The Jade Mask (Monogram) (1945)

Mystery Spices Laughs In Chan’s "The Jade Mask”’ (Review) Charlie Chan at his Oriental best began a run at the theatre yesterday in Monogram’s “The Jade Mask,” a mystery film answering the craving for “something new.” An ingenious puppet is involved in a series of murders almost as baffling to Chan, played by Sid ney Toler, as to the audience. While¥ the Chinese detective’s ability to track down elusive murderers has lost none of its qualities of fascination, the wisdom of his words seems to have mellowed with the years. Comedy weighs large among the ingredients out of which this exciting mystery was concocted. Sometimes the humor lies in the shrewdly cynical speech of Mr. Chan, sometimes in the enthusiasm of his ‘number four son,’ played by Edwin Luke. Often it is in the antics of Mantan Moreland, negro actor acclaimed as tops when it comes to making fright seem uproariously funny. Hardie Albright, playing a scientist who is bland about assuming that people just naturally hate people, adds a vinegar-flavored but nonetheless zestful dash of humor. Janet Warren relieves the grim | MYSTERY DART | Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) and Sheriff Mack (Alan Bridge) find the dart which has been creating corpses in Monogram’s “The Jade Mask,” which comes to the........ theatre next........... But there’s a long and tortuous path ahead before they uncover the surprising means by which the murderer releases his death-dealing darts. One Col. Scene Mat No. 1 darkness of the mansion which provides the setting by providing a smile which lights up the dark corners. She plays the niece of the scientist who is murdered by plotters seeking the secret of his method for giving wood the hardness of steel. Others in the cast are Edith Evanson, Ralph Lewis, Frank Reicher, Cyril DeLevanti, Dorothy G'ranger and Henry Hall. Producer of “The Jade Mask” is James S. Burkett. Phil Rosen directed from the original screenplay which George Callahan based on the characters created by Earl Derr Biggers. Charlie Chan: “How Keep Cool" Charlie Chan’s ingenuity led to discovery of how to keep a mystery house cool, during filming of Monogram’s “The Jade Mask,’ coming LOC 5 0. ASN as ae eee eats theatre Scenes inside the. brooding mansion, replete with bigger and better secret panels, were being shot during Hollywood’s most unusual hot spell. Perspiring workmen rigged up a system whereby water dripped | Over a frame of sacks in front of a giant fan, ordinarily used to create varying degrees of windstorms. The storms stirred up the mystery house’s air, but carried a most annoying penalty. It blew drops of water over cast and crew. Charlie Chan, played by Sidney Toler, arrived at the solution. He suggested, “When sack not work in front, try sack behind.” It worked, the fans drawing cooled air from the moist sacks. Furthermore, Chan found that, applied on a smaller scale in his home, it worked there, too. bafflements which Chan encounters when he attempts to solve the murder of a scientist working on a means of giving wood the hardness of steel. He has the assistance of his ‘number four son”—Edwin Luke, new to the series; and the assistance in reverse of his colored chauffeur with the big eyes, Mantan Moreland. Others in the cast are Ralph Lewis, Janet Warren, Edith Evanson, Alan Bridge and Frank Reicher. James S. Burkett was pro|} ducer, with Phil Rosen directing ‘from original screenplay by George Callahan. THE STORY (Not for Publication) Charlie Chan is called in by the government to solve the murder of Harper, a scientist, who had been working on a formula to make wood as durable as steel. In the latter's “mystery house,” which has many secret rooms and panels, are Meeker, Harper's former assistant; Louise, the dead man’s sister; Jean, his niece: Stella, a ventriloquist and houskeeper; and his personal and trusted servant, Roth. Shortly after Chan arrives, Tommy, the detective’s son, and Birmingham, their chauffeur, also arive. Jim Kimball, a policeman and boyfriend of Jean, tries to visit her on the evening of Harper's murder, gaining access to the grounds without knowing that Archer, who wants to steal the formula, has sneaked in at the same time. Archer murders