The Black Camel (1931)

 The Black Camel (1931)

First of all, the titular black camel is merely a metaphor for death. …One of Charlie Chan’s sayings. Hope that clears it.

The story is not set in the Middle East; it’s set in Hawaii.

An actress calls her psychic from California to get advice on a marriage proposal. Chan (Warner Oland) also in Hawaii, seems to be investigating, or at least, inquiring about an unresolved case from three years ago.

People aren't quite who they initially claim they are or seem to be. Fake identities seem to be the basis of it all, but even by the end not everything is cleared up, (who exactly is X? The film never tells us.)

Things heat up when it turns out that the actress has some connection to the old case, which I won’t spoil, but the developments that follow might be easily guessed except that they aren't that obvious.

Pretty soon, we’ve got a fresh crime on our hands.

Chan, in this case, is accompanied by an annoying, hyperactive Japanese assistant, and Bela Lugosi (as the psychic) is a welcome presence. His psychic abilities aren’t immediately established as genuine, but his keen mind and observation skills are. Is he a genuine psychic or a con man? Watch and find out.

Also with Sally Eilers, Dorothy Revier, and Dwight Frye.

I am not sure I remember correctly, but I believe this was listed in VW Magazine as one of the better or, at least, more interesting Charlie Chans. It's been a while.

Somewhat light on racy content for a Pre-Code film but had the film bothered to underscore adulterous content we'd have gotten a little bit more.