at random), and memorable use of a booby-trapped elevator. My favorite Chan line, in response to his son saying that he had an idea but it was gone: "maybe it could not stand solitary confinement!". ** out of 4.

Some Hollywood studios decided to stop making Charlie Chan films and Sidney Toler decided to convince Monogram Pictures to accept his legal terms to make more Charlie Chan films with Toler as the star. In this series you will notice a drop in the quality of film that is made and how costs were cut to keep a low budget. Mantan Moreland, (Birmingham Brown) played a big role as the chauffeur for Charlie Chan and he was a great comic rolling his eyes and aways being scared to death along with Number 3 son of Charlie Chan, Tommy Chan, (Benson Fong). Charlie Chan investigates a television station and also a Government Radar Company and he tries to work with the police and Government agents to catch spies trying to steal secret plans and papers vital to the American Defense. Jack Norton, who usually plays in drunk in most films during the 1930's and 40's appears in this film and performs on a television show and gives a great supporting role to this film. Virginia Brissac, (Mrs. Marsh) plays the owner of this radio and television studio and is a rather grump and nasty elderly lady. Enjoy.

Once again, I have watched a Charlie Chan movie and then noticed that a significant number of people have rated this movie as a 10!!! While the early and well-made Chan movies from Fox were pretty good, none of them came close to meriting a 10. And this later product, from "poverty row" studio, MONOGRAM, is far from one of the better Charlie Chan films--especially since these films were well-known for their cheap production values, poor writing and short turnover (being made in just a few days in most cases). In fact, it's poorer than average for a Chan film and anyone giving it a 10 must be joking!! After all, do you really believe that this film is as good or better than MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON or BEN HUR or THE SOUND OF MUSIC? These movies might merit a 10, but not a routine series film that has a pretty shallow script. The antics of Mantan Moreland as Chan's stupid Black servant (sadly, this was a role typical of many Black stars in white films of the 30s and 40s) were often offensive and stereotypical, but at least in this film Moreland had a few good moments as well. The Moreland and Ben Carter scenes are hilarious but irrelevant to the movie. In fact, the funny little vaudeville routine that Carter and Moreland do together does make the movie worth watching--you just have to see and hear it for yourself. The banter between them is just strange and infectiously funny. The only other GOOD thing about the film are some of Chan's one-liners (that are MUCH meaner than usual and refer to his #3 son as an idiot). But, as for the story itself, it's pretty limp and forgettable. Like most of the wartime Chan films it has to do with espionage and murder and as such it's awfully predictable.

When I was little, my brother and I would stay up late at night any time Charlie Chan was on the midnight movie schedule on one of the local television stations. So I've been a fan for 35 years. And even though there are a few moments I enjoy, The Scarlet Clue has always been among my least favorite of the Chan series. Far too much time is spent on Number 3 Son and Birmingham Brown and not enough is spent on Charlie interviewing suspects and gathering clues. What clues Chan does find are so obvious that any detective should have been able to piece the mystery together. The script gives the killer too much leeway in the rigging of intricate electric devices used for murder. Surely someone would have noticed a trap door being installed in the elevator. And the whole Chan working for the government against the Nazis in WWII is not my cup of tea. Give me a big old house full of suspicious looking suspects, each with a motive for murder.To each his own though. I'm sure that my list of favorite Chan films would include some that fans of The Scarlet Clue would consider among the worst.