Review - Murder Over New York
One of the best from Sidney Toler out the Fox Studios by far, due to an excellent story holding the actual identities of the guilty until the very end, with plenty of red-herrings, trickery present to prove the guilty parties, exceptional acting from the cast members, recognizing one supporting member, i.e. Donald MacBride as Inspector Vance. Actually there were other cast members, uncredited Shemp Howard, with a funny bit, deserves mention. Unique features included twenty-one uncredited cast members, along with the thirteen credited cast members, not including the star, Sidney Toler. This was a large cast compared to later Charlie Chan movies, and it worked well, everyone figuring into the story. Marjorie Weaver as Patricia Shaw was a welcome cast member in her second of two Charlie Chan movies, each from 1940, as was Joan Valerie playing June Preston, as the only blond.
The movie is a good watch seeing how each character plays an important part in the ultimate apprehension of the guilty, both killer and accomplice. Careful study of the players as the plot moves along provides insight of the way Charlie Chan captures the killer-ringleader and nabs the accomplice first. His loyalty to his friend, Inspector Drake keeps him in New York, solving the case, with help from a few people furnishing evidence or clues for the quest to go forward to conclusion. His friend Drake is killed in an apartment during a party with several guests, and the killer was amongst them at the party. Charlie Chan learned from his late friend, a prime suspect was known to be involved in sabotage, but he was not found as yet, as was the man's wife. She is found through help from a party guest providing her address where Charlie visits to learn of her actual status and any insight he can learn of her missing ringleader husband. Her life is endangered while Charlie and the NYPD Inspector question her. The host of the party is found dead in his apartment where the party occurred. The prime suspect's valet is murdered just before an attempt was made on his wife, two bullet holes through a police headquarters' window. From the assistance of a few more people Charlie creates a ruse to force the guilty parties out into the open before there was any further bloodshed. Watch for all the clues to be presented as the case comes to a conclusion. There were no unnecessary scenes throughout the show, despite Charlie having help from son Jimmy.
The movie is a good watch seeing how each character plays an important part in the ultimate apprehension of the guilty, both killer and accomplice. Careful study of the players as the plot moves along provides insight of the way Charlie Chan captures the killer-ringleader and nabs the accomplice first. His loyalty to his friend, Inspector Drake keeps him in New York, solving the case, with help from a few people furnishing evidence or clues for the quest to go forward to conclusion. His friend Drake is killed in an apartment during a party with several guests, and the killer was amongst them at the party. Charlie Chan learned from his late friend, a prime suspect was known to be involved in sabotage, but he was not found as yet, as was the man's wife. She is found through help from a party guest providing her address where Charlie visits to learn of her actual status and any insight he can learn of her missing ringleader husband. Her life is endangered while Charlie and the NYPD Inspector question her. The host of the party is found dead in his apartment where the party occurred. The prime suspect's valet is murdered just before an attempt was made on his wife, two bullet holes through a police headquarters' window. From the assistance of a few more people Charlie creates a ruse to force the guilty parties out into the open before there was any further bloodshed. Watch for all the clues to be presented as the case comes to a conclusion. There were no unnecessary scenes throughout the show, despite Charlie having help from son Jimmy.