Monogram Pictures Corporation Distributed: Monogram Pictures
Corporation, August 29, 1948 Production: Mid- to late April 1948 Copyright: Monogram Pictures Corporation, August
22, 1948; LP1857 Sound: Western Electric Recording Film: Black and white Length: 6,224 feet Running Time:
69 minutes Production Code Administration Certificate Number: 13185 Source: Based on the character created by Earl
Derr Biggers
Producer: James S. Burkett Director: William Beaudine Assistant Director: Wesley Barry
Original Screenplay: W. Scott Darling Photography: William Sickner
Production Supervisor: Allen K. Wood
Supervising Film Editor: Otho Lovering
Editor: Ace Herman
Musical Director: Edward J. Kay
Art Direction: Dave Milton
Recording: Franklin Hansen Camera Operator: John Martin (not credited) Stills:
Al St. Hillaire (not credited) Set Decorations: Raymond Boltz, Jr. (not credited) Sound: John Kean (not credited)
Makeup: Webb Overlander (not credited) Hair Stylist: Lela Chambers (not credited) Screenplay Supervisor: Jules
Levy (not credited) Grip: Grant Tucker (not credited)
CAST:
Roland Winters: Charlie Chan (also posing as "Chan, dealer in Oriental curios") Wanda
McKay: Evelyn Manning Mantan Moreland: Birmingham Brown Victor Sen Young: Tommy Chan Bruce Kellogg: Talbot Bartlett
Tim Ryan: Lt. Mike Ruark (also posing as Vincent O'Brien) Evelyn Brent: Sister Teresa Ralph Dunn:
[Jim] Driscoll Lois Austin: Mrs. Margaret Driscoll Forrest Taylor: Manning Lee "Lasses" White: Pete Lee Tung
Foo: Wong Fai (not credited) Michael Gaddis: Pursuer (not credited) Sam Flint: Man (not credited) Geraldine
Cobb: Girl in Riding Clothes (not credited) Mary Ann Hawkins: Bathing Girl (not credited)
Aileen Babs Cox: Bathing Girl (not credited) Edmund Cobb, John Merton: Miners (neither
credited) Jack Gargan: Voice from Darkness (not credited)
Tom Tyler; Gang Member (?) (not credited)
Herman Cantor: Gang Member (?) (not credited)
George Spaulding: Dr. Groves (not credited)
Bill Walker: Gang Member (not credited)
SUMMARY:
In San Francisco's Chinatown, an Arizona mine owner named Manning visits a curio shop owned
by Wong Fai, seeking help from Charlie Chan because he believes that someone is out to kill him. While in the shop,
Manning is shot at by an unseen assailant. Later, Chan agrees to help Manning.
Accompanied by number two son Tommy
and chauffeur Birmingham Brown, Chan poses as a tourist and checks into the Lazy Y Dude Ranch which is located near to Manning's
"Golden Eye" mine. After his arrival, Chan is met by San Francisco police lieutenant Mike Ruark who is working undercover
for the government. Ruark is there to investigate large amounts of gold ore that are suddenly flooding the market, and
after sharing information, he and Chan realize that the matters that each of them are working on are probably related.
Ruark informs Chan that Manning has been badly injured in a mysterious fall in his mine, he also fills the detective in on
how Manning's mine is suddenly producing so much gold that it is now one of the country's richest.
Posing as a dealer
in oriental curios, Chan goes to the Manning home, where he meets Manning's daughter Evelyn, mine superintendent Driscoll
and his wife, and the local assayer Talbot Bartlett. Chan is also allowed to visit Manning who is unconscious with his
head completely wrapped in bandages.
Returning to the dude ranch, Chan finds assayer Talbot Bartlett, who, years ago,
had played on the same high school baseball team in Honolulu as the detective's number one son. Bartlett tells Chan
that he has been assaying some of the gold coming from the Golden Eye mine. Evelyn Manning, unaware of the mine's recent
tremendous productivity, tells Bartlett that the nursing sister, Sister Teresa, whom Driscoll has hired from the nearby mission,
is strange, and uncommunicative.
