Dead Men Tell (1941) User Reviews

"Man has learned much who has learned how to die."

[classicsoncall · 6/10 · 22 May 2005]

It seems as if "Dead Men Tell" is over just as it's about to get interesting, with Inspector Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) solving two murders in virtually record time. The action takes place aboard a docked sailing vessel, The Suva Star, which has been chartered to host a treasure hunt cruise for sixty million dollars hidden on Cocos Island. Miss Patience Nodbury (Ethel Griffies) has divided the treasure map into four pieces, and has distributed them to members of the cruise party without each others knowledge. Miss Nodbury becomes the first victim, frightened to death by the "ghost" of the pirate Black Hook, an ancestor who escorts members of the Nodbury family into the "other world".

Victor Sen Yung again helps his "Pop" as Number #2 Son Jimmy, and spends much of his time falling into and climbing out of the harbor, adding to the perception that as an aspiring detective, he's all wet. Before becoming the second victim, future TV Superman George Reeves makes an appearance as an escaped murderer and bank robber, posing as of all things, a newspaper reporter! Milton Parsons plays his part as an anxiety suffering neurotic well, and skulks in and out of shadows enough to be considered a likely suspect. There are other characters as well, and as with most Charlie Chan films, a scorecard helps to keep track of who's who, but this one moves along so quickly that it's almost a moot point. So too do the pieces of the treasure map wind up in more places than a pea in a shell game. When Charlie finally reveals the killer, it comes rather quickly out of left field, with the generally obligatory Chan exposition left out.

Nevertheless, "Dead Men Tell" offers a rather atmospheric setting and enough bumps in the night to keep one's interest for it's quick pacing. The pairing of Griffies and Parsons in the film also worked well enough to recommend them for another Chan movie the following year, "Castle in the Desert".

A neat little Chan

[dbborroughs · 7/10 · 30 May 2011]

I had thought I had consciously seen all of the Charlie Chans that exist. I thought that I had seen Dead Men Tell but hadn't seen the ending because when I had taped it the end was missing. Boy was I shocked to discover that I had no memory of the film what so ever.

The plot of the film has a ship waiting to set off on a treasure hunt. The grand daughter of a pirate was going to use her grandfathers map to recover the 66 million dollar treasure. Sadly the trip was being delayed by some one trying to steal the map.

Charlie Chan comes into the story on a search for his number two son who has chucked college in the hope of stowing away on the trip. Chan meets the old lady who is in charge of the meeting who imparts some secrets to him. He then uses that info to help him catch her killer after she is frightened to death.

Ship board (and fog shrouded dock) mystery is a typical Chan. More intent to be a real thriller then just a mystery the film is full of dark and shadowy locations. There is also an abundance of great characters (including a nice turn for George Reeves). The sort of film that is a perfect pair for the similar in feel Charlie Chan in The Wax Museum which preceded it.

I really like this film a great deal, and had the film not overly relied on the use of the pirate costume the film would have been among the very best in the entire series (lets face it after the second appearance the suit's use if down right stupid.

Allowing for that this is a great film and worth seeing when ever you get a chance.

Harry Lachman to the rescue!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 19 December 2017]

Fortunately, director Harry Lachman's interest in the Charlie Chan series was revived by "Dead Men Tell".

Lachman had considerable input into designing the elaborate sets. Alas, although his work is wonderfully eerie, not a great deal of it is actually visible on the screen because, when actual filming began, he encouraged photographer Charles G. Clarke to shoot the picture mostly with spooky close-ups.

However, it must be admitted that this ploy is highly successful and that all the players acquit themselves well.

In fact, there are fans who regard this entry with all its noir effects and intriguing plot, as actually the very best of the whole series.

