58%
Tomatometer
58%
Popcornmeter
7.1
TMDB
Charlie Chan, with son Jimmy on a week's pass from the Army, takes up a request for help at a castle-home, miles from anywhere in the American desert south-west and inhabited by an eccentric, reclusive historian and his wife, a descendant of Lucrezia Borgia. Once there, he finds the request's legitimacy denied by all who are present, but still necessary as one houseguest has already been murdered, the other guests are at each other's throat, and the Borgia-related chatelain is suspected...
Official Trailer
Budget
Not disclosed
Revenue
Not disclosed
Studio
20th Century Fox
Sidney Toler
Charlie Chan
Victor Sen Yung
Jimmy Chan
Lenita Lane
Lucy Borgia Manderley
Douglass Dumbrille
Paul Manderley
Steven Geray
Dr. Retling
Edmund MacDonald
Walter Hartford
Arleen Whelan
Brenda Hartford
Ethel Griffies
Mme. Saturnia, aka Lizzie
Henry Daniell
Watson King
Richard Derr
Carl Detheridge
Lucien Littlefield
Prof. Gleason
Milton Parsons
Arthur Fletcher
4 reviews · 2 critics · 1 fan
2 fresh · 1 rotten
I have to say that I rather enjoyed this - but boy, is it a far-fetched affair! This time "Charlie Chan" (an on-form Sidney Toler) and No. 2 son "Jimmy" are invited to a remote castle in the Mojave desert tp investigate some strange goings on. What adds to the mystery is that the owner of this spookily lit house - "Manderley" (the man that is, not the house) wears a partial mask to cover an huge scar obtained in an accident and his wife "Lucy" (Lenita Lane) is a distant descendant of the infamous Borgia family. What ensues plays all the best cards from a mansion house game of "Cluedo" with some intrigue emanating from the many Borgia legends (with some very interesting pronunciations) that they have tapped into - all involving deadly poisons and a ring... No electricity, no phone and loads of ancient instruments of torture help keep the suspense going, as do contributions from Douglass Dumbrille; rent-a-baddie Henry Daniell and the outrageous "Madame Saturnia" (Ethel Griffies). The ending, well that's quite amusing too - and all in all, it's a good hour of diversion.
Title
Castle in the Desert
Released
Feb 2, 1942
Rated
Not rated
Region of Origin
United States of America
Original Audio
English
Runtime
1h 2m
Status
Released
Studio
20th Century Fox
