Murder Over New York ** (1940, Sidney Toler, Marjorie Weaver, Robert Lowery, Ricardo Cortez, Donald MacBride, Melville Cooper, Joan Valerie, Kane Richmond, Victor Sen Young, John Sutton) – Classic Movie Review 9044

Director Harry Lachman’s 1940 comedy crime mystery thriller Murder Over New York again stars Sidney Toler as Earl Derr Biggers‘s immortal character Charlie Chan, who takes over the current case of Inspector Vance (Donald MacBride), his old Scotland Yard friend, when he is murdered during a New York police convention, and helps the cops to track down wartime saboteurs at aircraft factories.

‘Coincidence like ancient egg – leave unpleasant odour’, observes the wise detective. Plot like ancient egg too, but Toler is good company at the head of a good cast, and talented director Lachman unfolds the story with his usual style, imagination and energy – and relish for close-ups.

It also stars Marjorie Weaver, Robert Lowery, Ricardo Cortez, Donald MacBride, Melville Cooper, Joan Valerie, Kane Richmond, Victor Sen Young, John Sutton, Leyland Hodgson, Clarence Muse, Frederick Worlock, Lal Chand Mehra and Frank Coghlan Jr.

Murder Over New York is directed by Harry Lachman, runs 65 minutes, is made and released by 20th C entury Fox, is written by Lester Ziffren (original screenplay), based on Earl Derr Biggers‘s character Charlie Chan, is shot in black and white by Virgil Miller, is produced by Sol M Wurtzel, and is scored by Emil Newman.

The 27th of 47 Charlie Chan movies, if follows Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum (1940) and is followed by Dead Men Tell (1941).

Murder by poison gas contained inside a thin a glass globe was previously used in Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935).

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9044

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