Pete, an independent miner, who has secretly gained access to the Golden Eye mine
via a tunnel dug from his shack, which is located near the mine, brings a sample of ore for assaying. Bartlett tells
him that it is worthless, and, after Pete admits as to where he obtained it, Chan arranges to meet the miner at his shack
to take him to the hidden tunnel. However, when Chan, Tommy, and Birmingham arrive at the shack, Pete is not there.
As the trio enters the mine, they find Pete's body
CONCLUSION:
Later,
back at the dude ranch, Lt. Ruark tells Chan that Driscoll has a criminal record. Chan also discovers that Manning's
nurse is a fake. Chan later finds that Driscoll has been smuggling gold out of Mexico, where the price of gold is much
less than in the United States, and selling it at a much higher price north of the border. With his scheme at stake,
Driscoll wants Manning and everyone else out of the way so that his illegal operation can continue.
When Chan, Tommy,
and Birmingham return to the mine, Birmingham stumbles upon another body that turns out to be Manning. They all return
to the Manning house where the detective begins to remove the bandages from the patient's head. The patient suddenly
begins to scream, and Sister Teresa rushes in, gun drawn, just as Chan reveals the patient to be Mrs. Driscoll. After
Evelyn struggles with and subdues Teresa, has to break the news to her that her father is dead.
Driscoll then enters
the room and draws his gun, but Tommy outsmarts him from behind, pretending that he has a gun. Tommy then tells his
father that he has received a telephone call from the Mexican police, informing him that they have stopped the next shipment
of gold at the border. Driscoll tries to escape, but he is shot dead by Bartlett, who is captured by Chan and revealed
as the real brains behind the entire gold smuggling operation.
NOTES: The working title of this film was
The Mystery of the Golden Eye. The opening title card reads: Charlie Chan in "The Golden Eye". The Call
Bureau Cast Service lists Herman Cantor and Sam McDaniel in the cast, but they do not appear in the finished film that we
have available today. Copyright records list George L. Spaulding as Dr. Groves, but the role was played by Sam Flint.
Richard Loo, Barbara Jean Wong, and Tom Tyler are also listed in the cast, but they do not appear in the finished film.
Adapted from: AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE CATALOG - Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American
Feature Films, 1911-1960
CHARLIE CHAN'S APHORISMS:
People who listen at keyholes rarely hear good of themselves.
So much for so much.
Small things sometimes tell very large stories.
Too much familiarity breed carelessness.
Desert present
many mysteries.
Small investigation sometimes brings large amount of knowledge.
Little knowledge sometimes
very dangerous thing.
Willingness to speak not necessarily mean willingness to act.
Little knowledge sometimes
very dangerous possession.
Deer should not toy with tiger.
Dead man cannot walk.
OTHER WORTHY STATEMENTS:
At first think Lieutenant Mike are giving Prohibition Party
kick in teeth. (Regarding Lt. Mike Ruark's pretending to be a drunk)
Many
needles in this haystack. (To Tommy regarding the complexity of the case)
Chan
not after Manning, Mr. Manning come after Chan. (To Talbot Bartlett)
Information very high-grade ore. (To Talbot Bartlett regarding
the apparent value of the information he had given to Chan)
(Lt. Ruark: "Two heads
are better than one, you know.") Sometimes debatable point.
You shout loud enough to wake sleeping
dead. (To Birmingham Brown)
REVIEW:
Variety, September 22, 1948
"The Golden Eye," another Charlie Chan meller, is hardly up to the standard of the series.
Roland Winters is not particularly exciting or realistic as the new Charlie Chan. But the plot and direction also
to be at fault. Film is of quickie calibre, strictly for padding out the dualers.
