Name: The Black Camel
Genre: Crime, Mystery
Released: 1931-06-21
Duration: 71 min
Rating: 6.1
Cast: Warner Oland, Sally Eilers, Bela Lugosi, Dorothy Revier, Victor Varconi

The Black Camel

The unsolved secrets of Hollywood disclosed under the romantic spell of Hawaiian moonlight

Movie star Shelah Fane is seeing wealthy Alan Jaynes while filming in Honolulu, Hawaii, but won't marry him without consulting famed psychic Tarneverro first. Enter inspector Charlie Chan of the Honolulu Police, investigating the unsolved murder, three years earlier, of a Hollywood actor.

CrimeMystery

DirectorHamilton MacFadden

WritersEarl Derr Biggers, Philip Klein, Barry Conners, Hugh Stanislaus Stange

StatusReleased

LanguageEnglish

Release DateJune 21, 1931

Runtime1h 11m

Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) Collection

Includes: Charlie Chan Carries On, The Black Camel, Charlie Chan's Chance, Charlie Chan's Greatest Case, Charlie Chan's Courage, Charlie Chan in London, Charlie Chan in Paris, Charlie Chan in Egypt, Charlie Chan in Shanghai, Charlie Chan's Secret, Charlie Chan at the Circus, Charlie Chan at the Race Track, Charlie Chan at the Opera, Charlie Chan at the Olympics, Charlie Chan on Broadway, Charlie Chan at Monte Carlo

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

June 13, 20227/10

Warner Oland is "Charlie Chan" in this engaging marriage of the occult with the vanities of Hollywood stardom. "Sheila Fayne" (Dorothy Revier) is an actress being pursued by the wealthy "Alan Jaynes" (William Post). Before she will commit to his ardour, she consults her psychic medium "Tarneverro" (Bela Lugosi). Instead of a simple yeah or nay, though, he raises the spectre of the death of her erstwhile co-star "Danny Mayo" and next thing we know "Chan" is investigating a far more recent murder. Loads of possible culprits; some eerily lit settings, a bit of gently cerebral humour and the sight of his assembled family at a dinner table that would have made even the "Walton's" blush all helps the mystery develop nicely. Lugosi is effective as the clearly dubious mystic, and there's an early turn from the handsome Robert Young to look out for, too. It's well directed, written and the suspense builds nicely. Oland presents a "rotundness" of spirit with his performance; his frequent adages delivered with his tongue in his cheek - and I enjoyed this.