Sidney Toler Again Portrays Charlie Chan

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 49, 26 February 1941, Page 2

Sidney Toler Again Portrays Charlie Chan

‘CHARLIE CHAN AT THE WAX

MUSEUM” (State: Now Showing.) Cut from an unusual detective etory pattern and set in the grim, bizarre background of a chamber of horrors, ‘‘Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, ’ * now showing at the State Theatre, has been fashioned into a thrilling, suspenseful murder mystery by 20th Century-Fox. Deftly blending comedy, chills and thrills, real persons and duplicate waxdummies are shifted about to baffle .both the audience and story characters in a tense hour of entertainment. Charlie Chan is induced to take part in a radio broadcast emanating from a wax museum of crime which is operated by C. Henry Gordon. The museum curator is, in reality, a plastic surgeon who changes the faces of criminals. The broadcast is a trap for the famous sleuth and has been set by criminals hiding out in the museum in order to “get” Chan. During the broadcast a member of the party is murdered. Poison darts, electrically wired chairs, daggers and other lethal contrivances beset Chan. In the end, however, the killer is unmasked but not before everyone in the film is cast under suspicion. To give away the surprising and startling climax would only spoil the fine entertainment the film offers you. Mystifying throughout, “ Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum” has its lighter moments. Sen Yung as Charlie’s w No. 2 Son” is good for many a laugh as he tries to emulate his famous father.

Others featured in the excellent sup- i porting cast are Marc Lawrence, Joan ' Valerio, Marguerite Chapman and Ted Osborn.