More comedy than mystery. Abbott and Costello could swap themselves in to this story with ease

Castle in the Desert
Rating
Release Date
2/2/1942Runtime
62 minsOverview
Charlie Chan, with son Jimmy on a week's pass from the Army, takes up a request for help at a castle-home, miles from anywhere in the American desert south-west and inhabited by an eccentric, reclusive historian and his wife, a descendant of Lucrezia Borgia. Once there, he finds the request's legitimacy denied by all who are present, but still necessary as one houseguest has already been murdered, the other guests are at each other's throat, and the Borgia-related chatelain is suspected...
Status
ReleasedOriginal Language
EnglishBudget
-Revenue
-Homepage
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How It Feels
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A lean detective mystery where Charlie Chan navigates a household of suspects and secrets in an isolated desert castle, balancing genuine intrigue with the comedic friction between the brilliant detective and his eager son. The claustrophobia of the setting and the eccentric cast keep the plot moving despite the brief runtime.
Mood
Themes
Tone
Pacing
Look
Structure

Sidney Toler
Charlie Chan

Victor Sen Yung
Jimmy Chan

Lenita Lane
Lucy Borgia Manderley

Douglass Dumbrille
Paul Manderley

Steven Geray
Dr. Retling

Edmund MacDonald
Walter Hartford

Arleen Whelan
Brenda Hartford

Ethel Griffies
Mme. Saturnia, aka Lizzie

Henry Daniell
Watson King

Richard Derr
Carl Detheridge

Lucien Littlefield
Prof. Gleason

Milton Parsons
Arthur Fletcher
Reviews
Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) Collection
Recommendations
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