The Jade Mask

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

Henry Hall, Edwin Luke, Mantan Moreland, Janet Warren, Frank Reicher, and Sidney Toler in The Jade Mask (1945)

Eccentric scientist Harper lives in a spooky mansion with all the trimmings: hidden lab, secret panels, inscrutable butler, and greedy relatives with unusual talents. When Harper seems to be... Read allEccentric scientist Harper lives in a spooky mansion with all the trimmings: hidden lab, secret panels, inscrutable butler, and greedy relatives with unusual talents. When Harper seems to be murdered, Charlie Chan (with the uninvited help of No. 4 son) tries to answer such questi... Read allEccentric scientist Harper lives in a spooky mansion with all the trimmings: hidden lab, secret panels, inscrutable butler, and greedy relatives with unusual talents. When Harper seems to be murdered, Charlie Chan (with the uninvited help of No. 4 son) tries to answer such questions as Where's the body? How can a dead man walk? And how can a secret murder be done in f... Read all

Director
- Phil Rosen
Writers
- George Callahan
- Earl Derr Biggers
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

1.4K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Phil Rosen
Writers
- George Callahan
- Earl Derr Biggers
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Photos4

User reviews32

6.21.3K

Featured reviews

6Lechuguilla

Spooky Atmosphere

Charlie Chan, played by the inimitable Sidney Toler, plays cat and mouse with a murderer. At a spooky mansion, light and shadows, combined with dreary music and an effective script, create a suitably mysterious atmosphere. The screen story also contains considerable humor.

The acting is generally wooden, except for the performance of the wonderful Mantan Moreland. The film's editing and production values are weak. At one point you can see the shadow of the crew's microphone. But then, Charlie Chan movies, in general, are not known for their high technical quality.

I was disappointed with the solution to the mystery, and that's my main complaint with this film. Still, watching "The Jade Mask" is not a bad way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, if your expectations are not too high.

BaronBl00d

Charlie Chan and the War Effort

This is a brief and entertaining Charlie Chan picture, starring the second and probably best Chan Sidney Toler. The story involves an eccentric inventor who has a new formula that will revolutionize a war industry. It seems that no one likes him including every member of his household. Naturally, he is killed, and Charlie Chan must figure out who did the dirty deed. This film was produced by Monogram Pictures near the end of the Chan series. It is a neat little story and has some wonderful lines spoken by Chan to his manservant Birmingham Brown and his number Four son, played by Edwin Luke. Mantan Moreland is wonderful as Brown bringing to the role some needed comic relief.

6blanche-2

not one of my favorite Chans

"The Jade Mask" was made in 1945 and, as was often the case during the war years Charlie Chan movies, there's a McGuffin, some formula or process that will help the war effort. Here, the nutty inventor is paranoid about security so no one in his household knows anything. When he's killed, Chan is brought in, his number four son (Edwin Luke) dragging along behind him.

This film moves slowly, but is brightened by some good dialogue from Sidney Toler and Mantan Moreland, who was always a riot. I know his is a stereotyped character in a way, but in another way, it isn't, as he is treated as an equal by Chan. Frankly without Moreland, a good many of these films would be very boring.

6dbborroughs

Okay Chan

This film suffers from a cheapness and lack of decent plotting. Its still worth seeing, especially if you have other films to watch as well.

Concerning the death of yet another inventor Charlie Chan runs around and a round the same three or four sets in what at times amounts to little more than a filmed stage play. Its not bad, just needlessly circular and confused, with a denouncement that seems to indicate that the writers were drinking heavily.

This isn't to say that it's a bad film, its not. Despite my opening remark, this is a film that is frustrating more than anything, especially since the film should work better than it does, but it was undermined by the round about nature forced upon it by cost and script.

6 out of 10.

7coltras35

Spooky mystery with strange characters

I am a sucker for a mystery with a spooky house, strange characters, poison darts and secret panels and this nifty Chan has all this and more. It keeps ones attention from beginning to end. The only gripe is the ending. The denouement is a bit confusing. I don't mind if it's far fetched as the Chan series is meant to be that way. Great humour, too