CrimeThrillerMystery

City in Darkness

- PARIS! BLACKOUT!...but there's no blackout for crime...and the great detective is commandeered!

Chan, in Paris for a reunion with friends from World War I, becomes involved in investigating the murder of a munitions manufacturer who was supplying arms to the enemy, even as the rising clouds of World War II force the city into nightly blackout status..

Release Date : 1939-11-15

Language :EnglishItalian

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : 20th Century Fox

Production Country : United States of America

Alternative Titles : Charlie Chan in City in DarknessCharlie Chan City in Darkness

Cast

Character Name : Charlie Chan

Original Name : Sidney Toler

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Inspector Marcel Spivak

Original Name : Harold Huber

Gender : Male

Character Name : Antoine

Original Name : Pedro de Cordoba

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marie Dubon

Original Name : Lynn Bari

Gender : Female

Character Name : Tony Madero

Original Name : Richard Clarke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Charlotte Ronnell

Original Name : Dorothy Tree

Gender : Female

Character Name : Belescu

Original Name : Noel Madison

Gender : Male

Character Name : Louis Santelle

Original Name : Leo G. Carroll

Gender : Male

Character Name : Prefect of Police J. Romaine

Original Name : C. Henry Gordon

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gentleman Max

Original Name : Louis Mercier

Gender : Male

Character Name : Alex

Original Name : George Davis

Gender : Male

Character Name : Lola

Original Name : Barbara Leonard

Gender : Female

Character Name : B. Petroff (as Douglas Dumbrille)

Original Name : Douglass Dumbrille

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hotel Proprietress

Original Name : Adrienne D'Ambricourt

Gender : Female

Character Name : Baptiste

Original Name : Harry Fleischmann

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pierre

Original Name : Lon Chaney Jr.

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme

Original Name : Eugene Borden

Gender : Male

Character Name : Captain

Original Name : Frederick Vogeding

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man wearing a robe in the hallway

Original Name : André Cheron

Gender : Male

Character Name : Complainant at Police

Original Name : Ann Codee

Gender : Female

Character Name : Travel Agency Manager

Original Name : Albert Conti

Gender : Male

Character Name : Proprietor of Wine Cellar

Original Name : Gino Corrado

Gender : Male

Character Name : Puppeteer

Original Name : Jean De Briac

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Cabby

Original Name : Jean Del Val

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role

Original Name : Fred Farrell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Officer

Original Name : Constant Franke

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Arno Frey

Gender : Male

Character Name : Victor the Gypsy, gangland bistro patron (cameo extra)

Original Name : John George

Gender : Male

Character Name : Minor Role

Original Name : Helen Giere

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor

Original Name : Paul Irving

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Girl

Original Name : Jeanne Lafayette

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mechanic

Original Name : Michael Mark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme

Original Name : Alphonse Martell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clerk

Original Name : Alberto Morin

Gender : Male

Character Name : Telephone Operator

Original Name : Nita Pike

Gender : Male

Character Name : Cabby

Original Name : Albert Pollet

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme at Steamship Office

Original Name : Frank Puglia

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme

Original Name : Joseph Romantini

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hotel Clerk

Original Name : Rolfe Sedan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Phillip

Original Name : Tom Seidel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Market Man

Original Name : Lester Sharpe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Plainclothesman

Original Name : George Sorel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man Leaving Paris

Original Name : Larry Steers

Gender : Male

Character Name : Gendarme

Original Name : Jacques Vanaire

Gender : Male

Character Name : French Girl

Original Name : Veola Vonn

Gender : Female

Character Name : One of Petroff's Girlfriends

Original Name : Poppy Wilde

Gender : Female

Character Name : Cabby

Original Name : Marek Windheim

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-11-30

With war in Europe looming large, "Charlie" (Sidney Toler) is in Paris to celebrate with some of his colleagues from the previous conflagration when he finds himself embroiled in the mysterious killing of "Petroff" (Douglass Dumbrille). There are few clues, but those that there are seem to centre around the young "Marie" (Lynn Bari) who is constantly having to beg, borrow or maybe even steal money to pay for an all-important passenger to travel to Panama and thence onto the safety of the USA. The deeper he delves, though, the more suspicious the activities of the deceased man start to look, and together with local policeman "Antoine" (Pedro de Cordoba) they roll their sleeves up. I quite enjoyed this, especially the effort from de Cordoba as a French policeman who might make "Insp. Clouseau" look efficient. He also gels well with the meticulous Toler who isn't accompanied by any of his brood for this adventure. There are loads of red herrings and at the end the tiniest bit of prophesying as the dark clouds really were gathering in 1939. The production is all a bit stage bound and basic, but that doesn't really spoil the enjoyment and if you like Toler and his forensic approach to sleuthing coupled with his Confucian profundities, then it's an amiably paced watch.