Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939)

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island (1939) (affiliate link) is the third Twentieth-Century Fox film starring Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan.  Inspector Chan and Jimmy Chan, played by Victor Sen Yung, are flying to the San Francisco World Exposition in 1939 as the film opens.

The bumpy ride is making Jimmy very nervous.  Also on the flight is Charlie’s friend Paul Essex, played by Louis Jean Heydt.  He is finishing a novel for his publisher, when he dies.  Essex was being blackmailed by the mysterious Zodiac, a supposed mystic and psychic, and chose to take his life rather than have a secret exposed.

Charlie begins to investigate Zodiac, who he suspects of blackmailing other.  Charlies is particularly anxious to solve the crime after he promises Essex’s widow that he will catch the Zodiac.

Charlie is aided in his investigation by Jimmy, investigative reporter Pete Lewis, played by Douglas Fowley, and the magician Rhadini, played by Cesar Romero.  Rhadini, a magician who is focused on exposing fakes in his business, has been trying to expose Zodiac for several months.

Douglas Dumbrille plays an insurance investigator, who may or may not be more than he appears.  He becomes a possible suspect, when he steals Essex’s manuscript during the confusion on the plan after Essex is found dead.

The movie runs 75 minutes.  The Twentieth-Century Fox films were usually well made because the franchise kept Twentieth-Century Fox solvent for a number of years.

Cesar Romero, who plays Rhadini, was born on February 15, 1907 in New York City to an Italian father and Cuban mother.  He spent most of his career playing Latin lovers, playboys and villains.  He is best remembered today for playing the Joker in the 1960s “Batman” TV show starring Adam West as Batman.

According to Wikipedia, Romero’s parents suffered severe financial setbacks due to the Wall Street Crash of 1929.  Romero supported his large extended family with his film earnings.  He was often seen with beautiful women but remained a bachelor.  Romero never had any children.

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