Dark Alibi (1946)

Watching these old, very light, Charlie Chan mystery movies (much screen time is devoted to comedy,) often problematic in their use of stereotypes but not necessarily in the ways popularly perceived, I wonder if it might be possible to revive them in the present with proper casting (and thereby demolishing unfair criticism.)

In this script, for example, I can easily visualize Jackie Chan in the main detective role, and maybe Chris Tucker as his chauffeur Birmingham Brown – it’s not as if the two don’t have a proven history of screen chemistry.

The problem would not even be in the comedy which could be easily updated even if keeping the feature as a period piece.

In fact, it would require keeping the period if the plotted mystery were any indication:

A series of similar bank robberies where fingerprints were left at the scene and where the suspects were long-retired ex-cons comes to the attention of Charlie Chan when he overhears a friend discussing an inevitable death sentence with the daughter of the latest suspect.

It’s often the mystery is really a McGuffin for comedy or developing romance, but the mystery here is so lightweight: Is someone planting false evidence? Impossible! As the technology does not exist which can replicate fingerprints convincingly, (see what I meant about it having to be a period piece?)

Charlie Chan, his chauffeur, and his number one son must deal with a boarding house full of suspects; a spooky theatrical warehouse; a couple of trips to a nearby prison; attempted murders via sniper and being run over by a truck; and a shootout with an escaped convict.

I have no idea how Jackie Chan is doing nowadays, but he could certainly be more physically dexterous than Sidney Toler is here (and in most of the Charlie Chan features,) without the need of any fantastic CGI enhancement.

Could it be done? Why not? Would audiences today accept such light-weight entertainment? Sure, even if not economically feasible.

Maybe not theatrically, but with a medium to low-budgeted TV series? Why not?

Also with Benson Fong, Mantan Moreland (who scares much too easily for comedic purposes, but does get a clever verbal bit), Ben Carter, Teala Loring and George Holmes.