Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)

I found the dynamic for these mysteries was rarely better than when our Hawaiian detecting duo was father and No.2 son "Jimmy". This first Monogram production involves the weaker supporting character of "Tommy" (Benson Fong) as well as his sister "Iris" (Marianne Quon) and a debut from the inimitable Mantan Moreland as his general factotum "Birmingham Brown". Confucious may have said something along the lines of "two many cooks..." and sadly that is true here. Essentially, "Charlie" is hired by the American government to investigate the murder - at his own cocktail party - of a scientist who had devised a gadget that could help protect Allied shipping from U-boat torpedo attacks. Obviously, it's crucial for "Chan" and his clan to stop the enemy from delivering this vital piece of game-changing equipment to the Nazis - and so the game's afoot! As ever, there is a fair share of distracting red herrings, and Morland has plenty of opportunity to shriek with fear - indeed his is probably the best scene of the film at the end. It is OK, this - but really nothing special.