Charlie Chan looks for clues to pirate treasure on ghost ship

[mlraymond · 7/10 · 28 November 2006]

This movie is so much fun! The wonderful Ethel Griffies plays an old lady whose pirate ancestor Black Hook left a map to his buried treasure. She has assembled a crew of treasure hunters, and they are due to set sail,but the night before the voyage, the ghost of Black Hook materializes and scares her to death. Detective Charlie Chan arrives to look for his runaway son Jimmy, and begins investigating the mysterious goings-on aboard the Suva Star. There are some priceless moments involving the 'helpful' son annoying his detective father with his bumbling heroics, including examining everyone he meets to see if they have a wooden leg. The grumpy sea captain and his talking parrot, a glib reporter,and various rough characters in the waterfront dive that Jimmy Chan snoops around in, are all colorfully played by familiar character actors, including George Reeves ( TV's Superman). Most of the laughs are intentional, with the exception of the bland hero, played by Robert Weldon, who seems to be doing a very poor imitation of Jimmy Stewart. Lots of fun for Chan fans and pirate movie enthusiasts.

Charlie shipboard; Jimmy in the water

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 3 January 2014]

"Dead Men Tell" is an enjoyable Charlie Chan mystery from 1941. People gather for a treasure hunt via ship to an island, based on a map an elderly woman, Patience Nodbury, inherited from her ancestor, a pirate named Black Hook. Since someone has attempted to steal the map, she's divided it into four pieces and gives three pieces to three passengers.

Patience says that Black Hook visits each relative before they die, and Black Hook visits her, all right, but in this case, he kills her. Charlie and Jimmy want to solve her murder, and they have plenty of suspects. There's a man posing as a reporter, Bill Lydig (George Reeves), a neurotic man, Gene LaFarge, who has a psychiatrist with him, and the captain, Captain Kane, whose ex-partner left him to do on a deserted island.

Dark, atmospheric film with Jimmy (Victor Sen Yung) in trouble most of the time. Toler has an authoritative presence as Charlie. He's less whimsical than Warner Oland, and his gruff voice gives his line readings a nice sarcasm. He tells Jimmy "Save alibi for your autobiography." One thing I noticed is, though these films have been criticized for not being politically correct, in the bar scene, no one calls Jimmy derogatory names. They make fun of him, but no one acts as if he looks different. In fact, I have never picked up anything like that in any film, directed at Charlie or one of his children. It seems to me that these are films of their time, which make them un-p.c. by today's enlightened standards, but the writers never meant to be deliberately insulting. Just an interesting thought, as the days of casting someone Chinese as Chinese were a long way off.

Jimmy the Fish

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 13 January 2016]

There is murder on board a ship that is taking its customers to an island where there is a 60,000,000 dollar treasure (or so we're told). The map has been divided into fourths to be distributed once they reach the island. Jimmy Chan stows away (what else is new) and while there an old lady is murdered (she has one of the pieces) by someone dressed as a pirate. Meanwhile, Charlie Chan comes aboard, looking for his number two son. As it turns out there are all sorts of people who could be responsible, including the captain of the ship who hates people and would rather have nothing to do with them. Jimmy, who is in this episode too much, starts investigating. He ends up dropping the water on at least four occasions. He muddles up the case again. This is fun because of the locale. There are numerous misleading clues. By the way, George Reeves appears in this one. He is the one who starred in "The Adventures of Superman" back in the fifties. This is a decent mystery.

One of the biggest 'unknown' diamonds among crime movies

[binapiraeus · 10/10 · 15 March 2014]

If many of the other 'Charlie Chan' movies are real gems, some smaller, some quite big (like "The Black Camel" or "Charlie Chan's Secret"), this much lesser known film is perhaps the 'Golden Jubilee' among them all - and among mystery movies in general. With moderate, but immensely effective means, this mixture between a scary ghost story and a solid whodunit goes way beyond the general line of the 'Charlie Chan' series: there are elements of horror that can compete with any horror classic of the time, while the atmosphere is overall Noirish, with everything from the characteristic lighting effects to the feeling of doom that seems to hang over the protagonists as much as the fog on deck...

Strange, but very determined elderly Miss Nodbury, the ancestor of a notorious pirate who was hanged for murder, has organized a 'treasure hunt' on the island where the pirate's treasure is hidden - worth 60,000,000 dollars! But she wants to call off the trip on board the old pirate ship 'Suva Star' the last minute, because the night before somebody tried to steal the pirate's map that was in her possession - but the old lady is clever: she has divided the map into four parts and kept only one part to herself, while she sent the other three to members of the expedition. Still, somebody obviously is craving for ALL of the pieces, and so, on the same night, pirate captain "Black Hook" himself, in whose ghost Miss Nodbury has always believed, seems to come in order to claim them and summon Miss Nodbury to her ancestors...

