Charlie Chan's Secret

1936 | 72 minutes | 6.8 ★ (24)

Charlie Chan's Secret
  • Overview

    Allen Colby, heir to a huge fortune, is presumed drowned after an ocean liner sinks off the coast of Honolulu. Mysteriously, Colby reappears at his mansion only to be murdered soon after. When his body is discovered during a seance, everyone in attendance becomes a suspect, and it's up to Chan to find the murderer before he or she strikes again.

  • Release Date

    10 January 1936

  • DirectingGordon Wiles
  • Budget

    $0.00

  • Revenue

    $0.00

  • Stars

Videos

User Reviews

See more
CS

CinemaSerf

19 June 2022

Again the author's fascination with all things occult features heavily in this quite gripping instalment of the "Charlie Chan" series. This one starts with the sinking of an ocean liner, and the presumed drowning of the millionaire "Allan Colby". Our sceptical detective is not convinced, and travels to San Francisco to investigate, It turns out, he was right - but only momentarily, for before the wealthy gent has any chance to explain what happened, he is stabbed and a hunt for the murderer is afoot. As you'd expect, there are loads of suspects when he arrives at the deceased man's mansion and medium "Carlotta" (Gloria Roy) succeeds in stirring everyone up nicely. It looks good, this film, plenty of wealthy Californian glamour to accompany a sparing script and a decently simmering plot. Herbert Mundin overcooks his role as the rather cowardly butler, and no "Jimmy" to foil his father's more earnest characteristics hold it back a little, but it is still quite a well built yarn with a conclusion worth staying around for and some stronger than usual supporting efforts, too.

More Like This

Charlie Chan's Greatest Case

Charlie Chan's Greatest Case

When a good-for-nothing man named Dan is stabbed to death and his arm broken, Charlie Chan is on the case. His first clue comes from the victim's...

See more
Charlie Chan's Chance

Charlie Chan's Chance

Charlie is the intended murder victim here, and he avoids death only by chance. To find the murderer (since, of course, murder does occur), Charlie...

See more
Charlie Chan's Courage

Charlie Chan's Courage

Charlie is hired to deliver a pearl necklace to a millionaire at his ranch. When murder intervenes he disguises himself as a Chinese servant and...

See more
Charlie Chan at the Olympics

Charlie Chan at the Olympics

Get ready for a Gold Medal murder mystery! This "tense, thrilling mystery" ('California Congress of Parents and Teachers') pits Charlie Chan...

See more
Charlie Chan at the Opera

Charlie Chan at the Opera

A dangerous amnesiac escapes from an asylum, hides in the opera house, and is suspected of getting revenge on those who tried to murder him 13...

See more
Castle in the Desert

Castle in the Desert

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...

See more
Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

Charlie Chan at Treasure Island

Charlie Chan's investigation of a blackmail-induced suicide as a case of murder leads him into a world of magick and mysticism peopled with a stage...

See more
City in Darkness

City in Darkness

Chan, in Paris for a reunion with friends from World War I, becomes involved in investigating the murder of a munitions manufacturer who was...

See more
Charlie Chan in Egypt

Charlie Chan in Egypt

While investigating the theft of antiquities from an ancient tomb excavation , Charlie discovers that the body of the expedition's leader concealed...

See more
Charlie Chan in London

Charlie Chan in London

Charlie Chan is sought out by Pamela Gray, a desperate young socialite whose brother Paul awaits execution for the murder of a weapons inventor...

See more
Charlie Chan in Honolulu

Charlie Chan in Honolulu

While Charlie is distracted with the birth of his first grandchild, son Jimmy impersonates his father in order to investigate a murder aboard a...

See more
Charlie Chan in Paris

Charlie Chan in Paris

Charlie's visit to Paris, ostensibly a vacation, is really a mission to investigate a bond-forgery racket. But his agent, apache dancer Nardi is...

See more
Charlie Chan in Reno

Charlie Chan in Reno

Mary Whitman has gone to Reno to obtain a divorce. While there she is arrested on suspicion of murdering a fellow guest at her hotel (which...

See more
Charlie Chan in Shanghai

Charlie Chan in Shanghai

When a prominent official is murdered at a banquet honoring Charle Chan, the detective and son Lee team up to expose an opium-smuggling ring.

See more
Charlie Chan at the Circus

Charlie Chan at the Circus

While visiting the circus with his family, Charlie is recruited by the big top's co-owner to investigate threatening letters that he's received.

See more
Charlie Chan at the Race Track

Charlie Chan at the Race Track

When a friend of Charlie's is found kicked to death by his own race horse on board a Honolulu-bound liner, the detective discovers foul play and...

See more
Murder by Death

Murder by Death

Lionel Twain invites the world's five greatest detectives to a 'dinner and murder'. Included are a blind butler, a deaf-mute maid, screams...

See more
The Black Camel

The Black Camel

Movie star Shelah Fane is seeing wealthy Alan Jaynes while filming in Honolulu, Hawaii, but won't marry him without consulting famed psychic...

See more
Charlie Chan on Broadway

Charlie Chan on Broadway

Returning from European exile where she avoided testifying against her criminal associates, a former singer with a tell-all diary is murdered to...

See more
Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo

Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo

Although Charlie and Lee are in Monaco for an art exhibit, they become caught up in a feud between rival financiers which involves the Chan's in a...

See more