The Black Camel (1931)
Overview
Movie star Shelah Fane is seeing wealthy Alan Jaynes while filming in Honolulu, Hawaii, but won't marry him without consulting famed psychic Tarneverro first. Enter inspector Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police, investigating the unsolved murder, three years earlier, of a Hollywood actor.
Cast
Warner Oland
Charlie Chan
Sally Eilers
Julie O'Neil
Bela Lugosi
Tarneverro
Dorothy Revier
Shelah Fane
Victor Varconi
Robert Fyfe
Murray Kinnell
Archie Smith
William Post Jr.
Alan Jaynes
Robert Young
Jimmy Bradshaw
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CinemaSerf
Warner Oland is "Charlie Chan" in this engaging marriage of the occult with the vanities of Hollywood stardom. "Sheila Fayne" (Dorothy Revier) is an actress being pursued by the wealthy "Alan Jaynes" (William Post). Before she will commit to his ardour, she consults her psychic medium "Tarneverro" (Bela Lugosi). Instead of a simple yeah or nay, though, he raises the spectre of the death of her erstwhile co-star "Danny Mayo" and next thing we know "Chan" is investigating a far more recent murder. Loads of possible culprits; some eerily lit settings, a bit of gently cerebral humour and the sight of his assembled family at a dinner table that would have made even the "Walton's" blush all helps the mystery develop nicely. Lugosi is effective as the clearly dubious mystic, and there's an early turn from the handsome Robert Young to look out for, too. It's well directed, written and the suspense builds nicely. Oland presents a "rotundness" of spirit with his performance; his frequent adages delivered with his tongue in his cheek - and I enjoyed this.
