Castle in the Desert
1942 | 62m | English
Popularity: 3 (history)
| Director: | Harry Lachman |
|---|---|
| Writer: | John Francis Larkin |
| Staring: |
| Charlie Chan, with son Jimmy on a week's pass from the Army, takes up a request for help at a castle-home, miles from anywhere in the American desert south-west and inhabited by an eccentric, reclusive historian and his wife, a descendant of Lucrezia Borgia. Once there, he finds the request's legitimacy denied by all who are present, but still necessary as one houseguest has already been murdered, the other guests are at each other's throat, and the Borgia-related chatelain is suspected... | |
| Release Date: | Feb 02, 1942 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Harry Lachman |
| Writer: | John Francis Larkin |
| Genres: | Crime, Mystery, Thriller |
| Keywords | sequel, private detective |
| Production Companies | 20th Century Fox |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $0
Budget: $0 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 04, 2024 Entered: Apr 28, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Sidney Toler | Charlie Chan |
| Victor Sen Yung | Jimmy Chan |
| Lenita Lane | Lucy Borgia Manderley |
| Douglass Dumbrille | Paul Manderley |
| Steven Geray | Dr. Retling |
| Edmund MacDonald | Walter Hartford |
| Arleen Whelan | Brenda Hartford |
| Ethel Griffies | Mme. Saturnia, aka Lizzie |
| Henry Daniell | Watson King |
| Richard Derr | Carl Detheridge |
| Lucien Littlefield | Prof. Gleason |
| Milton Parsons | Arthur Fletcher |
| George Chandler | The Bus Driver |
| Oliver Blake | The Hotel Manager |
| Eric Wilton | The Majordomo |
| Paul Kruger | (unconfirmed) |
| Tex Phelps | (scene deleted) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Virgil Miller | Director of Photography |
| John Francis Larkin | Screenplay |
| John Brady | Editor |
| Richard Day | Art Direction |
| Herschel McCoy | Costume Design |
| Bernard Freericks | Sound |
| Harry Lachman | Director |
| Earl Derr Biggers | Characters |
| Lewis H. Creber | Art Direction |
| Thomas Little | Set Decoration |
| William Koenig | Production Manager |
| Harry M. Leonard | Sound |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Ralph Dietrich | Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 2024 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 1 |
| 2024 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
| 2024 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 2024 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 2024 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 11 | 4 | 16 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Trending Position
I have to say that I rather enjoyed this - but boy, is it a far-fetched affair! This time "Charlie Chan" (an on-form Sidney Toler) and No. 2 son "Jimmy" are invited to a remote castle in the Mojave desert tp investigate some strange goings on. What adds to the mystery is that the owner of this spook ... ily lit house - "Manderley" (the man that is, not the house) wears a partial mask to cover an huge scar obtained in an accident and his wife "Lucy" (Lenita Lane) is a distant descendant of the infamous Borgia family. What ensues plays all the best cards from a mansion house game of "Cluedo" with some intrigue emanating from the many Borgia legends (with some very interesting pronunciations) that they have tapped into - all involving deadly poisons and a ring... No electricity, no phone and loads of ancient instruments of torture help keep the suspense going, as do contributions from Douglass Dumbrille; rent-a-baddie Henry Daniell and the outrageous "Madame Saturnia" (Ethel Griffies). The ending, well that's quite amusing too - and all in all, it's a good hour of diversion.