Now don't believe that this is just another whodunit with only a little bit of 'ghost hokum' in it - there are moments when the strange, melancholy melody that 'means death', as Miss Nodbury insisted, and the sound of the pirate's wooden leg approaching ACTUALLY make not only the expedition members, but also us think our conviction that there ARE no ghosts over again...

But then, of course, there's a VERY real murder to solve; because while you COULD explain Miss Nodbury's death as a natural one, due to her heart problems and her strong belief in ghosts - you certainly can't put the blame for the suffocation of a man in an old diving bell on supernatural powers! And there's a really illustrious group of suspects on board, from a numismatist who doesn't seem to know his occupation's scientific name to a neurotic and his woman psychiatrist to the hardened, taciturn captain himself...

This movie is indeed perfect in EVERY way: the eerie atmosphere the direction creates with all means from the settings to the sound effects to the shadows and the fog is completed by a marvelous cast - in particular Ethel Griffies as the pirate's heiress is simply MAGNIFICENT. In order not to scare the wits out of the audience completely, of course some humor is added as always (with Jimmy falling into the harbor basin with every opportunity) - but all ye who are about to watch this movie for the first time, be prepared for some VERY creepy moments!

But speaking seriously now, as a long-time fanatic of classic B movies: to my knowledge and in my opinion, this is about the MOST underrated B mystery movie of all times.

"Man has learned much who has learned how to die."

[utgard14 · 7/10 · 9 March 2014]

"Number Two Son" Jimmy Chan (Victor Sen Yung) sneaks aboard a ship about to embark on a treasure hunt. Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) comes looking for him and finds a murder to investigate with a boatload of suspects.

Exemplary entry in the Toler Chan series. Eerie, moody atmosphere with some of the best cinematography and direction of any of the Chan films. Lots of close-ups. Nice cast includes George Reeves, Milton Parsons, and pretty Kay Aldridge. Jimmy Chan is on screen a lot in this one, so if you're not a fan be prepared. I happen to like Jimmy and I didn't think his comic relief here was too much, as some have said. Treasure maps, pirates, talking parrots, and even a future Superman -- what's not to love?

Ghosts and Red Herrings

[telegonus · 10/10 · 25 August 2002]

An agreeable entry in the Charlie Chan series, this is an extremely well-made little movie, directed by Harry Lachman, and featuring some striking shots of an old pirate vessel in port and a tough waterfront dive. It's all cliches, nicely cobbled together, and served up with good humor by actors who don't seem to be taking themselves too seriously. Sidney Toler makes an agreeably phlegmatic and dignified Chan; while Sen Yung's Number Two Son gets into his usual hot water,--in this case actually sea water--as he tries to bail his old man out. Ethel Griffies is splendid as the haunted (and hunted) Mrs. Nodbury, Truman Bradley sinister as a pipe-smoking captain, George Reeves breezy as a suspect. I especially liked the quietly neurasethenic performance of Milton Parsons as a Boston Brahmin on vacation, trying to overcome a recent nervous breakdown. He picked one hell of a vacation spot! Highly recommended for fans of maritime mysteries, treasure maps, talking parrots and nocturnal strolls around creaking, fogbound wharves.

Atmospheric murder mystery aboard sinister ship in dimly lit harbor

[csteidler · 7/10 · 26 September 2012]

A "treasure hunt cruise" is all lined up—but the ship never leaves the dock in this mystery featuring a pirate ghost, a treasure map, a couple of murders, and the usual lineup of suspicious characters.

Jimmy Chan helps get the action started by sneaking aboard the darkened ship to investigate, his imagination fired by news about the expedition to retrieve $60 million of hidden treasure. Pop Charlie Chan comes looking for Jimmy, intending to take him home—which is how both Chans happen to be on the ship when the first murder occurs.

Sidney Toler is fine as always as the elder Chan; Sen Yung has a larger role than usual as Jimmy, and gives an energetic—practically manic—performance as the would-be detective whose curiosity is matched only by his enthusiasm. Toler and Yung, by now veterans of several films in these roles, complement each other perfectly.

