The Shanghai Cobra (1945)

The renowned Chinese detective Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is called in to investigate a series of murders by cobra venom. Chan recalls a similar case ten years earlier in Shanghai but the main suspect escaped. Could he be behind the new murders? An early directorial effort by Phil Karlson (KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL), this entry in the Chan franchise is middling. Not one of the best in the series but not terrible either. It follows the usual pattern of the Chan movies with Benson Fong as Chan's bumbling son and Mantan Moreland as Chan's wisecracking chauffeur providing the comedy relief. As to the mystery itself, it's not terribly interesting (a plan on raiding the government's radium stash) so you're not invested in the outcome. For once, the romantic leads (James Cardwell, Joan Barclay) are rather appealing so you don't mind the romance padding to fill up the film's brief running time. For Chan fans only. With Addison Richards, George Chandler and Cyril Delevanti.