NOTES: Number 39 in the official 47-picture Charlie Chan series and the third last for Sidney Toler. VIEWER'S GUIDE: Despite the subject matter, okay for all.COMMENT: Despite a bit of surface gloss, this is one of the least interesting of Monogram's Charlie Chan series - chiefly due to a faulty script which depends too much on co-incidence to make its situations believable. The plot gets less and less credible as the story progresses, the characters are not made to be the slightest bit interesting (stock playing doesn't help) and little attempt is made to work up suspense or tension. The final unmasking is ridiculous (a pickpocket an undercover agent?) and only makes the situation even less credible and more confused. We cannot really blame the actors. They do what they can with indifferent material - Mantan Moreland doesn't even have that much, he has no material at all and is forced to pad out his footage with senseless chuckles and eye-rolling ad libs. Terry Morse's routine direction and Toler's slow-paced, heavy-handed performance complete the film's catalog of disasters.

Murky and forgettable, "Shadows Over Chinatown" gives the impression that the people involved in it weren't really putting in their hardest effort to make this into a good Charlie Chan movie. The cast and the mystery are fourth-rate; Mantan Moreland puts on a funny disguise at one point, and if Moreland's comic relief is the best thing about a Charlie Chan mystery, something has gone wrong. *1/2 out of 4.

"Confucious say sleep is only escape from yesterday"- one of several good Confucius sayings that Charlie comes up with in this movie. In fact, you might notice a number of things in this movie that are worthwhile. Personally, I first noticed the intriguing title, one of the best mystery titles ever- "Shadows Over Chinatown"- a title loaded with mystery.The blonde actress who plays "Mary Conover" is very poised and is way above average in the looks department, and she does a commendable acting job. And don't you always love the "venerable old lady" (Charlie's words), the dear Mary Gordon. Look for some of the other supporting actors- there are many- and you will notice John Hamilton, a perennial in grade b and c films, obscure here before being immortalized in the "Superman" series on television. He only has a couple of lines and wears a mustache but is another example of what you can find here. Mantan Morland's comedy bits seem thrown together and rushed, but nevertheless he is entertaining as always.Sidney Toler manages a strong enough and effective starring performance, but he is not very physically active and would die just months after the film's release. It is interesting to see how he is able to summon the screen presence to still be the star while sitting down through scene after scene.While suffering from a low budget and possibly shooting schedule difficulties related to Toler's failing health, there is worth in this film if you look for it. Especially if you are a fan of the old black and white mystery movie style.

Hawaiian detective Charlie Chan(Sidney Toler)along with #2 son Jimmy(Victor Sen Young)and assistant Birmingham(Mantan Moreland)are taking a bus ride to San Francisco, where the honorable Chan will work on the recent "headless torso" murders. One of the bus passengers is an elderly woman, Mrs. Conover(Mary Gordon), who would like Charlie to look into the disappearance of her granddaughter Mary(Tanis Chandler). Chan will turn up information that a group is defrauding insurance companies with the "torso" murders; and Mary Conover, who has been working as a waitress and formerly at an escort bureau, is in hiding in fear of her former boss. An A.W.O.L. Marine Corporal, an appendectomy scar and Chinatown...how do these things fit into this low-budget Monogram feature? Other players: Bruce Kellogg, Paul Bryar, George Eldredge and John Gallaudet.