The plot concerns an alleged treasure map, divided into four pieces and distributed among the would-be passengers. When the map's owner (and tour sponsor) is murdered and her map portion disappears, it becomes apparent that someone else on board is out to grab all four sections. Not surprisingly, practically all of the passengers and crew seem to harbor secrets of one kind or another….

The entire film is set inside the ship, outside in the harbor, or in a neighboring waterfront bar…and it all takes place at night. Nicely designed sets and good shadowy photography create an atmosphere that is sinister and just slightly spooky.

Jimmy Chan can't seem to keep out of the water in this one….And my favorite line from the picture is the elder Chan's response to Jimmy's apology for falling in yet again: "Please. Save alibi for autobiography."

An often overlooked Chan film that deserves more attention!

[admjtk1701 · 10/10 · 16 April 2000]

This is an often overlooked Chan film that deserves more attention! It is short at an hour running time. But it is loaded with great atmosphere and a good cast of interesting and eccentric characters. This is a good mystery and has many humorous parts, too. Sen Yung is quite good in this one. How can you get better than a ghost pirate named Black Hook on a treasure hunt? Another one that's lots of fun. TV Superman, George Reeves is in it too. This is one to see and see again!

1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4

[Jim Tritten · 7/10 · 4 July 2002]

Patience Nodbury has a treasure map worth $60,000,000 that has been handed down from her pirate ancestor `Black Hook.' Someone has already tried to steal it and she cuts it into four, sending three pieces to other members of the Cocoas Island Treasure Hunt Cruise. As Charlie Chan arrives on the sailing ship Suva Star, Patience meets her long-departed ancestor (complete with peg leg and hook for a hand) and she succumbs from a weak heart. `Trouble like first love, teach many lessons.'

Most of the rest of the film is set aboard the Suva Star (in port) where Charlie and his `favorite son' Jimmy set about to discover who would frighten a little old lady to death. The set is well constructed and presents an eerie location. Good camera work with lots of spooky shadows.

A good array of possible suspects includes George Reeves (later Superman on TV) and since the old sailing ship used to be a pirate museum, it provides an interesting array of props. Jimmy Chan provides good comic relief and spends a good deal of the film in the harbor having even walked the plank. When Jimmy offers to help guard and wants Charlie's gun, Pop responds with `Bullet from killer much easier to take than bullet from #2 son.' Milton Parsons skulks around as an interesting character that is trying to over come psychoses. A talking parrot `Gerdy' helps Chan unravel part of the mystery.

There are plenty of clues and they come fast, but this is the first Chan film that I have seen where the detective does not neatly wrap it up at the end and tell you what you should have seen or at least what he knew that you did not know. Unless the version I saw was cut (it might have been), Chan does not reveal how he knew the identity of the killer at the summation. But, there is one good clue and you might catch it. Fair but I liked this one better when I saw it as a kid.

A little too Jimmy Chan-heavy for me

[jonfrum2000 · 5/10 · 3 August 2010]

Very nice cinematography in this installment of the Chan series - beautiful lighting that really does the most with black and white film. The story is a nice one, but for me there's just too much of son Jimmy playing the fool. This is one of those Chans where the son is really a co-star in the film, with a resulting comic-relief drag on the mystery. I know the sons were very popular back in the day when the formula was a little drama, a little comedy, a little action, a little romance and maybe a little music, but for me the bug-eyed, bumbling Jimmy just stops the story in its tracks over and over. Watching the DVD on my laptop, I find myself pausing the film every time Jimmy jumps to the front of the scene and surfing the web for a while.

If Jimmy doesn't bother you like he does me, then I'd give it a 7. For me, it's a 5 in the world of Chan.

"Trouble like first love, teach many things"

[hwg1957-102-265704 · 7/10 · 2 August 2017]

Directed by Harry Lachman this is another entry in the Sidney Toler series of Charlie Chan films concerning a divided treasure map, a planned trip to a remote island, a ghost of a pirate and a couple of murders solved of course by Charlie Chan with the doubtful help of his number two son, Jimmy. The story is not much really, the usual red herrings, but it satisfies. What is really good are the excellent detailed sets and the atmospheric black and white photography. Some of the framing is gorgeous to look at, thanks to Charles G. Clarke, cinematographer.