Kimball and takes his uniform, and is thus able to move about the house. Roth, who knows all Harper's secrets, is murdered in the same way as Harper, by a poisoned steel dart. Stella is found in a gas-filled chamber which houses Harper's secret formula, and is only released by Chan’s discovery of a secret password. Archer, still hoping to obtain the formula, murders Meeker and by means of a rubber mask and wig assumes his identity. A deat mute, Michael, is about to re veal this ruse when he is also murdered. Chan straightens the whole affair out by disclosing Archer as the killer of all, and Stella as his accomplice in a plot to obtain the formula for an enemy country. A et “The Jade Mask’ involves the | SONS FOR CHAN Lee Luke, China-born San Francisco merchant of the early days, never could have dreamed that he would contribute two sons to an in dustry called “movies.” But that is what happened. One son, Keye, won fame as Charlie Chan’s son in the popular screen series. When he moved on to other roles, his successor was Lee’s younger son, Ed uate of the University of Washington. It’s Edwin who peppers life for his screen father, played by Sidney Toler, in Monogram’s “The Jade Mask,” coming to the......... theatre next. oe... ons. And if Edwin ever deserts acting for his hobby of journalism—well, old Luke has another son. win. Each, incidentally, is a grad | EVIDENCE EVEN BAFFLES CHARLIE CHAN | |The doctor (played by Joe Whitehead) and Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) contemplate the latest bit of evidence in a series of murders, while the sheriff (Alan Bridge) starts to feel hopelessly puzzled. There’s more bafflement ahead for them in “The Jade Mask,” Monogram’s mystery thriller now at the .......... theatre. Two Column Scene Mat No. 20 MURDER IN HONOR The honor of having Charlie Chan solve his murder falls to Ralph Lewis in “The Jade Mask,” Monogram’s comedy-drama coming to GAG teh theatre ‘next. oi.06 3545 Altogether, it’s one of the best screen breaks which have come to Lewis, former radio actor who has been seen and liked in “Trigger Law,” “Shadow of Suspicion” and “Little Devils.” CHANESE Sidney Toler has coined a word for the philosophically slow English he speaks for his Chinese role of Charlie Chan. The word is “Chanese.” Toler’s Chanese at its best is heard in “The lade Mask,” Monogram mystery comedy now at GING h teas aoe theatre. ‘Oriental’ Detective Has Own System for Arising How to “get going” in the morning has been worked out in style by Sidney Toler, noted actor who may be seen next at gee ee ge oe etek coc ih ok pun ee The Monogram star found that getting up in the Cali fornia dawn was hard to take until¥ he arrived at a system. Now every day gets a contentedly philosophical start. When it’s time to get up, Chan-Toler heads for the bathroom and a quick shower. Before he steps into the shower, he plugs in the cord of the electric percolator. The sound of the coffee perc-ing brings the screen detective’s dog. Toler then removes the waxed paper from his sandwich, prepared the night before. It’s rye, with cottage cheese and honey. The understand ing between dog and master is that the dog gets all the corners. The pet jumps on the master’s lap while he has four cups of coffee. Then Toler is ready for a good day’s work. Perhaps it’s the start-of-the-day | routine which gives Sidney Toler’s acting the incomparable easy going quality so noticeable in “The Jade Mask.” Assigned to discover the identity of a fiendishly clever murderer, he meets the many surprising developments with the contented humor which has endeared him to audiences thruout the world, Toler has been an actor more than 25 years, for fourteen of which he was under the management of David Belascu. He achieved top rank among Broadway players and on the road before coming to Hollywood. “The Jade Mask” features Edwin Luke, brother of Keye Luke, in the role of Chan’s “fourth son,” Mantan Moreland, colored comic rapidly gaining in popularity, is the detective’s chauffeur. CHARLIE CHAN | Charlie Chan, is played with sincerity and humor by Sidney Toler in Monogram’s series of mysteries, “The Jade Mask,’ newest of the series, comes to the .............. theatre next One Col. Scene Mat No. 2