Charlie Chan - Il pugnale scomparso (1936)
Un baritono (Boris Karloff), evaso da un manicomio, viene sospettato di essere il responsabile di due terribili omicidi che gravitano intorno alla sfera operistica. L'investigatore cinese Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) riuscirà a individuare il vero criminale. Quattordicesimo episodio della saga che vede al centro della narrazione le indagini del mitico Charlie Chan, Il pugnale scomparso è un giallo classico e scontato, basato su uno scheletro narrativo ormai consolidato (il sospettato principale si rivelerà ovviamente innocente) e risolto dalle brillanti deduzioni del detective. Il regista H. Bruce Humberstone inscena il tutto senza particolare brio o sequenze degne di nota, limitandosi a restituire una confezione tanto gradevole quanto anonima. Probabilmente ostacolato dalla longevità della serie, che ormai ha ben poco di nuovo da sviluppare, il film rischia di annoiare lo spettatore, o comunque di non sorprenderlo mai come dovrebbe. Sceneggiatura di Scott Darling e Charles Belden.
Direttore: H. Bruce Humberstone
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Warner Oland as Charlie Chan |
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Boris Karloff as Gravelle |
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Keye Luke as Lee Chan |
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William Demarest as Sergeant Kelly |
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Guy Usher as Inspector Regan |
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Margaret Irving as Mme. Lilli Rochelle |
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Gregory Gaye as Enrico Borelli |
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Nedda Harrigan as Mme. Lucretia Borelli |
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Frank Conroy as Mr. Whitely |
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Charlotte Henry as Mlle. Kitty |
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Thomas Beck as Phil Childers |
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Maurice Cass as Mr. Arnold |
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Tom McGuire as Pop Morris - Stage Doorman |
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Marc Lawrence as Undetermined Minor Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed) |
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Joan Woodbury as Dancer in Opera (uncredited) |
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William Bailey as Detective (uncredited) |
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Charles Bancroft as Soldier in Opera (uncredited) |
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John Bleifer as Murdered Orderly (uncredited) |
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Stanley Blystone as Backstage Cop Who Shoots Gravelle (uncredited) |
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Myrta Bonillas as Villager in Opera (uncredited) |
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Raymond Brown as Guard (uncredited) |
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Carita Crawford as Dancer in Opera (uncredited) |
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Patrick Cunning as Villager in Opera (uncredited) |
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Zari Elmassian as Mme. Rochelle (singing voice) (uncredited) |
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Frank Fanning as Cop (uncredited) |
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Jim Farley as Detective (uncredited) |
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Adolph Faylauer as Opera Spectator (uncredited) |
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Larry Fisher as Cop (uncredited) |
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Benson Fong as Opera Supernumerary (uncredited) |
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J. C. Fowler as Opera Spectator (uncredited) |
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Otto Fries as Innkeeper (uncredited) |
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Bud Geary as Cop (uncredited) |
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Milton Gowman as Villager in Opera (uncredited) |
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Herschel Graham as Villager in Opera (uncredited) |
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Harrison Greene as Detective (uncredited) |
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Julia Griffith as Opera Spectator (uncredited) |
| Writing | Earl Derr Biggers | Characters |
| Directing | H. Bruce Humberstone | Director |
| Writing | Charles S. Belden | Writer |
| Production | Sol M. Wurtzel | Executive Producer |
| Sound | Oscar Levant | Music |
| Camera | Lucien N. Andriot | Director of Photography |
| Costume & Make-Up | Herschel McCoy | Costume Design |
| Editing | Alex Troffey | Editor |