Sidney Toler is fine as always as the quotable Chan and Sen Yung as son Jimmy has an active time in support. The running gag of him falling into water amused me. The rest of the cast are adequate. It does definitely benefit from having the easily recognisable Milton Parsons as Gene LaFarge, whose unique voice and features add greatly to the entertainment.

Another solid movie in the series.

A treasure hunt provides a mystery.

[michaelRokeefe · 6/10 · 7 May 2011]

A tidy mystery involving the ghost of a hanged buccaneer, a talking parrot, a treasure map quartered and a stowaway. A wealthy elderly Patience Nodbury(Ethel Griffles)stages a treasure hunt inviting several of her friends to partake. When the hostess is found dead in her stateroom, it is believed she has been frightened to death by a visit from one of her ancestors...the ghost of a fabled pirate. Or is it really a murder? The revered detective Charlie Chan(Sidney Tolar) happens to be on board ship looking for his #2 son Jimmy(Victor Sen Yung), a would be stowaway. In spite of the treasure map being torn in four parts, with three given to guests; someone on the ship wants the elderly woman dead. Not a whole lot of action; as far as that goes not a lot of acting either. Very little lighting in order to set the atmosphere. Should not be listed as one of the most favorite Chan flicks. Other players: Sheila Ryan, Truman Bradley, Paul McGarth, Kay Aldridge and George Reeves(of TV Superman fame).

A Pirate, a hook for a hand, a peg leg, a treasure, two murders

[biorngm · 7/10 · 8 August 2018]

Review - Dead Men Tell, released 3-28-41 This film is the ninth of eleven 20th Century Fox productions, there were five actors named after the opening title, after Sidney Toler as Charlie Chan. The larger cast is detailed at the end of the film naming eleven actors, including Toler and Yung. Two familiar names appear for me, George Reeves and Milton Parsons. The latter appeared in many films and TV series. The late George Reeves was the only Superman, in this reviewer's opinion. There was also Stanley Andrews, casted as an Inspector, appearing late in the movie, uncredited, but familiar to many as the Old Ranger in Death Valley Days, and also credited with many other western roles.

The actual killer turned out to be a surprise, revealed in the end, while all suspects were genuine red-herrings throughout the film, even toward the conclusion. The scenes are all on shipboard or the sail loft nearby the vessel, which never leaves port. One victim meets her untimely death early in the film, seeing her ancestor disguised as the pirate he was and the second victim about half-way through the movie, marked as an escaped convict, hiding on shipboard, disguised as a newspaperman; how appropriate.

The story entails a chartered cruise in search for buried treasure on an island somewhere in the Pacific. The adventure gets the interest of adventurers, newlyweds, a disturbed patient with his accompanying psychoanalyst, an escaped convict disguised as a newspaperman and a revenge seeking charter-boat captain. All actors were professional in their deliveries, very believable in the roles they played, except some were minor speaking parts, considering the billing they achieved. It is an hour-long movie, likely shown as part of a Saturday matinee, therefore, the attempts at humor are acceptable, mainly confined to Jimmy Chan interfering with his father's investigation. I wonder if Steve Daniels ever billed Jimmy Chan for dry cleaning; watch to learn the nature of this rhetorical question.

There was not the usual cop following Charlie around, as Chan worked the case alone. In fact, the police did not become a part of the action until late in the show. Charlie is on his own linking the clues, searching for evidence, setting a trap among the red-herrings. This film was a pleasant change of pace. Chan does not require help from additional law enforcement personnel, in fact, Jimmy is incapable of following orders, so eliminate number two son; send him home, and Charlie winds this case up sooner.

The theme of the movie was explained by the charter captain, as he told Charlie the history he had with the same island. There was really a treasure at one time, told by the captain, with his partner turning against him, stranding and leaving him to certain death. The captain was fortunate to survive, seeking revenge against the man deserting him. They are headed for same island the Captain survived. The story is introduced by the old lady, related to a pirate roaming the seas long ago. This same pirate, peg leg included, is present throughout the movie, disguising the killer. The same lady devises a way to lure the seekers to the island and search for the treasure, i.e. split the map up into four pieces, she keeps one, the other three pieces are spread amongst the guests, but nobody knows which guests, except the woman.