Chan's operations this time
take him to a dude ranch and a gold mine in Arizona. Plot is of a supposedly mined-out shaft that suddenly becomes active.
The secret ultimately is revealed of how the ore was actually smuggled from Mexico, then sold in the U.S. at an exorbitant
price.
Winters is too listless as Chan although he's not helped much by the yarn. Victor Sen Young is acceptable
as the detective's ambitious son. Mantan Moreland, as the chauffeur, provides a few humorous moments, but milks each
situation too long. Tim Ryan does well as a police lieutenant.
William Beaudine's direction is passable.
FILM NOTES:
DATES: Thursday, February 12 (Chinese New Year) -
Sunday, February 15, 1948 (NOTE: Chinese New Year was actually on February 10 in the year 1948)
DURATION: Four days
LOCATIONS: Chinatown, San Francisco, California and
near El Dorado, Arizona (located very near to the Mexican border, possibly south of Tucson)
THE NAME OF THE CHINATOWN CAFE PASSED BY MR. MANNING ON HIS
WAY TO THE CURIO SHOP: Mandarin Cafe
THE FOOD ADVERTISED OUTIDE OF THE MANDARIN CAFE:
Chow mein and chop suey
THE NAME OF THE SHOP VISITED BY MR. MANNING: Wong
Fai Curios
THE NAME OF THE ARIZONA GOLD MINE OWNED BY MR. MANNING:
The Golden Eye
ACCORDING TO WONG FAI, CHARLIE CHAN'S PRESENT LOCATION:
"Chan, at present time, at Chan family on Washington Street, where he bring New Year's greeting to honorable cousin."
THE NUMBER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO HOTEL ROOM SHARED BY MR.
MANNING AND HIS DAUGHTER EVELYN: 604
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE CHAN, THE TYPE OF GUN THAT WAS USED
IN THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF MR. MANNING: "German Manlicher..."
THE NAME OF THE ARIZONA DUDE RANCH WHERE CHARLIE CHAN, SON
TOMMY (JIMMY), AND BIRMINGHAM BROWN STAYED: Lazy Y Dude Ranch
ACCORDING TO MR. MANNING, THE LOCATION OF THE LAZY Y DUDE
RANCH: "...only a half mile from my property."
THE NAME OF THE SONG PARTIALLY SUNG BY BIRMINGHAM BROWN AS
HE PACKED HIS SUITCASE: "Home on the Range"
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE CHAN, HIS QUARTERS AT THE LAZY
Y DUDE RANCH: "...bungalow number 9..."
THE NAME OF THE SONG PARTIALLY SUNG BY LT. RUARK WHILE FEINING
DRUNKENESS ON HIS WAY TO CHARLIE CHAN'S BUNGALOW: "Bury Me Not On The Lone Prairie"
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE CHAN, THE LENGTH OF TIME SINCE THE ATTEMPTED
MURDER OF MR. MANNING IN CHINATOWN: "...two days ago..."
ACCORDING TO LT. RUARK, THE CAUSE AND EXTENT OF THE INJURIES
SUFFERED BY MR. MANNING IN HIS SUSPICIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE GOLDEN EYE MINE: "Fell down one of the shafts in the mine.
Badly bruised head and shoulders and a possible skull fracture."
THE NAME OF THE TOWN FROM WHICH MR. MANNING'S DOCTOR HAD
DRIVEN TO CHECK ON HIM: El Dorado
CHARLIE CHAN'S UNDERCOVER IDENTITY ACCORDING TO HIMSELF:
"...Chan, dealer in Oriental curios."
CHARLIE CHAN'S "DELIVERY" FOR MR. MANNING: "...some
objects of jade..."
DOCTOR GROVE'S DESCRIPTION TO CHARLIE CHAN REGARDING MR.
MANNING'S INJURIES: "Multiple contusions about the head and shoulders. It's impossible to tell just how bad without
x-rays."
