The Chinese Ring * (1947, Roland Winters, Warren Douglas, Victor Sen Yung, Mantan Moreland) – Classic Movie Review 9059

Director William Beaudine’s 1947 murder mystery thriller The Chinese Ring stars Roland Winters in his first outing as Charlie Chan.

The Chinese Ring is an extremely moderate, low-budget and low excitement Monogram Pictures B-feature, in which the Chinese detective investigates an oriental princess’s killing by poison dart in the Unites States.

It also stars Warren Douglas as Police Sgt. Bill Davidson, Victor Sen Yung as Tommy Chan and Mantan Moreland as Birmingham Brown.

Also in the cast are Philip Ahn, Louise Currie, Byron Foulger, Thayer Roberts, Dimples Cooper, George Spaulding and Jean Wong.

W Scott Darling reuses his Mr Wong in Chinatown screenplay from 1939.

The Chinese Ring is directed by William Beaudine, runs 65 minutes, is made and released by Monogram Pictures, is written by W Scott Darling, is shot in black and white by William Sickner, is produced by James S Burkett, scored by Edward J Kay (musical director), and designed by Dave Milton (art director). It is shot at Monogram Studios.

The 42nd of 47 Charlie Chan movies, it follows The Trap (1946) and is followed by Docks of New Orleans (1948).

Roland Winters made his debut as Charlie Chan in The Chinese Ring (1947), starring in six movies. He took over as Charlie Chan after cancer-stricken Sidney Toler’s final film, The Trap (1946).

Victor Sen Yung had played Jimmy Chan in the series but here he inexplicably becomes Tommy Chan. Charlie Chan refers to Tommy as Number 2 Son by, but in previous episodes Jimmy was Number 2 Son and Tommy was Number 3 Son.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 9059

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