Charlie uncovers the killer through a process of investigating the suspects' actions on the ship contrasting with their motive, background with the sea and the evidence found on board. This is a worthwhile watch as the film moves along its one-hundred minutes; above-average fair by far.

Heaps of atmosphere and great cinematography

[shakspryn · 8/10 · 19 August 2017]

This is an interesting Chan in several ways. First, the DVD print looks great! Our setting is a classic type old sailing ship and the adjacent docks, tavern, etc. Tons of fog, so I guess we are in San Francisco, though I don't recall anyone specifying that.

This film is also notable, for the action all taking place in a few sets: sailing ship deck, cabins, docks, tavern, a few others. Think of an old mansion story--like Castle in the Desert--but here we are on a ship at dock. I imagine this saved a lot on the budget. The sets are A-1; just about anything nautical is crammed on that old ship!

I was a bit surprised by the acting styles in this film; a lot of the actors play it very broad, with long, big visual reaction takes, more like an early 1930's film. The pace of the film is very deliberate, almost slow at times, but I enjoyed it. There is good humor with Number Two Son. Toler underplays very effectively; he owns the part, at this point. This is a good one; recommended.

Well, it looks pretty

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 19 April 2009]

This is a rather strange film, as the plot is amazingly unusual. While this doesn't mean the plot is great, at least it deserves kudos for being different! The film begins with Charlie coming to the docks to look for his incredibly stupid son, Tommy. In the process, however, naturally he stumbles into a murder--something he does practically all the time!! This time, however, the setting on board an old fashion sailing ship (circa 1800) and the story of a vengeful pirate ghost and a treasure map make this a weird tale indeed! As I said, it isn't a great plot--mostly because it was so contrived and tough to believe. However, it still managed to be fun.

The star of this film wasn't actually the actors but the set design and cinematography. The director had quite an artistic eye and it has to be the prettiest and best filmed Chan movie of all time. With fascinating angles, a Film Noir-like look and a creepy locale, this is a breathtaking film for film students. Just because the Chan films were relatively low budget, this time there was just a little something extra.

About the only negative, and it's a minor one, is the running gag of having Tommy fall into the harbor. Once or twice is funny--four times is simply too much.

Overall, a pretty but average Twentieth-Century Fox Charlie Chan film.

Charlie Chan deals with treasure maps...and death traps...

[jaydeetee-19255 · 8/10 · 29 July 2016]

Where else could you see Hop Sing (Sen Yung) get decked (well...almost) by Superman (George Reeves)? A flying fish you say SuperDude?, 'Confuses' say "Club in hand don't look like no flying fish"

Yes, number 3 son Jimmy Chan is on board a spooky ship scheduled to sail off on an adventure trip in search of treasure. Well...he's on board some of the time, but he's mainly in the water is this above average entry in the 'Charlie Chan' series. But 'Pop' Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is there to bail him out once again.

Chan has to deal with the ghost of a peg-legged pirate, a small, but mysterious group of passengers, and the ship's brooding Captain. Never fear, Chan is here.

The movie has a nice 'feel' to it, with plenty of atmosphere...salty, dark, and mysterious. The story itself is pretty much what you'd expect from this type of movie, but it's good enough to carry you along for the cruise. Fun little mystery.

Pirate's curse and mystery

[ctyankee1 · 15 February 2017]

A ship is going on a trip to find a treasure. A lady had a treasure map, cut it in four pieces and sent them to 3 different people invited to this treasure hunt trip. Later she dies on the ship frightened to death by someone she thinks is from the pirates curse. Chan's son sneaks on the boat he wants to go on this treasure hunt. Later his father comes looking for him.

Chan's son is supposed to call the police about the death of the woman on the ship,he tells a reporter to do it who does not.

He then goes into a bar looking for someone with a wooden leg and trips over a guy with a wooden leg. Chan's son is so funny he gets into all kinds of trouble thinking he is so smart. He ends up in the water a lot.

He blind folds himself and tell a man he can walk a straight line anywhere. Not nothing the man takes the chain off of a plank and Jimmy Chan walks straight almost to the end of the plank above the water. When he takes the blindfold off he gets scared by what he sees and falls in the water.