ACCORDING TO DR. GROVE, THE HEIGHT FROM WHICH MR. MANNING
FELL INSIDE THE GOLDEN EYE MINE: "...about forty feet."
ACCORDING TO JIM DRISCOLL, THE ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR THE CARE OF THE INJURED MR. MANNING: "...I've arranged for a nursing sister from the mission school."
DR. GROVE'S PAIN PRESCRIPTION FOR MR. MANNING: "Mr.
Manning will need to have opiates for several days as soon as he recovers consciousness."
ACCORDING TO TALBOT BARTLETT, HIS FORMER PROFESSION IN HONOLULU:
"...collector of customs..."
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE CHAN, TALBOT BARTLETT'S SPORTS ACTIVITY
IN HONOLULU: "...excellent first baseman who play with number one son on high school baseball team."
THE TYPE OF BUSINESS LOCATED NEXT TO TALBOT BARTLETT'S
ASSAYING OFFICE: General store
THE SIGN PAINTED ON TALBOT BARTLETT'S OFFICE WINDOW:
"TALBOT
BARTLETT
ASSAYER
TESTING ENTERPRISES"
THE RESTAURANT "SUGGESTED" BY EVELYN MANNING TO
TALBOT BARLETT FOR LUNCH: Canton Cafe
TALBOT BARLET'S "NAME" FOR THAT RESTAURANT:
"Ptomaine Louie"
TALBOT BARTLETT'S ASSAY ASSESSMENT ON THE
ORE THAT PETE HAD BROUGHT IN: "Won't bring in more than six dollars a ton."
ACCORDING TO PETE, THE LOCATION OF HIS SHACK: "...at the bottom of Hay Canyon."
THE NAME MENTIONED OF ONE OF THE SMUGGLING GANG MEMBERS WHO HELPED UNLOAD THE TRUCK CARRYING ORE
FROM MEXICO: Pedro
ACCORDING TO CHARLIE CHAN, THE DIFFERENCE IN GOLD PRICES BETWEEN MEXICO AND THE UNITED STATES:
"Gold worth seven dollars ounce in Mexico worth thirty-five dollars ounce in United States."
THE NAME OF LT. RUARK'S FRIEND IN THE MEXICAN BORDER PATROL: Captain Gonzalez
GLOSSARY:
assayer - One who examines
metallic ores or compounds, for the purpose of determining the amount of any particular metal in the same, especially of gold
or silver.
Jim Driscoll: "Mr. Bartlett,
the local assayer."
bonanza
- (1) A rich mine, vein, or pocket of ore. (2)
A source of great wealth or prosperity.
Lt. Mike Ruark: "...the way the gold was flowing into San Francisco, it's a bonanza."
opiates - (1)
Any of various sedative narcotics containing opium or one or more of its natural or synthetic derivatives. (2) Drugs, hormones, or other chemical substances having sedative or narcotic effects similar to
those containing opium or its derivatives: a natural brain opiate. (3) Things
that dull the senses and induce relaxation or torpor.
Dr. Grove: "Mr. Manning will need to have opiates for
several days as soon as he recovers consciousness."
pin -
(Slang) To attribute a crime to someone.
Jim Driscoll: "You're not going to pin
all this on me, Chan!"
Prohibition Party - A minor U.S. political
party organized in 1869 that advocated prohibition.
Charlie Chan: "At first, think Lieutenant Mike are giving Prohibition Party
kick in teeth."
ptomaine - A term for food poisoning
that is no longer in scientific use; food poisoning was once thought to be caused by ingesting ptomaines.
Talbot Bartlett: "Yeah, 'Ptomaine Louie's.'"
tetanus - An acute, often fatal disease
characterized by spasmodic contraction of voluntary muscles, especially those of the neck and jaw, and caused by the toxin
of the bacillus Clostridium tetani, which typically infects the body through a deep wound. Also called lockjaw.
Charlie Chan: "Possibly you were anticipating tetanus?"
