"Charlie Chan in Reno" from 1939 is about divorce and murder. Mary Whitman (Pauline Moore), a friend of Charlie's, has traveled to Reno to get a divorce. However, while there, the woman her husband left her for (Louise Henry), also at the hotel, is murdered. Mary is accused and arrested, and Charlie arrives with #2 son (Victor Sen-Yung) to get Mary out of hot water.There are plenty of suspects - in fact, there are too many, which makes the movie a little confusing. However, the good cast, which includes Phyllis Brooks, Ricardo Cortez, and Slim Summerville help the plot along, along with Charlie's witticisms and Jimmy Chan's antics.Directed by Norman Foster, this is a good entry into the series during its 20th Century Fox days.

Before Las Vegas exploded in growth after Ben Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel and it became the gambling capital of the USA, Reno, Nevada was the state's largest city and it's business was divorce and quickie marriages. As sheriff Slim Summerville remarked when the original suspect for the murder is being arrested, one thing she won't have any trouble in finding is a lawyer. They practically grow like cabbages out in the desert.Pauline Moore is in Reno getting a divorce from Kane Richmond and is accused of murdering Louise Henry, the woman set to marry Richmond. She has a scene in the beginning of the film where she makes herself such an obnoxious Miss Thing that half the would be brides and divorcées want to kill her. But it's Moore found over the body and Moore the one looking like she has the motive and opportunity.Of all things Charlie Chan is called by Richmond still concerned for his wife. It turns out that of course Henry had a ton of enemies and acquaintances and a shady past with connections to others in the cast. It's up to Sidney Toler in his second Chan feature to ferret all those out.I have to say some of them come out of left field, still the film is a decent Charlie Chan feature. Although the homicide captain Charles D. Brown is grateful for the help, country sheriff Slim Summerville spends most of the time bewildered by how rapidly the Oriental mind works. He's the comic relief in a good mystery that provides us with only one murder and a foiled attempt at another.

Run-of-the-mill murder mystery. Mary Whitman(Pauline Moore)arrives in Reno, Nevada for a six-week divorce. She finds herself arrested accused of murdering another divorce-seeker staying at her hotel. Circumstancial evidence seems to be damning, but family friend Charlie Chan(Sidney Toler) the Honolulu detective is summoned to seek the truth. Charlie's number-two-son Jimmy(Sen Yung)is on hand with intent to help his dad and is about as useful as the dim-witted local sheriff(Slim Summerville). The Police Chief(Charles D. Brown)is more than happy to have Chan on the case, because the crime quickly becomes complex. Cab driver Eddie Collins provides some humor. Other players: Ricardo Cortez, Phyllis Brooks, Kay Linaker and Kane Richmond.

Although this story got a bit confusing early on and was impossible to figure out with so many suspects, it still was very enjoyable to watch because of the humor.Between Charlie's proverbs and just some humorous remarks - many by Charlie's Number Two Son "Jimmy" (Sen Yung) and "Sheriff Tombstone Fletcher" (Slim Summerville) - it's a very entertaining Chan episode. Summerville played a pretty funny lawman.The movie also had a couple of very pretty women, most notably Phyllis Brooks. Overall, here's another Chan mystery just crying out for DVD packaging. Hopefully, we'll get it soon.