Don't listen to the negative reviews

A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Chan is apparently summoned to the castle by the lady of the house, Lenita Lane, who in her message says that she fears for her life following the poisoning of visitor Lucian Littlefield. Her husband (Douglass Dumbrille), who is an eccentric recluse spending his time researching 16th century history and the Borgias specifically, is suspicious of all visitors. There's a rogue's gallery in the household: Henry Danielle as a sculptor there to do the lady's bust; Steven Geray as the family doctor, Edmond McDonald as the family lawyer and his wife Arleen Whelan; and Richard Derr a history professor at a college bearing the family name. As if that's not enough characters for a 62 minute movie, Milton Parsons pops in as a PI to investigate the poisoning and Ethel Griffies as the local fortune teller joins the party with the insufferable Victor Sen Yung, who like pepper, a little goes a long way. There's a fairly complex plot that develops which is difficult to follow with the annoying antics of Yung. Even with his carrying on, the rest of this strong cast manages to stay on script and provide a very good atmospheric mystery. Sidney Toler as Chan is exceptional, remaining skeptical of the common belief among the house that Lane, also a descendant of the Borgia family, is a poisoning murderess. I wanted to rate this higher but Yung's nonsense held me back. Still, this is a decent feature in the series and recommended.

Son Number Two (Victor Sen Yung), now in army, not hold candle to Son Number One (Benson Fong). So much different that I wonder if Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler)have been fooling around. Maybe Wife Number Two stashed in basement of Jade Empress Restaurant or tattoo parlor on Hotel Street.As Charlie Chan movie, production values not bad, compliments 20th-Century Fox. Actors not bad too. Henry Daniell always reliable villain. Douglass Dumbrille usually bad also but in this case is victim of several murder attempts.Plot involve one murder and two attempted murder. Also deadly nightshade. Come from mushroom. Not found in moo goo gai pan. Also tagara root. Not poison, only hypnotic. Romeo give tagara root to Juliet to put to sleep and do head pass on villains in play about Romeo and Juliet. (Forget name of play. Never mix rum with herculanium.) Story take place in desert castle, just like title say. Thirty-five miles from Mojave Wells. Castle not have electricity or running water. Please not ask about air conditioning. This 1942.Victor Sen Yung very amusing in suit of armor, stumbling around basement full of cobweb and poison. Charlie Chan too stern. Always put Number Two Son down with funny wisecrack. Number Two Son ignore insults but still insults must hurt, like telling skinny lady, "I'll bet in high school they call you Treasure Island because you have sunken chest." Sen Yung funny, but not patch on Mantan Moreland.

As another commenter mentioned, this Chan does not end well. If you're a Chan fan, you'll enjoy it - it's done quite wellbut the reveal at the end leaves the attentive viewer scratching his/her head. The truth is that loose ends are very common in murder mysteries - only the best are well thought out and sewed up at the end. In this case, we're left wondering how in the world a British detective/sculptor came to be hired by Mrs Manderley in the California desert. And oh, by the way, how did her evil step-brother replace or become that detective? And the guy in the suit of armor? Charlie refers to his law-breaking, but no to his motive. If you watch Charlie for the atmosphere, sit back and enjoy. If you're a mystery fan, don't take this plot too seriously.

While I admit that the Chan films of Warner Oland are, as a group, superior to those of Sidney Toler, that doesn't mean that some of the Toler films aren't rock solid and as good individually as anything Oland made. Three that immediately come to mind are Charlie Chan at Treasure Island, Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum, and this film, Castle in the Desert. (By the way, why isn't the title Charlie Chan and the Castle in the Desert? It would have made sense to me.) In Castle in the Desert, Charlie is summoned to a strange, isolated castle in the middle of the Mojave Desert. But no one in the house will admit to having sent of Chan. His presence is, however, quickly needed when in no time at all Charlie finds himself up to his elbows in murder, poison, deadly arrows, red herrings, and suspects galore. What could be more fun! I've seen someone use this phrase before to describe a Charlie Chan film and I think it fits Castle in the Desert – "It's a crackling good mystery". As I've indicated, all of the necessary ingredients for a fun outing with Chan are here. In fact, Castle in the Desert is really more like two mysteries in one. While the solution to the first is fairly obvious, it's still a lot of fun and just an appetizer for the more difficult and dangerous mystery to come. This was Toler's last Chan film for Fox and, by the time this one was made, Toler could have played the role in his sleep. He seems so at ease with the character. The rest of the cast is enjoyable with Henry Daniell and, one of my favorites, Douglass Dumbrille standing out in support. Another bonus for Castle in the Desert is that Victor Sen Yung as #2 son Jimmy Chan isn't anywhere near as annoying as he is in some of the other Chan films.Overall, Castle in the Desert is a nice finale to the Chan films at Fox. Nothing that would come later at Monogram is anywhere close to matching it. I've got no problem rating this one a strong 7/10 verging on an 8/10.