The Black Camel (film)
| The Black Camels | |
|---|---|
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| Directed by | Hamilton MacFadden |
| Produced by | Hamilton MacFadden |
| Written by |
Earl Derr Biggers (novel) Hugh Stanislaus Stange (adaptation) |
| Screenplay by |
Barry Conners Philip Klein Dudley Nichols (uncredited) |
| Starring |
Warner Oland Sally Eilers Bela Lugosi Dorothy Revier |
| Cinematography |
Joseph August Daniel Clark |
| Edited by | Alde Gaetano |
Production company |
Fox Film Corporation Hamilton MacFadden |
| Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 67 or 71 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Black Camel is a 1931 American Pre-Code mystery film based on the novel of the same name by Earl Derr Biggers.[1] It is the second film to star Warner Oland as detective Charlie Chan, and the sole surviving title of the first five Chan films starring Oland. The Black Camel marked the film debut of Robert Young.
Plot
Movie star Shelah Fayne is making a picture on location in Honolulu, Hawaii. She summons mystic adviser Tarneverro from Hollywood to help her decide whether to marry wealthy Alan Jaynes, a man she has only known for a week. Her friend Julie O'Neil worries, however, that the famous psychic has too much influence over her. Meanwhile, Julie has fallen in love herself with local publicity director Jimmy Bradshaw.
Honolulu Police Inspector Chan pretends to be a humble merchant, but Tarneverro sees through his impersonation. Chan mentions to him the yet unsolved murder of film star Denny Mayo, committed years before.
Then Jimmy finds Shelah's body; she has been murdered. Julie makes him remove Shelah's ring before calling for the police.
Chan investigates. He invites Tarneverro to assist him. Tarneverro reveals that Shelah told him she was in love with Denny and was responsible for his death, but kept quiet to protect her career.
The suspects are many, but after various startling revelations, Chan eventually identifies the killer and the connection to Mayo's death.
Cast (in credits order)
- Warner Oland as Inspector Charlie Chan
- Sally Eilers as Julie O'Neil
- Bela Lugosi as Tarneverro / Arthur Mayo
- Dorothy Revier as Shelah Fane
- Victor Varconi as Robert Fyfe, Shelah's ex-husband
- Murray Kinnell as Archie Smith
- Robert Young as Jimmy Bradshaw
- J.M. Kerrigan as Thomas MacMasters
- Mary Gordon as Mrs. MacMasters
Other
The film further reunited Lugosi with Dwight Frye (playing Jessup, the butler), who had appeared with him in Dracula in the same year. C. Henry Gordon, who had been in Warner Oland's first (lost) Chan film and would show up in three more Chan films with both Oland and the later Chan Sidney Toler, appears uncredited as Huntley Van Horn.
Much of the picture was shot on location in Honolulu, with several scenes filmed at the renowned Royal Hawaiian Hotel.
Accolades
American Film Institute recognition
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
- Charlie Chan – Nominated Hero[2]
References
- ↑ "THE SCREEN". The New York Times. July 4, 1931.
- ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-05.
Bibliography
- Hanke, Ken, Charlie Chan at the Movies: History, Filmography, and Criticism, McFarland & Company Publishers, Jefferson, North Carolina, and London, 1989, ISBN 0-89950-427-2.
External links
- The Black Camel at the American Film Institute Catalog
- The Black Camel at the Internet Movie Database
- The Black Camel at the TCM Movie Database
- The Black Camel at AllMovie