The Jade Mask (1945)

Odd mélange of disparate elements: A spooky mansion; a much desired, gas-based process (which provides interesting pervading visuals,) that gives wood the strength of steel; vanishing and missing corpses; a much-hated, eccentric scientist (Frank Reicher); his greedy relations (Edith Evanson, Janet Warren & Dorothy Granger); death masks, marionettes and ventriloquist dummies; an unsuspected ‘strong-man’ carnival worker; poison darts; and walking dead, all signaling murder.

Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is called in to do government service to the detriment of his vacation time.

Since he’s prematurely checked out of the hotel room, his much verbally abused #4 son (Edwin Luke) and chauffeur and manservant (Mantan Moreland) have no choice but to follow along to ‘help’ with the case.

A goofy, quippy lawman (Henry Hall) is there, but unnecessary; it’s not as if the rest of the characters aren’t enough for proper comedy relief.

It doesn’t all properly tie-up in a neat, logical package, but it was never really meant to.

There really isn’t a jade mask to be found; the title is meant as a sort of allegory.