Someone on board is scaring the others pretending to be Black Hook, a pirate with a hook for a hand and a wooden leg who left scratch marks on the door with his hook where the woman died. Strange music starts playing when danger is expected. People start getting killed and someone is trying to collect all the pieces of the treasure map.

George Reeves/Superman is in this young and handsome. There is also a thin man who looks nuts and comes on board with a doctor to get rid of some of his fears. His name is Milton Parsons and he plays Gene LaFarge. He is also funny

Nice mystery most of the passengers have a reason to knock everybody off.

Yo-Ho-Ho

[boblipton · 6/10 · 2 March 2024]

In the 28th Charlie Chan movie, Sidney Toler and #2 son Victor Sen Yung get mixed up in a hunt for buried treasure when Ethel Griffies is murdered aboard a ship before the expedition can set sail. With the treasure map in four pieces among the members, and a missing captain, can Toler hold the additional body count down to single digits?

There are one or two plot points left unexplained here, but director Harry Lachman offers an atmospheric movie, an illustration of my opinion that 20th Century-Fox's B division was among the best in the business in this period. Sheila Ryan, Kay Aldredge, George Reeves, and the ever-creepy Milton Parsons are on hand to add to the fun.

Pretty good movie

[wkozak221 · 8/10 · 11 March 2020]

I watched this several times. It is a good installment. It keeps you guessing. The cast is well rounded. The one negative is George Reeves. I have seen in various roles. He was o.k. but he appears to be smug in a lot of them. You can see the flip dialog in the Superman series. He does o.k. .

'16 Men on a dead man's chest'

[bkoganbing · 5/10 · 19 June 2013]

Charlie Chan arrives at a docked charter boat to retrieve his absent from college number 2 son Victor Sen Yung. But the murder of the woman who was in charge of the charter Ethel Griffies plus another of her passengers keeps him there. Good thing to have the best homicide cop around for a solution even though the second murder is committed during the investigation.

As it turns out in Dead Men Tell the late Ms. Griffies was the descendant of a pirate who hid treasure somewhere nearby. The various passengers on her charter all will share in the treasure as they aid in the finding. Only one of them gets a bit greedy. What he and Sidney Toler are looking for are pieces of a treasure map that Griffies gave to the other passengers

Besides the passengers is a mysterious and Eugene O'Neill like creation of a captain played by Truman Bradley. Bradley has project he's working on all his own.

Dead Men Tell is a good enough Charlie Chan feature. Sadly it repeated one gag one time too many. It got less funny every time Victor Sen Yung fell in the water.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for Chan.

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 17 September 2023]

That's Jimmy Chan in this case, giving Victor Sen Yung a great disguise in giant boots, pirate outfit (complete with hook) and odd head gear, and scarring everyone aboard the clipper ship where a mysterious old lady (the wonderful Ethel Griffies) met her demise after being confronted by a mysterious man with a hook.

Before her death, Griffies hid four parts of a treasure map, and the man with the hook got one. She had earlier met Charlie (Sidney Toler) and provided enough background for him to set in motion an investigation over the mysterious goings on aboard the decapitated vessel. The great set really adds a spookiness to this entry, and as a result, it's one of the best with Toler.

In support are Sheila Ryan, Don Douglas and Katharine Aldridge, but even though she's only in the film briefly, it's Griffies presence who carries the film, a thrill for fans of "The Birds", although I remembered her more for the sour matriarch in "Anne of Windy Poplars". The photography in this entry is quite good with a terrific use of lighting creating some moody shadows. Another unique detail is the use of Anne Bonney (a real life female pirate) as the name of one of the supporting characters.

Inconsequential Charlie Chan entry

[gridoon2024 · 5/10 · 1 June 2016]

The later Charlie Chan films made by the Monogram studios get a lot of flak, but here is a 20th Century Fox Chan outing that could have been a Monogram production: it's very cheap and oppressively claustrophobic. And I also have a problem with the treatment of Number 2 Son in this movie: he becomes a figure of pitfalls and humiliation. It's OK when Charlie makes fun of him (always with parental affection), but NOT when everyone else does as well. One last complaint: as often in these movies, when the characters are not played by recognizable names or at least faces, they tend to blend together, and this is the case with "Dead Men Tell" as well. The killer seems to be selected at random. My favorite Chan line: "Swallow much but digest little". ** out of 4.