Charlie Chan et l'Île au trésor

Before history gets rewritten (incorrectly) on more of these comments, this movie was set at the Golden Gate International Exposition (sometimes erroneously known as the San Francisco World's Fair) which was held in San Francisco on what was known as Treasure Island in 1939 and 1940. (There is still a small museum of Expo artifacts in the horseshoe-shaped Administration Building.) It was not the "Century of Progress Exhibition" as some people have thought. That was the 1933 Fair held in Chicago! The real footage of this Exposition is terrific, especially the aerial views. I think the writers used the backdrop of the Expo to their advantage. The magic show was very entertaining and the clairvoyant was eerie. All in all, this is one of the best of the Chan series.

I recently bought this video on Ebay. I'm told it's hard to find in stores. I recall the Dr Zodiac scenes being frightening as a kid and you know, there are still scenes in this that give me the creeps.

The scene where the female psychic keeps sensing evil (evil looking like two eyeballs illuminated in the darkness) and that nasty looking Dr Zodiac gave me nightmares. I wonder why they don't make a Charlie Chan movie today with some Asian actor finally playing Charlie.

Fast-paced Sidney Toler who-done-it set at and around the Century of Progress Exhibition in San Francisco harbor. The exhibition was the West Coast's parallel to the 1939 New York World's Fair and the man-made Treasure Island existed and some of its building survived as parts of a naval station for many years. A new writer and producer contributed to the successful direction of Norman Foster who also excelled in his previous Chan effort. The use of close-ups and lighting contribute to the success of this film: Charlie Chan at Treasure Island is simply the best of the Sidney Toler Chan films and runs neck and neck with Charlie Chan at the Opera done by Warner Oland.

The author of 'The Secret of the Pigmy Arrow' dies aboard an eastbound 4-engine flying boat China Clipper and the manuscript disappears as the passengers and crew disembark. 'Suicide induced by blackmail is murder.' The story line is believable and aided by Cesar Romero whose role as Fred Rhandini is reminiscent of a modern James Randi, exposing fraudulent faith healers and spiritualists. Pauline Moore returns for her third Chan film and is believable as a psychic who cannot resist the stronger mind of Dr. Zodiac.

Clues and suspicious characters abound. It is possible to figure out the mystery along with Chan who shares most of what he uncovers with the viewer. 'Obvious clues like tricks in magic – usually prove deceptive.' Comic relief is provided by Victor Sen Yung as No. 2 son, Jimmy, to include a hilarious scene wearing a magician's coat. Only one racial slur directed his way 'A chip off the old chopstick.' Other supporting cast members are excellent in their roles.

Highly recommended.

This worthy addition to the Charlie Chan canon is chock full of the usual genre gimmicks: lightening storms, seances and Confucianism. The inscrutable Sydney Toler travels to the Century of Progress Exhibition in San Francisco to investigate the apparent suicide of a friend. Naturally his "number two son" Jimmy tags along to provide comic relief. Young Cesar Romero plays a skeptical ghost-buster. Pauline Moore is typically shrill and hysterical. There is no sign of Mantan Moreland at all, thank heavens. Director Norman Foster and cinematographer Virgil Miller suffuse everything with ominous gloom. By any standard, this mystery-thriller is a complete success. If you need further chills, it might interest you to know that California's uncaptured Zodiac Killer is believed to have modeled certain elements of his M.O. upon the villain of this film.

When a young friend of Charlie Chan's, mystery writer Paul Essex, receives a strange message on the flight to San Francisco connected with 'Zodiac', and before the landing strangely commits suicide, Charlie feels it his duty, of course, to find out who drove him to kill himself - because, as he remarks in a conversation about the occult: black magic very often goes with blackmail...

He's invited to 'Treasure Island', part of the San Francisco World Fair, by magician Rhadini, who soon reveals that his great antagonist is - 'Mr. Zodiac'! So Charlie knows he's on the right track, especially since strange things keep happening: Essex' last script, 'The Mystery of the Pigmy Arrow', which he'd just finished on the plane, vanishes, and Charlie and son Jimmy suspect ominous 'Mr. Gregory', allegedly an insurance agent. At 'Treasure Island', they meet again; and we also get to know quite some other illustrious characters: Eve Cairo, who possesses REAL psychic powers as a mind reader and for some reason seems to believe very much in Dr. Zodiac's abilities - a fact of which her boyfriend, police reporter Pete Lewis, disapproves greatly; then there's Bessie Sibley, a reckless man-hunter, who seems quite fond of Rhadini, which in turn makes his wife Myra (a former knife thrower from vaudeville) pretty jealous...

Charlie finally manages to be granted entrance to Dr. Zodiac's house, who gives a 'performance' of his psychic abilities, communicating in a really eerie dark room séance through an ancient Egyptian priestess with Paul Essex, who declares that he hadn't been blackmailed - but Charlie is convinced otherwise. So, he returns to the house when he knows that Zodiac is out; and actually finds, hidden in a secret room behind a huge safe, a whole filing cabinet with files full of ideal blackmail information on people from all over the country! He sets the whole room on fire to destroy once and for all Zodiac's 'income source' - and then thinks of a clever way to expose the ruthless blackmailer publicly: he suggests to Rhadini to challenge Zodiac to a 'spiritual duel'...

This is certainly one of the VERY best entries in the 'Charlie Chan' series, most magnificently and literally hauntingly photographed, and marvelously acted (guest starring as 'Rhadini' is none less than one of the great matinée idols of the 30s, Cesar Romero!) - the atmosphere in this movie is so fascinating that you can't take your eyes off the screen even for a moment. And yet, amid all those creepy, murderous ongoings there is always room for some humor: Jimmy Chan, as always eager to help his Pop, rushes onto the stage for an announcement - and grabs Rhadini's 'magic' coat, which starts producing flowers, ribbons and rabbits while he's trying to make his speech! There's really NOTHING missing in this magnificent thriller...